Maya's Blog

Real Estate Marketing Strategies: Are You Afraid to be Successful?

Maya Bailey (Maya Bailey, Ph.D. ) — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 14:53:58 -0600

In my 13 years of coaching entrepreneurs to be successful, I have uncovered that many people have a deep-seated fear of success. When I probe for the reasons behind this fear of success, the pattern is very similar. The clients that I work with who are afraid to be successful often had situations in their childhood that caused them to retreat. There were hostile environments, turmoil, chaos and fighting, and the individual did the only safe thing to do, which was to withdraw and form the belief that it’s really not safe to be visible. Along with that, other core beliefs that were formed were: It’s not safe to express my feelings; it’s not safe to be myself; it’s not safe to succeed. Basically succeeding was not safe because succeeding left the client more exposed, more visible, and therefore a possible target for punishment or disapproval.

I just finished working with a client a few weeks ago who has much talent and potential to succeed. She is currently dismantling her old programming from childhood, and discovering that even with all of her potential success and experience there lies a deep-seated belief that if she was successful that more would be expected of her, and that she would subject her to criticism and disapproval. This stops her from taking the actions that she needs to take to be successful.

Gradually over time in our sessions, we’re going back and helping her to release those old programs that have inhibited her success. She now is beginning to understand that her safety now in life doesn’t depend on retreating; her safety depends on fulfilling her full potential. In our last session together, she created some new empowered beliefs, such as;

1) I welcome greater and greater success.

2) I am experiencing massive amounts of success.

3) I have created balance between my personal and professional life.

4) I fully express my talents and abilities.

5) My safety depends on living my full potential.

After only a month of working together this client is already reporting feeling more confident, vast improvement in her negotiation skills, her speaking skills, and an increased ability to set boundaries with her clients. All of this is happening because of the understanding that success comes from the inside out. She was subconsciously blocking herself, as many of us do, block ourself with the fear of success and sometimes even the fear of failure. Once these blocks are removed, we regain our confidence. Many of my clients double and triple their incomes from this process.

Here’s a coaching hint: If you suspect that you are blocking yourself from success, sit down, get a pen and paper out, and write down the possible blocks or self-limiting beliefs that could be causing you to retreat from success. Then ask yourself if you are willing to look at those and reprogram those. The benefits are enormous; the choice is yours.

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Dr. Maya Bailey, author of, Law of Attraction for Success Minded Professionals, integrates 20 years of experience as a psychologist and 12 years as a business coach with her expertise in the Law of Attraction. Her powerful work creates a success formula for success minded professionals ready to double and triple their incomes. Get Dr. Maya's free report, 7 Simple Strategies For More Clients in 90 Days by visiting: www.90daystomoreclients.com

Real Estate Marking Strategies: Why Do Some Entrepreneurs Do Well in Today’s Economy?

Maya Bailey (Maya Bailey, Ph.D. ) — Tue, 02 Feb 2010 11:48:38 -0600

Is that a question you’ve ever asked yourself? Have you ever wondered why some entrepreneurs do well in today’s economy while others fail? There is a huge discrepancy right now between people who are failing and people who are succeeding.

Having been a business coach for the past 13 years I’ve had the privilege to observe how entrepreneurs function. This experience has included new entrepreneurs and seasoned business people, watching them function through hard times and good times. In addition, I’ve even had the privilege to be able to participate in helping them to become successful.

Here’s the secret to what separates those who are doing well in today’s economy from those who are not. It’s one word and that word is fear. The not so successful business owners have fallen into a cycle of fear. Usually that pattern is established through incessant watching of the news, whether it’s reading a newspaper, a magazine, watching TV, listening to the radio, or their friends who aren’t doing well. When they follow the news much too closely, their mind is focused on gloom and doom.

In Law of Attraction terms you could say that they have gotten in a cycle of focusing on what they don’t want instead of what they do want. Because the media focuses on lack, they have also been focusing on lack. Since our thoughts create our reality the more we focus on lack the more we bring that experience to us.

The energy of fear is a contracting energy. If you’re caught up in fear you might not know it but you might notice the signs and symptoms of fear. Here’s some things to watch out for: Are you feeling discouraged? Are you procrastinating? Are you avoiding marketing? Are you feeling depressed? Are you suffering from low energy?

You see all of these signs and symptoms simply indicate that your energy instead of being expansive and confident has shrunken.

So what’s the way out? Let’s take a look at group B, the success minded professionals in today’s economy. These professionals are not watching the news very much at all; in fact most of them go out of their way to avoid the news because they know the devastating effects on their mindset if they inundate themselves with the latest media blitz. Instead they focus on the opportunities available in their marketplace.

They are keenly aware of the opportunities available. They are keenly aware that this is one of the best times to network and build relationships. They are taking action.

What the successful group is doing that the non successful group is not doing is that they are keeping their confidence level high and their mindset positive. They are focusing on:

* How can I serve the people in my community?

* How can I provide better service to my clients?

* How can I network effectively?

* How can I get in front of my target audience?

In addition they are not focusing on what they don’t want; they’re focusing on what they do want. They’re focusing on their vision. They’re focusing on the income they want to create. They’re focusing on how they want to help people.

In addition, they’re focusing on their capabilities. If they have skills that they need to sharpen and refresh they’re taking that opportunity to do it now. Taking classes and joining groups of like-minded professionals is not only a great way to improve your skill-set, but also one of the best ways to network.

Finally, the most important thing they’re doing that the other group isn’t doing, is that they’re taking action. With a positive mindset it’s easy to take action. They are getting on the phone. They’re not afraid to pick up the phone and call their past clients, their current clients, their sphere of influence, and even people they don’t know. Because they know that they have a valuable service they offer.

Most of the time when I coach my clients I coach them with this belief, “I have a valuable service to offer and people are happy to hear from me.” Since our beliefs create our reality if that’s what you put out to the universe that is what you get back.

Many of my former clients that are practicing being proactive, practice getting their clients connected with the great opportunities. They have actually doubled and tripled their income in an economy that the rest of the world is calling a recession.

My advice to any business professional right now who wants to be successful is this; you may have knowledge of the current economy, but you don’t have to participate. Instead you could do what Jack Canfield recommends and just say to yourself, “I hear there’s a recession going on and I choose not to participate.”

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Real Estate Marketing Strategies: How to Attract Your Ideal Client

Maya Bailey (Maya Bailey, Ph.D. ) — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 13:57:13 -0600

Wouldn’t it be nice to know that you had the power to attract only those clients that you really love to work with? Imagine the joy and satisfaction you’d feel getting up in the morning knowing that your day would be filled with people you like to be around! What feeling does that give you that you didn’t have before?

Steps to Attracting your Ideal Client:

Knowing who’s right:

Have you clearly defined the qualities of your ideal clients? In coaching people for the last 30 years, I have found that most people are fuzzy when it comes to knowing who they really most desire to work with.

To assist you in doing this, think back at some wonderful people you had the pleasure of doing business with. What did you like about them? Most of my coaching clients report the same qualities: someone who is positive, committed, motivated, educated, responsible and just a joy to be around. How good are you at attracting these clients?

Avoiding who’s wrong:

How do you know who is the wrong client for you? Just start by listening to your body. Your body always tells the truth. Do you feel relaxed around this person or tense? How is your breathing ?

If you tend to hold your breath around this person, your body is telling you to beware. If you want to avoid contacting this person, even thought it’s essential, again you’re being given a signal.

Get in front of your ideal clients:

Once you know the characteristics of who you want to work with, find ways to meet them and connect with them. Where do they hang out? Do they go to certain health clubs in your area? Then go to those clubs. Do they belong to certain community service organizations? Join them.

Remember, before people will do business with you, they need to KNOW, LIKE and TRUST you. So follow your basic word of mouth strategies to be in contact with them. Remember they are your target market now, so you need to join the networking organizations they belong to, speak at places where they will be listening, write articles that they will read and form cross referral relationships with other professionals that work with them.

Use the Power of the Law of Attraction:

The Law of Attraction is simple. It basically says to put out the energy that you want to attract back. It’s based on the idea that “like attracts like”. So guess what ? If you want to attract your ideal client, you need to express the qualities that they express. So, if you’re ideal client is positive, motivated, committed, educated and a joy to be around, practice being that. Not only will you have fun in the process, but you’ll become an magnet for your ideal clients.

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Real Estate Marketing Strategies: 3 Simple Tips for Creating Your Ideal Income this Year

Maya Bailey (Maya Bailey, Ph.D. ) — Tue, 19 Jan 2010 12:03:17 -0600

Most of us start off the New Year with the best of intentions. We all have a deep longing in our hearts for this year to be the best year yet. We even make resolutions.

Sadly, however, most resolutions are forgotten by Jan30. Before we know it we are caught up in the same reactive cycle as we were before. This article shows you how to create a new paradigm for success.

1. Use the Power of Your Imagination

Einstein once said, “Imagination is more important than knowledge”. Have you imagined how your want your professional life to look in 12 months from today?

If you haven’t already, try this: close your eyes and create your Ideal Professional Life.

a. See your self doing work you love and see how many hours a week you are doing it.

b. Ask yourself what kind of people your want to be working with. Who are your ideal clients and colleagues?

c. What are your ideal physical surroundings for your work environment?

d. What is your ideal income in 12 months?

So far, so good. Now put yourself into this visualization and feel what it feels like to be in the picture of your Ideal Professional Life. What positive feelings are you experiencing? Most people report such feelings as peaceful, calm, excited, confident, satisfied, etc. What are your unique feelings? Can you allow yourself to experience them now?

The more you can feel these feelings and practice them every day, more you will magnetize the events leading up to the feelings to land in your lap. You get what your focus on. Focus on your Ideal Professional Life and that’s what you’ll get.

2. Become aware of your obstacles, challenges, self-limiting beliefs and self-sabotaging strategies.

Now that you’re clear on where you want to be professionally In 12 months from now, and your know exactly what you want your income to be, please yourself this question: What would I have to overcome to reach this goal? What would need to be dissolved? What blocks would you need to remove?

After 30 years of coaching people to be more fully empowered, I can honestly say that most people realize that they are the ones holding themselves back.

To become aware of how you may be holding yourself back, look at your self-limiting beliefs, your self-sabotaging strategies and the tone of your self talk.

a. When your are able to identify the self-limiting beliefs, like, “I don’t have what it takes to succeed”, and more, then practice reprogramming those beliefs to Empowered Beliefs like “ I have all I need to succeed”.

b. You’ll be able to recognize your self – sabotaging strategies because they will show up as avoidance or procrastination. Usually with the help of a good coach or mentor you can learn to reverse those self-sabotaging strategies into ones that will serve you.

c. What is the tone of your self talk? If you judge yourself or Berate yourself, then your Inner Critic (also known as the Gremlin) is in charge. Your Inner Critic thinks it’s trying to help you to be successful, but actually it’s destroying your confidence. I highly recommend learning how to tame your Gremlin if you’re committed to your own success.

3. Have a plan to reach your goals.

So far we’ve explored how you need clarity about your goals, next you need to clear away negative beliefs and anything that would get in the way. Now we need to explore where “the rubber meets the road.”

a. Ask yourself if you have a crystal clear action plan?

b. Do you have a time management system to implement your plan?

c. Do you have a plan for accountability? This is where coaching comes in handy. You have a witness for your accountability. Do you have any idea how much more accountable to yourself you become when someone is meeting with you week after week and saying, “How did that action step go?”

d. Do you know your unique selling point?

e. Do you know your niche and your target market?

f. Do you have a tangible plan to reach your target market, identify their problem and provide a solution?

In summary, to create your Ideal Income, you must know where you want to be, clear away the obstacles getting in your way and know how to get there.

Real Estate Marketing Strategies: Increase your Power to Attract Prosperity

Maya Bailey (Maya Bailey, Ph.D. ) — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 11:56:16 -0600

In the last 13 years as a Law of Attraction business coach, I’ve had the pleasure to interview hundreds of very successful entrepreneurs. I was able to ask them the secret to their success. The answer that I always got from everyone I interviewed was that the most important secret to their success was their mindset.

In other words, after talking with seasoned entrepreneurs who had been through up markets and down markets, difficult markets and easy markets, they all said one thing, it was their mindset, and specifically their ability to create a positive mindset that increased their power to attract prosperity.

The biggest challenge facing business professionals today is that it’s becoming increasingly difficult to develop a positive mindset. I have entrepreneurs emailing me and calling me all of the time about the same question, how can I be positive when it looks like the economy is collapsing all around me? How can I be positive when I turn on the news and all of the news is bad? Many business professionals are concerned, rightfully so, about how they’re going to reach their financial goals in today’s market.

I always recommend to my clients that they do one thing, and that is avoid the news. That’s right. I really strongly urge them to avoid watching the news on TV, or listening to it on the radio, or reading in magazines or newspapers. Why? Because the media sensationalizes and has an expression called, “If it bleeds, it leads”. In other words, the media capitalizes on tragedy, negativity, pain, and disaster. There is no way to watch or listen to the news and feel good about what’s happening in the world or the economy.

The entrepreneurs that I work with who are the most successful make it a strong intention to avoid the news. I even have a former client who has an internal boundary in place if anyone around her is talking negatively about the news or about the economy. And inside herself she says, “That maybe true for you, but it’s not true for me.”

I highly recommend that you do two things, one you avoid exposure to the news, and two, if you are around people who are talking negatively about the economy, the real estate market, or the news in general, I recommend doing what my former client did. Just tell yourself; “that maybe true for you, but it’s not true for me”.

The result of all of this bombardment in the last year is that most entrepreneurs have consciously or subconsciously bought into a false paradigm of, “I can’t succeed because of the economy”, or “it’s going to be challenging to try to make money in today’s economy”. In other words, most people have consciously or subconsciously given their power away to the belief that something outside of themselves can stop them from being successful.

And the truth is, that paradigm is called a Victim Consciousness. The consciousness that something or somebody outside of you can stop you from being successful is a Victim Consciousness. In contrast, you do have a choice. You can choose to embrace a different consciousness. I call it the consciousness of the Deliberate Creator. If you are going to increase your power to attract prosperity then you need to embrace the consciousness of the Deliberate Creator.

What does that mean? That means you embrace the concept of “if it is to be, it’s up to me”, or as Henry Ford said, “Whether you believe you can or can’t, either way you are right”. In other words, when you become the Deliberate Creator of your life, you take full responsibility for everything that happens, the good and the bad. And there’s the rub. Most people don’t want to take full responsibility for their lives, because it means taking responsibility for all the “negative experience” as well.

However, when you do take responsibility you don’t have to blame yourself for everything that’s happened. You simply have to be accountable. The advantage of taking responsibility for your life is that you can change your life. And by changing your thinking you can change your life.

The good news is no matter how many years you’ve held onto a certain belief, you can change it in a moment. The power to change is always in the present moment. If you want to increase your power to attract prosperity, then the first step is to form an intention that from now on you are letting go of Victim Consciousness and you are embracing the consciousness of the Deliberate Creator.

I would highly recommend as an action step that you get a piece of paper and pen out and write down that intention. You can write it like this, “I”, and fill in your name, “fully intend to release my Victim Consciousness and replace it with the consciousness of the Deliberate Creator”, and that’s all there is to it. You might want to include some other empowering beliefs as well like “I feel happy and grateful that as I embrace the consciousness of the Deliberate Creator, I can create my life just the way I want it to be.”

The old paradigm of the victim consciousness is how we were raised. We were raised to feel that we had no power, and many of us in order to survive our childhoods needed to give away our power, and that was a survival strategy that we needed as children. Now, however, giving away your power does not help you to succeed. Giving away your power is deadly if you intend to increase prosperity.

You can take back your power at any moment and simply state to yourself, “I am now the Deliberate Creator of my life”. From the position of the Deliberate Creator of your life you are now poised and ready to use the Law of Attraction, a positive and powerful manifestation tool to increase prosperity for yourself and for the highest good of all.

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Real Estate Marketing Strategies: Create Your 2010 Success Blueprint

Maya Bailey (Maya Bailey, Ph.D. ) — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 14:13:03 -0600

Many people want to create success for the new year not realizing that in order to do that, they need to have inside of them a blueprint for success. What does that mean specifically? Actually, having a blueprint for success means two things. The first thing is that it means you have to have a clear vision of what it is you want to create. The more powerful your vision and the more you can feel your vision, the stronger it is.

So for example, if you want your business to make $500,000 in 2010, and you’d like to work maybe 30 hours a week or less, and you’d like to work with your ideal clients, then create a mission statement to that effect. I would recommend start off with the words, “I am so happy and grateful that I am making $500,000 or more in 2010, I’m working 30 hours a week or less, and I am working with my ideal clients doing work I love.” Once you say that, then put it on an index card where you can read it out loud every day.

The next thing you do is you step into the visualization and you really feel what it feels like. So for example, you step into it and feel what does it feel like to be making $500,000 a year. You can imagine what you would do with that added income. Perhaps you could visualize yourself spending part of it and saving part of it, or giving part of it to charity.

Make your vision very vivid. Not like a snapshot, but like a just a moving picture of seeing yourself doing all of these things you want to do with this added income. Perhaps you’re already making $500,000, so for you perhaps in 2010 the big stretch would be $800,000, $900,000 or beyond, whatever is a stretch for you. Pick a figure that’s realistic and yet optimistic at the same time.

Once you’ve got that vision statement, you simply need to feel it. You need to feel what it feels like to have that income. Feel what it feels like to be working your ideal number of hours per week. Feel what it feels like to be working with your ideal clients. Experience the joy and the fun of being of service to these clients. The more you breathe into it the more you’ll be able to feel it.

The key is to do this frequently. Every morning look at your vision statement, read it out loud with feeling, and take a few extra moments to really feel it before going to sleep. Your subconscious mind is very receptive. Put it by your nightstand and right before you go to sleep look at it, read it, and feel it. Let this sink into your subconscious mind that this is your vision. This is your intention for the new year. It's very powerful to have a vision statement.

The second thing to do to create a success blueprint is you need to be sure that you’ve cleared your self-limiting beliefs. Here’s the process that I recommend to do that. Get out a piece of paper and create a T diagram. Draw a horizontal line across the page and draw a vertical line down the page so you have two columns. The left hand column is called Your Self Limiting Beliefs. The right hand column is called Your Empowered Beliefs. This next part requires that you become like a loving detective and search inside yourself as to what self-limiting beliefs you would need to reprogram in order to reach your goal, in order to really manifest that vision statement.

Some examples of self-limiting beliefs that stop people, (and the biggest one right now) is “I can’t reach my financial goals because of the economy.” So that statement is a self-limiting belief that belongs in your left hand column. Another one that’s very common that people have is “I’m not good enough” or “I don’t have what it takes to succeed.” Over the years of coaching clients, real estate agents in particular, I’ve heard many self-limiting beliefs that create an anti-success blueprint.

“I’m not good enough.” “ I’m not smart enough. “I’m not experienced enough.”

I had a client named JoAnn who, when she first came to me, was broke and scared. She was in debt. She had been a real estate agent for a while and she was feeling stuck. She was at a low point in her life. After I helped her create her vision statement, we went to work to find out what self-limiting beliefs she was carrying on the subconscious level that were stopping her from success. And we found out that she had several. If any of these are true for you, put them in your left hand column. For example, “I’m not good enough” goes in the left hand column.

Her parents did not encourage her to succeed. Her parents did not instill a success blueprint in her, rather they have her the impression that she should just get married and that a man would take care of her. So she did not have the support she needed to say, “I will be successful.”

In addition to that, she was told as a child over and over again, “don’t bother people.” “ Don’t talk to strangers.” “If you call somebody up you’re bothering them.” And of course as a real estate professional, one of her jobs is to call people up. Sometimes she had to call people she didn’t even know. She wasn’t aware of it, but these beliefs were blocking her from her success.

She had tried many different kinds of coaching. She had tried accountability coaching. She even knew about the Law of Attraction, but couldn’t implement the Law of Attraction because of her self-limiting beliefs. In the period of time that we worked together, which was 24 sessions, she was able to change those self-limiting beliefs.

So in the left hand column she had written “I’m not good enough”. In the right hand column she wrote, “I am more than good enough”. In the left hand column, “Women aren’t as valuable as men”, right hand column, “Women are just as valuable as men”, left hand column, “Don’t talk to strangers”, right hand column - what was the right hand column for that one? “People are happy to hear from me”.

What happened after JoAnn cleared her self-limited beliefs, and put her empowered beliefs in place was that she created her ideal professional life. Currently she’s making $35,000 a month and happily only has to work five hours a day working with her ideal clients. I give you this example to illustrate the dramatic importance of knowing what your self-limiting beliefs are and clearing them out of the way.

Recently I was working with a client who had been scripted or programmed when she was a child with a lot of anti-success beliefs such as “I can’t be visible.” “I can’t draw attention to myself.” “I’m not supposed to succeed.”

So if any of those resonate for you as you’re reading this article, put those in your left hand column and realize that you’re not stuck with them. They’re not facts, they’re just beliefs, and do not judge yourself for having them, because at one point in your life these beliefs were survival strategies. Get as many down in the left hand column as you can. Take some guesses.

Once you’ve done that, go to the right hand column and for every self-limiting belief you’ve written, write down your empowered belief. So if your self-limiting belief says, “I can’t be visible” then write down “It’s now safe to be visible.” If your self-limiting belief is “I’m not supposed to succeed” then write down “I am highly worthy of success and I’m supposed to succeed.” “I’m supposed to live my dreams.”

What you do after that is you want to totally release the left hand column, and one of the best methods to do that is called the Burn Technique. Simply cut the paper in half, burn the left hand column. Let it go in a ritual, and as it’s burning just say good-bye to all of the self-limiting beliefs that you no longer need.

In the right hand column, I would recommend taking each of those empowering beliefs and putting each of them on an index card and then saying those empowered beliefs every day out loud with feeling to reprogram your self-conscious mind. If the negative beliefs start to creep up again, simply use the power of your mind to interrupt those beliefs. Just say, “Stop.” Take a deep breath and put in an empowered belief. In this way you are maximizing your possibility of a Success Blueprint for the year 2010.

Just to summarize, be sure to create your vision statement with feeling and be sure after that that you dig down and bring to the surface any possible self-limiting beliefs that could be getting in your way. Be sure you burn those, and then implant or install your new positive Empowered Beliefs and enjoy creating your Success Blueprint for the year 2010.

Real Estate Marketing Strategies: 5 Tips to Turning a Resolution into a Reality

Maya Bailey (Maya Bailey, Ph.D. ) — Tue, 29 Dec 2009 15:17:15 -0600

Do you know that 90% of Americans break their New Years Resolutions by January 31st? This article will tell you how you can prevent this from happening, and how you can turn your Resolutions into a Reality.

Tip 1: Be Clear and Specific

People are always coming to me and telling me “I want to be more successful.” Is this your goal for the New Year? If so, then start to think in specifics. What does success mean to you?

Here's a guideline to get you started. Imagine yourself doing work you love and be specific. Imagine yourself working with your Ideal Clients. What characteristics do you want them to have? Do you want them to be decisive, motivated, and up beat?

What income you want to make in the next year? Be specific. How many transactions you want to do this coming year? How many transactions per month?

Now you have a more clear idea of what it means to “be successful.” Every person's definition of success is different. All you have to do is be crystal clear about your own personal definition of success.

Tip 2: Know your Blocks and Obstacles

Ask yourself, what blocks and obstacles you will have to overcome to reach your goals. Take an inventory of your own self limiting beliefs. Here are some that I find common in my clients:

“I don't have what it takes to succeed in today's market”

“I'm not assertive enough to market myself”

“I'm not educated enough to be successful”

“Who am I to have an abundance of prosperity?”

Dig down and find out which self limiting beliefs have been stopping you. With the help of and mentor or a coach, these can easily be changed. If you don't change them, they will continue to hold you back.

Do you feel stuck? People often report feeling like “I have one foot on the gas and one foot on the brake”. That's a pretty good indication of self limiting beliefs or self sabotaging strategies.

What is a self sabotaging strategy? This is a pattern that never allows you to break free of old patterns and move forward. Procrastination and avoiding marketing are examples of how people often sabotage themselves.

To turn your Resolutions into a Reality, resolve to replace self limiting beliefs with empowered beliefs and reverse self sabotaging strategies.

Tip 3: What Areas do you need to Develop?

In my 12+ years of coaching entrepreneurs to double or triple their incomes, I always find that there are areas that need to be developed. For example a lot of my clients have never mastered the art of prospecting. This may have not been such a big issue in the last 10 years, but in today's changing market; you need to learn how to become an expert in prospecting.

What holds you back? Are you afraid to make calls? Some of my clients were even afraid to make calls to their sphere of influence before they received some coaching to find out how easy that can be. I find that when we know what to say, making the call is easy.

How confident do you feel about your marketing presentation? How about speaking in front of a group? Do you find there are areas that need to be developed? Set some specific action steps to help you get the training you need, whether it's a coach, a mentor, a training group, books or CDs. Don't let those areas slide if you want to turn your Resolutions into a Reality.

Tip 4: Have a Timeline and a Plan

So you want to be successful? By what date? Stephen Covey suggests that we “begin with the end in mind.” If you project your success out to a year from today, what action steps do you need to take?

Start by noticing the areas that you want to have as your main focus. For most entrepreneurs, the areas they want to focus on are: confidence building, marketing, and time management. What are your main focus areas? Once you determine them, create your strategies.

How will you build confidence, learn to market yourself and improve your time management?

A huge factor in the success of your plan is to build in some accountability. As an entrepreneur, you know how easy it is to let accountability slide. After all, you are your own boss.

That is the big reason why people hire coaches, mentors, or join a master mind group. They want some help in holding themselves accountable. If you create a set of action steps for the week, you are much more likely to do them, if you are reporting to somebody at the end of the week. That person should ask you, “how did your action steps go?” Do you think you will be more likely to do them if you know that someone else cares?

Tip 5: Visualize the End Result

Did you know that most top athletes mentally rehearse and visualize themselves performing at their best? If you're really serious about manifesting what you want this year, take advantage of this important strategy.

Picture yourself in a year from now having all the money you want. See yourself living in the house of your dreams, driving the car that you always desired. Visualize yourself being appreciated by your clients and your family. Feel the positive feelings that this gives you. Do you feel calm, confident, and empowered? What other feelings come up for you?

Follow these 5 Tips and you are guaranteed to turn your Resolutions into a Reality.

Real Estate Marketing Strategies - Marketing in 5 Easy Steps

Maya Bailey (Maya Bailey, Ph.D. ) — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 17:12:58 -0600

As a Master Business Coach, I often hear from my clients the following story, “I feel stuck in my business. I really love to help people, I am excellent in negotiations and contracts, but I really hate prospecting! I just can’t seem to bring myself to pick up the phone.”

How often have you had those feelings, or have known of someone else who does? The thought of marketing makes most people clench their teeth, tighten their stomach and engage in marketing avoidance behavior that sends their business down the drain.

They tell me, “If only I could learn to market myself, I would love my business. I would be making a fortune.”

If you have these feelings, you’re not alone. There are specific reasons why people are avoid marketing. Here are a few:

1. “I don’t want to bother people”

How many times have you said it yourself before you picked up the phone? The fear of bothering people is huge. In the same breath, most business people tell me that, “I hate it when a telemarketer calls me at home and I don’t want to do the same thing to other people.”

2. “I don’t like tooting my own horn”

So many of us have been taught, especially women, that it’s not good to promote yourself. This is especially difficult for women who have come from a background other than sales before they started their own business. Often times they were employed in a company and marketing was never a part of their job.

3. “I don’t want to be rejected”

Some people are so terrified of being rejected or disapproved of, that they will even avoid calling their former clients. I have written previously in other articles about the phenomena of having a sphere of influence, which is your “goldmine”, but being afraid to “mine it.”

Fortunately, there are solutions for marketing.

Here are 5 easy ways to transform “marketing” into a pleasurable and profitable experience.

1. Think of giving

Whenever you think of marketing yourself, think about the fact that you are actually “offering” a valuable service.

We get back what we give out. If you think of giving out a valuable service, and you focus on what you have to give, you will radiate out such a powerful force of positive energy that you will attract it back to you in terms of clients and sales. The “secret” is to focus on being “the giver.”

2. Know your unique selling points

Most of the time when I coach my entrepreneur clients, they hugely underestimate what makes them unique. When I ask them, “Why should I work with you instead of someone else?” They honestly don't know.

Here’s the “secret”: make a list of the compliments you have received from former clients. Did they tell you that you were friendly, easy to get along with, very knowledgeable, extremely dependable, or great with follow-up?

As you make the list and think about it, you will start to become aware that what you have to offer as a business person is yourself.

You are unique. There is no one else like you. The more you like yourself and approve of yourself, the more you will radiate out a positive energy of self-love, gratitude, and appreciation. These energies are the highest energies that you could send out. They are guaranteed to magnetize back to you the Ideal Clients that you want.

3. Clear away your self limiting beliefs

It is usually our self limiting beliefs that keep us from “tooting our own horn.” Most of us were taught to downplay ourselves, not to brag, and to “play it small.” In fact, I coached a woman the other day, whose survival strategy when she was growing up, was to pretend to be “invisible.” This is very common when I’m coaching female entrepreneurs. I find that there is some self limiting belief that keeps them “out of the limelight.”

Here’s the “secret”: a survival strategy that may have helped you when you were growing up can now be a hindrance to your survival. In fact, when you think about it, there is nothing more risky to your business, then trying to be invisible.

The truth is that people need to know who you are, and where to reach you. You need to become very visible. Practice giving yourself positive self talk such as, “it is now safe for me to be visible” and “My survival now depends on me being seen and known.”

4. Create a mindset of positive expectations

Instead of fearing that people are not going to like hearing from you, create the mindset that they are going to love to hear from you. You can back that up with being sure that you always have something to offer on every call.

For example, you could be putting on a seminar and be excited to tell your sphere of influence all about it. If you’re talking to a former client, you can offer to be a referral source for them when they need a service.

If you’re calling someone out of the blue, you can offer to provide them with a free service or second opinion on a competitors proposal.

Here’s the “secret”: always lead with what you have to offer. Send out a vibration of excitement and enthusiasm. This will ensure that people want to hear from you. Whatever you give out comes back to you multiplied.

If you give out help, suggestions, ideas, and services that people need, that energy will be returned to you in the form you have intended.

5. Realize that you’re marketing yourself at every moment

Remember, you’re not just marketing yourself when you pick up the phone. Wherever you go and whatever you do, you are marketing yourself. Create a sizzling answer to the question, “what do you do?”

Instead of saying the usual answer, “my name is_________________, and I am a real estate agent with___________________, say something different instead.

Try this: the next time somebody says, “So what do you do?” answer by saying, “you know how nervous and stressed out people get when they are buying or selling a home?” The other person will obviously say “yes”. Then you say, “Well, I handle all the details and put my clients at ease so they can enjoy the process of buying or selling a home. I’m a real estate agent with ________________________.

Here’s the “secret”: answer their question with a question, to get them involved. Once they are involved, paint the picture of how you help people. Add as many details as you like. Only mention your business at the very end. Believe me, I have coached many of my clients in doing this and all I can say is, “you better have a lot of business cards on hand,” because with that response, people are going to ask for your card a lot.

Marketing can be enjoyable and pleasurable. Remember to present yourself as “a giver”, with unique selling points, and always something to offer. After being a psychologist for 20 years and coaching entrepreneurs for 12+ years, I can assure you that the more you learn to enjoy the marketing experience, the better you will feel about yourself and the more prosperity you will attract.

Remember the famous principle of the Law of Attraction: you get what you focus on. If you want a welcoming voice on the other end of the phone, start imagining what that would sound like, and look forward to making your calls.

Marketing Strategies: Seven Tips to Thrive This Holiday Season

Maya Bailey (Maya Bailey, Ph.D. ) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 15:11:48 -0600

Are you wondering how to survive this Holiday Season? Do you get caught up in the fast pace to the point of stress and exhaustion?

What if, this year, you could create exactly what you want? How about transforming stress into joy? How about making more money, instead of going in the hole?

This article offers seven tips to help you thrive this Holiday Season, financially, emotionally, and energetically.

Tip 1- Reclaim your right to have your own unique version of the Holidays.

What is the essence of this season for you? For me, it’s about the joy of giving. Guess what is the essence of successful marketing? You’re right, it’s also about giving your service with joy. The more you love what you’re doing and the more generous you are, the more clients, thus income, will be drawn to you. Each time you market yourself, remember “You have a unique gift to give—you!” Remember to share this gift with enthusiasm, all year long.

Tip 2- Serve your clients special needs.

If you are a real estate agent, this is the time to be around for floor calls when everyone else is out shopping. One of my clients today told me that she was the only one in the office when 2 promising floor calls came in.

Keep your current and former clients in mind. Show them the value they are to you with cards, gifts and maybe bring them a gift personally. They’ll not only be grateful, but also remember to refer to you in the coming year.

Think of what other special needs your clients might have. Go the extra mile and give them added value to your service. If you’re a coach, you might consider a Bonus Session to help them plan for the New Year.

Tip 3- Increase your self care and self maintenance.

Do you want to be healthy this whole Holiday Season? Are you ready to commit to it? If so, be aware that you are taking time for yourself to that your physical, emotional, mental and spiritual needs are being met. Are you taking “down time?” Are you surrounding yourself with positive people? Are you aware to keep your self talk supportive and encouraging?

Tip 4- Do things that give you joy.

Martha Beck writes in her book, “Finding Your Own North Star”, that there are two rules about joy. The first rule is “Do things that give you joy. The second rule is “No, really, do things that give you joy”. What makes you joyful?

Tip 5- Start learning about the Law of Attraction.

What is the Law of Attraction? The bottom line answer is that like attracts like and you get what you focus on. So when you’re thinking of the New Year, are you focusing on what you don’t want or focusing on what you do want? If you focus on your fear of not having enough clients or money, then what you’re likely to get back is not enough clients, or not enough money.

Instead, train your mind to ask the question, “So, what do I want? Focus on your wants to the point where you can feel yourself having those wants satisfied. What do you get back? More of your wants being satisfied.

Tip 6- Turn your Resolutions into Intentions.

Did you know that 99% of people forget their resolutions by the end of January. Instead of being one of the casualties this year, focus on your intentions, rather than resolutions.

To quote Wayne Dyer from his book The Power of Intention, an intention is not so much of a strong purpose or aim, but rather, “a field of energy that flows invisibly beyond the reach of our normal, everyday habitual patterns”….. “We have the means to attract this energy to us and experience life in an exciting new way.” I invite you to “try on” this new perspective as you plan your New Year.

Tip 7- Take time off; rejuvenate and enjoy

If you design your own unique version of the Holidays, remember to schedule in time to do nothing. For most of us, that is a concept way outside our realms of thinking. Let’s face it, we have been programmed to be human doings rather than human beings. This Holiday Season, do yourself a favor and commit to spending some time just “being”. Try it, you might like feeling like a human “being” instead of a human “doing.”

Marketing Strategies: Create Your Own Version of the Holidays

Maya Bailey (Maya Bailey, Ph.D. ) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 13:39:42 -0600

What do you think of when you think of the Holidays? If you’re like most people the first things you think of are the long lines, the massive amounts of traffic and the over emphasis on consumerism. What if this Holiday Season, you could turn that around by creating your own unique version? What would your version be like? Using the Law of Attraction as our model, let’s explore how through the focusing of consciousness, you can magnetize more of what you desire. What would that be? Warmth, coziness, closeness of friends and family, peace and harmony?

The Law of Attraction:

The Law of Attraction is simple. There are basically 5 steps:

1. Clarify what you don’t want

2. Clarify what you do want

3. Clear your beliefs

4. Create your “desire statement”

5. Allow it to come to you

Step 1: Clarify what you don’t want:

Take a piece of paper and draw a line vertically. Then an inch from the top draw a horizontal line, so you have two columns. On top of the left column, write “Don’t want” . So when it comes to the Holidays, what are those for you? Some examples might be stress, confusion, exhaustion, pressure and family feuds. Write those in the left column.

Step 2: Clarify what you do want:

On top of the right hand column, write “Do wants” Regarding the Holidays, what are those for you? Some examples might be time with family, love, harmony, peace, and joy. Write those and any others you can think of in the right column.

Step 3: Clear your beliefs:

What hidden or not so hidden beliefs do you have that might get in the way of you receiving what you want? Here’s some examples:

“My relatives never get along in Holiday gatherings”

“The more expensive my gifts, the more approval I’ll receive”

“There’s no way around the hustles and bustle”

“Every year someone gets sick”

“My income never meets my expenses during the Holidays”

When you have identified your self limiting and self sabotaging beliefs, ask yourself if you still want to hold onto them. If yes, then you’ll pretty much get what you've always gotten. If you decide you’re really ready to let them go. Then write a set of new beliefs that cancels out each and every one of the old ones. For example, you could start to reprogram yourself to think that:

“I can help to facilitate the interactions between my relatives and myself”

“The only person’s approval I need is my own. I’ll give gifts from the heart”

“I can create my pace to be any way I want. I give myself permission to experience balance this year.”

“I visualize radiant health for myself and everyone”

“I can figure out a way to raise my income or I can figure out a way to minimize my expenses.”

Once you have ridden your self of your old beliefs and created a whole new set of empowered beliefs, you are free to create your “desire statement.”

Step 4: Create your Desire Statement:

Now that you have more clarity about what you don’t want and what you do want and you’ve cleared out the old beliefs, you’re ready to write your Desire Statement. It’s simple, just take your top 5 items of your Do Want list. Then make a statement of what it feels like to have them now. What does it feel like to have a warm, cozy, relaxed Holiday Season that you custom designed? Write down all the emotional and physical feelings you get as you experience it happening right now. It’s similar to acting “as if”. Read your Desire Statement aloud every day for at least 16 seconds. This is enough time for you to create a vibrational vortex. Remember like energy attract like energy. So you are making yourself extremely magnetic to having what you want.

Step 5: Allow this to come to you:

How does one “allow”? To allow you must suspend your fears and doubts. Notice you don’t have to get rid of them, you just need to dis-identify from them. Keep your focus on what you want and give yourself supportive, encouraging self talk. Withdraw your energy from your fears and doubts and they will start shrinking. So what does it feel like to have a Holiday Season that is unique to you? Relish in the enjoyment so you are ready to roll in the New Year.

Tip: When you find yourself focusing on the negative, i.e. what you don't want, catch yourself and ask this question instead, "So what do I want?" Then focus on that.

Real Estate Marketing Strategies: 7 Tips to Thrive in Today's Economy

Maya Bailey (Maya Bailey, Ph.D. ) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 14:35:16 -0600

In today's changing economy, many entrepreneurs and real estate agents are wondering what to do. Some have gone through a cycle of shock, disappointment, fear, and now confusion. What seemed to work in yesterday's marketplace isn't working today, so what to do? The truth is that there are many opportunities in today's market for success. This article will give you 7 tips to thrive in today's economy.

Tip 1: Listen to the media with discernment As you know, the media likes to paint a negative spin on everything to get more sales. There's a saying, "if it bleeds, it reads." Lately you've been hearing a lot of scare tactics from the media. When you're buying into the ideas that are presented, notice how you feel. Do you feel motivated and raring to go? No, you probably feel demoralized, unmotivated, and downright scared. Guess what? As you feel these feelings, you are radiating energy to prospective clients that stop them from wanting to move forward. "Whatever you give out comes back to you multiplied."

That might explain why your phone isn't ringing.

Tip 2: Look at the facts

The economic forecast is actually quite different than what the media is spinning.

Here's what you need to know to get you motivated, and in action:

• interest rates are still at an all-time low

• we've gone through the worst of the dip

• indications are that stocks will start to rise and that there is more confidence in the economy

In other words, according to the experts, the worst part is over and people will begin to buy again.

Tip 3: Put up boundaries on negativity in your environment

You probably know what environment I'm talking about. I'm talking about being around other negative people. Many of the clients that I'm currently coaching are busy creating a positive mindset. How do they do it? They tell me, "I don't hang out with people who are negative. I would rather stay away than hear the negative buzz." “Well done”, I say, “Don't let anyone rain on your parade”.

Tip 4: Monitor your own self talk

No one knows how to create negative chatter in your mind, more than you do. With the flip of a switch, you can turn off negative self talk and give yourself positive and encouraging self talk. Here's how you can spot negative self talk.

It will sound something like:

• I don't know if I can succeed in today's market

• I don't know if there's enough business to go around

• Maybe it's time for me to get a “real job”

After working with entrepreneurs for the past 10 years to help them to double and triple the incomes, I have found an easy technique to intervene and create a positive mindset. The next time you notice any negative self talk, just say STOP! Then take a breath and put in some positive new thoughts.

Here are some examples of positive thoughts I have helped my clients create:

• I have the skills and confidence to succeed in any economy

• There's more than enough to go around

• The bottom line is - no matter what, people will always need my expert services

• I do work I love and I’m richly rewarded

What does this do? This creates a positive, affirming mindset so that instead of asking the question, "can I do this?” you ask, "how can I do this?"

Tip 5: Find and educate your clients

Clients for almost any service are hungry for knowledge. Remember to approach any selling opportunity as an education opportunity. Even if they aren’t ready to buy at that moment, they will remember who was honest and helpful when they are. Find a way to offer a class or seminar and increase your exposure and credibility even more!

Tip 6: Be clear on what makes you unique

As you begin to market yourself to clients, be sure to present reasons to them as to why they should work with you instead of someone else. When I present this idea to my clients, they often go blank. Does this ever happen to you? If so, then with the help of a mentor or a coach, have someone help you discover your strengths. For example, one of my clients did not realize how much she had going for her. She was a great negotiator, very attentive to details and at the same time was very personable. She would bend over backwards to be sure that her clients felt comfortable. When she realized her uniqueness, her business grew, as she realized how much she had to give.

Tip 7: Use the Law of Attraction to attract your ideal clients

The best way for your business to grow and your income to triple is to be attracting your ideal clients. Your ideal clients will be pleasurable to work with, they will appreciate your skills and service and they will refer people to you. The Law of Attraction would say: visualize clients you want to work with, see yourself working with them now, and feel what it feels like to have an abundance of ideal clients. If it gives you joy to serve them, then radiate that joy and watch how it magnetizes those ideal clients to you. This is the difference between having work you tolerate and work that you love.

Follow these tips, and you'll be thriving in any economy.

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Real Estate Marketing Strategies: Do You Find It Easy or Difficult to "Toot Your Own Horn?"

Maya Bailey (Maya Bailey, Ph.D. ) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 14:33:11 -0600

One of the biggest concerns I hear from my clients, almost on a daily basis, is “How can I market myself without being pushy?” or “How can I be assertive without being aggressive?”

A client’s story: One of my clients, Shelley, came to the session bewildered. “I didn’t know approaching people and giving out my cards was going to be so difficult. I’m afraid I’m imposing on people and they won’t like me.”

As we explored further she began to remember that whenever her mother was assertive, she was judged by her father and terrible arguments would ensue. To protect herself, she decided she would be safe by not asking for what she wanted. That worked beautifully in her previous job, she explained, because she was a waitress and all she had to do was act charming and serve people.

“I like serving people and I like putting them at ease. I just feel anxious about approaching people and trying to sell them on my service.”

Reframe how you market yourself:

Shelley was making the mistake that a lot of entrepreneurs make which is to feel like they are sales people trying to manipulate a client into buying something. When I point out to my clients that it isn’t their job to “sell”, they start to wonder what to do. “Your job, “I explain, “is to approach a prospective client with the attitude of giving, not taking.” Ask yourself how you approach a prospective client? Do you get anxious, thinking “I have to make the sale” or do you approach with the attitude of “Wow, this person can really use my service, and I want to give them the gift of offering to help them.” Whether you’re a real estate agent helping others to buy and sell homes or whether you’re a coach helping your clients to live their dreams, in either case, you are giving of yourself.

Shelley’s story had a happy ending:

Once Shelley understood that her job is to give, not take, she started to give herself permission to be assertive. She released the old belief that it wasn’t safe to be assertive and realized her safety now depends on her success and her success depends on being able to “toot her own horn.” She concluded that session that there’s nothing to be nervous about. All you need to do is realize that what you have to offer is valuable and being willing to communicate that in a consistent way.

Questions to ask yourself:

Am I convinced that what I offer is valuable?

Am I willing to communicate that on a consistent level?

What is my Unique selling point?

How can I be assertive without being aggressive? ( It depends on whether you see yourself giving or taking).

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Real Estate Marketing Strategies: 7 Tips to Make Public Speaking Easier

Maya Bailey (Maya Bailey, Ph.D. ) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:16:06 -0600

A survey was recently taken showing that the top fear is public speaking. The fear of death was later on down the list. Do you know what that means? It means most people would rather die that speak in public! How about you ? How do you feel about public speaking? Having coached thousands of people in the last 30 years , I can assure you that there is hope. Many of my clients were terrified of speaking in front of a group of people, then as they learned the 7 Tips they start to relax and even become exceptional at public speaking. I remember one client in particular who did such an about face, that by the end of the coaching, she decided to become a professional speaker!

Now you can learn the 7 Tips:

Tip 1. Normalize your fear

In other words, be aware that just about everyone shares this fear. It is normal in our society.

Tip2. Create what you want

Remember that your thoughts create your reality. If you tell yourself , “ I am a terrible public speaker,” then you’ll become that which you think. If you tell yourself, “This is a great speech and people will get a lot out of it”, then the confidence you project will shine.

Tip 3. Visualize

Remember to visualize how you want to see yourself being. How would you ideally like to feel when speaking in front of people? Would you like to be calm and relaxed? Start visualizing yourself as a calm and relaxed speaker, and step inside of the picture and feel the feelings as if they are happening right now.

Tip 4. Remain Positive

Give your self a positive verbal suggestion, such as “I am a calm, confident, dynamic public speaker.” I personally used that one and within a short period of time I became what I affirmed.

Tip 5. Question the fear

Ask yourself why you are afraid? Did a negative episode happen in your life where you where ridiculed or judged? If so, a part of you decided, “ I’ll never do that again.” It became your survival strategy. Healing that wound will require that you ask the scared part what it would need to feel safe. A client of mine, the other day said just that to her scared part . It became clear that her scared part would only be willing to speak up if it was being heard by a friendly, supportive audience, where mistakes were allowed.

Tip 6. Rehearse

Find a person who will listen with support and encouragement, like a coach or a mentor. Then role play with that person until you feel comfortable speaking.

Tip 7. Speak from your heart

Realize that your speaking is a gift. It is benefitting the listener. Become passionate about what you say . Focus on them, not you. This is about them and what you have to give to them.

A personal note: at one point I was nervous about public speaking. I followed all of the suggestions that I mentioned above. In addition, whenever I speak, I carry some 3x5 cards in my hand with sufficient notes. That way I know that if I get lost or distracted, I have something to bring me back on track.

Real Estate Marketing Strategies: 7 Powerful Tips to More Confidence

Maya Bailey (Maya Bailey, Ph.D. ) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 12:25:11 -0600

A client asked me recently how I would define confidence. I paused for a moment and replied, “Confidence is the inner knowing that you can achieve whatever you want.” What is your definition of confidence?

In my 30 years of coaching people to be successful, I have found that at the core of everything is confidence. Call it a belief in yourself or whatever you want, there is no sense in creating a marketing plan without it. Confidence is not necessarily something you are born with, rather, like a muscle, it is developed over time with practice. This article will give you some key tips on how you can gain more confidence.

Tip 1: Focus on What You Want

Where do you put your focus most of the time? Here’s a hint: if you feel happy, grateful and hopeful, then you’re probably putting your attention on what you want. If you’re feeling discouraged, depressed or anxious, then you’re focusing on what you don’t want. One of my clients today discussed her increasing feelings of anxiety as she was working with her clients in selling their house. When I asked her, “So what are you focusing on?” she admitted that she had been thinking about the possible failure of the transaction. When she changed her perspective and focused on the transaction closing, her feelings immediately changed into hope. Here’s a tip: Whenever you find yourself focusing on what you don’t want, just ask yourself, “So, what do I want?” Most likely you’ll choose positive thoughts, images and feelings as you focus on your desired outcome. Not only will this brighten your mood and give you more confidence, but also, it will increase your chances of the deal closing.

Tip 2: Tame your Inner Gremlin

Have you ever noticed that there is a part of you that picks on you, beats you up, expects you to be perfect and is very hard on you if you make a mistake? That voice is called your Inner Gremlin, also known as your Inner Critic, or Inner Judge. We all have one. The question is whether it’s running you or whether you are running it. Does it have power over you? Guess what? It only has the power that you give it. Stop listening to it and over time, it will be tamed. So how do you tame it? Here’s a simple technique: When you notice that there is a voice in your head either putting you down, or berating you in any way, use a simple STOP technique. First, interrupt the pattern of thoughts by saying to yourself, STOP. Next, take a deep breath. Finally, use this opportunity to put in a positive new thought. For example, if your old thought was, “I don’t have what it takes to succeed”, stop it, breathe, and put in your new thought, “I have all the resources I need to succeed.”

Tip 3: Clear your Inner Conflicts

How do you know if you have an inner conflict? Most of my clients aren’t immediately aware of their inner conflicts but it becomes revealed through resistance. How many times have you told yourself “I need to get on the phone and call my sphere of influence”, and then you don’t do it? That’s a typical example of how an inner conflict would be noticed. You’ll notice resistance to what you told yourself you should do. In this example, one part of you is saying, “Make the calls” and the other part of you is saying, “I don’t want to intrude. I don’t want them to think I am soliciting.” The reasons could go on and on. Whenever you find yourself in resistance and you just can’t force yourself to do something no matter how hard you try, do a little introspection, and identify the voices in your head that are in conflict. Then assume the role of the mediator. Just as you mediate in your business between two or more people, do the same within yourself and find a solution that pleases both parts.

Tip 4: Create a Successful Future Self

Often when I work with a client who needs more confidence, I help them create a successful future self. They visualize what they are going to look like in the future, having accomplished their goals. Then they practice feeling what it feels like to be that future self. As they sink deeply into the feelings of accomplishment, contentment and confidence, they are creating a vision that inspires them. You can be in business either pushing yourself to succeed, which creates “burn out” or you can allow yourself to be pulled towards success by a vision. Creating your future self is one way to have a vision. Perhaps you can picture your future self on a vacation, lying on the beach. Now, that’s inspiring. Here’s a tip: to reinforce this idea of a successful future self, make a collage. Get several magazines and take out photos that inspire you. Photos that you’d like to see happen in your future. See yourself having outlets for all that money that you’ll be making.

Tip 5: Only engage in interactions that are win/win

How many times have you gone into a situation with a prospective client while at the same time a voice in your head was saying something like, “Don’t do it. This doesn’t feel right”? Here’s a tip—trust your hunches. If you have doubts about a client or a situation, most likely you’re right. I’ve had dozens of clients who are recovering from burn out because they forgot to ask themselves, one thing, “Is this going to be a win/win?” According to Dr. Steven Covey, it’s either win/win or no deal. Next time your gut feelings are telling you to back out, listen to them. It’s better to back out in the beginning than to get involved in a situation where you can’t back out later.

Tip 6: Practice extreme self care and self maintenance

Think about it for a moment. What is your most valuable asset? Is it your home or your car? No, it’s your health. Yet I see so many people who try to be successful but then neglect their basic physical needs for rest, for sleep and for healthy foods. Remember, you are your business. Your most important asset is you, your health and your personal production capacity. The healthier you are, the more energy you’ll have and the more you’ll produce. What are the areas you need to improve in self maintenance? Dr. Steven Covey talks about “sharpening the saw”. He recommends taking an hour a day for making sure that your physical, emotional, mental and spiritual needs are met. Maybe taking an hour a day is beyond your reach at the moment. Then what small steps can you take to improve your energy level and vitality?

Tip 7: Know that what you have to offer is valuable

Effective marketing is based on the idea that you know your services are valuable and you are willing to communicate that in the marketplace on a consistent basis. So, how valuable are your services? What is your unique selling point? What do people get when they work with you that they can’t get anywhere else? When someone asks you what you do, what do you say? Let me demonstrate a “so so” response compared to a response that will get someone’s attention. Suppose you’re a real estate agent and someone says, “So, what do you do?” A “so so” answer would be, “I am a real estate agent with_______________________ company. “ Compare that to this. Someone asks you what you do and you say, “Well, you know how people get stressed out when they are buying or selling a home? Well, I take care of all the details and make sure that the process goes smoothly so that my clients can relax. I am a real estate agent with _________________ company.” Which real estate agent would you like to work with? Here’s a tip — This kind of answer will only work if you totally believe in yourself and know your services are valuable. There are many aspects to becoming more successful.

These seven powerful tips are just the beginning. Before you create your next marketing plan, check inside and take a reading of your confidence level. If it needs a boost be sure to take care of that before you do anything else. When you are overflowing with confidence, that’s the time to get out there and start marketing.

Real Estate Marketing Strategies: 7 Tips to Creating Success From the "Inside Out"

Maya Bailey (Maya Bailey, Ph.D. ) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 16:22:31 -0500

Tip 1 : Build a strong foundation

What do I mean by a strong foundation? Would you consider putting a roof on a house unless it had a strong foundation? Of course not! Yet you would be surprised at how many people try to market their services without believing in themselves.

Tip 2: Identify and reprogram your self-limiting beliefs

Here are some typical examples of actual beliefs I have heard over the years:

“Life is a struggle”

“It’s selfish to want more money”

“It’s not safe to toot my own horn”

Can you see why any of these beliefs would stop a person from succeeding? What are your own self-limiting beliefs?

Tip 3: Reverse your self sabotaging strategies

Did you know that we all have a saboteur? We all have our dreams and we all have a part that tries to sabotage them, for our “own good”. For example I was working with a client today, who realized that even though she had a good business plan, she was never able to work her plan because of the resistance form her Self saboteur. What are your self sabotaging patterns? How do they show up in your life?

Tip 4: Use your mind and emotions to create your empire

How many times do you find yourself focusing on what you don’t want? There is something called The Law of Attraction. It basically teaches that like energy attracts like energy and you get what you focus on. So, what do you usually focus on? The lack of clients, the lack of income, the lack of time? Guess what? That will bring in more of the same. So, instead ask yourself, “so, what do I want”?

Tip 5: Learn ways to release your fears

Fear is not real. It is False Evidence Appearing Real (F.E.A.R.) To create success from the inside out, use a powerful tool like the STOP Technique. The way to do it is to notice whenever your mind goes into a fear thought, after noticing, take a deep breath and the put in an Empowering Thought, like,” I have all I need to succeed.” What positive new thoughts are you needing to hear? Keep a journal and note how many times a day you use the STOP technique. Congratulate yourself for your vigilance.

Tip 6: Know the value you offer

This may seem hard to believe but in my coaching of coaches, real estate agents, and other professionals I have seen time after time how people fumble with this concept. Instead, identify your value, i.e. your unique selling point. What are you really good at? Write a list of what makes you stand out among the competition.

Tip 7: View marketing as “giving” not “taking”.

I suspect a lot of us are giving and generous and because of that we don’t want to impose on anyone. However, you will experience a big shift when you realize that what you have to offer is a gift. Spreading the word about yourself is not “selfish” or “taking”. It would actually be selfish to deprive humanity of your gift. So what are you here to give humanity?

Real Estate Marketing Strategies: Are You Proactive Enough?

Maya Bailey (Maya Bailey, Ph.D. ) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 14:53:19 -0500

What does it mean to be proactive?

Many people come to me without a full understanding of the word proactive. What does it mean to you? Does it mean not procrastinating? Does it mean "getting on the ball? " If you answered "yes" , you're right but there's a lot more to it.

Are you the "cause" or "effect"?

If you get caught up in the idea that you're at the effect of outside forces, which we all do sometimes, then you are not viewing your life or business from a proactive perspective. What do you do when you don't have enough clients? Do you blame it on the economy, the interest rates, your boss, your environment in some way?

We often don't want to look inside and claim our own empowerment. Most of our training is to blame someone or something outside ourselves, to be at the "effect". In my 30 years of coaching people to maximize their success, I find that a profound turning point comes when my client(s) decide to take charge and become the "cause". So next time you have a shortage of clients, for example, ask yourself what action you can take? If you're not sure, find a book, a tape, or a coach that can help you know what to do. Turn your worry into action and you'll find that you have the power to attract the clients you want.

Do you let outside circumstances control your response?

Let's say that one of the prospects you've been working on falls through or a client you were counting on decides to cancel? How do you react to such circumstance? It's natural to feel disappointed, but I've seen far too many people devastated and depressed when they know they have to start all over again. The problem is that when you are controlled by the outside to the point where you can't function, your productivity suffers. Then the very thing you're afraid of, usually not having enough money, becomes a reality.

Here's a tip from the Law of Attraction: You get what you focus on. Focus on the lack of clients, and what do you get? Right, not enough clients. The solution? Switch that focus and do it fast. As soon as you notice that your focus is on lack, quickly think of how you want it to be. A full bank account? A lot of clients? Sales that increase? Projects that keep you busy? Whatever it is go there in your consciousness and make the switch. Then ask yourself, "What action steps am I inspired to make?" Inspired action will feel good, you'll feel a pull from the inside. Frantic action will feel scattered and "out of sync. "

Being proactive means you choose your responses. Next time you fumble, ask yourself:

* Am I being proactive or reactive?

* Am I being the "cause" or the "effect"?

* Am I focusing on what I want or what I don't want?

* What positive things can I do to help switch my focus?

Real Estate Marketing Strategies: 7 Tips to Becoming a Money Magnet

Maya Bailey (Maya Bailey, Ph.D. ) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 12:14:56 -0500

Did you know that most people block prosperity because of hidden beliefs about money? This article gives you seven tips to create yourself to be a “money magnet”.

Tip 1: Identify your Money Type: According to Deborah Price, author of Money Magic, we all identify with certain money archetypes. For example, when money issues come up, do you bury your head in the sand, like an ostrich? Then most likely your type is called The Innocent. If you’re not The Innocent, you might be The Victim, The Tyrant, The Warrior, The Martyr, The Fool or The Magician.

Tip 2: What was your conditioning about money? What old beliefs did you receive from your parents, teachers and the society around you about money? Many of my clients report that their old beliefs include: --“earning money means punching a time clock” --“money is scarce” --“money is evil” Which of these have you struggled with?

Tip 3: What are your updated beliefs about money? Since nature abhors a vacuum, then after you release your old Beliefs about money, put in some empowered beliefs that cause you to become a money magnet. These beliefs might sound something like this: --“I am increasingly magnetic to money” --“My income always exceeds my expenses” --“ I am highly worthy of being prosperous”

Tip 4 : Create a New Money Type for Yourself According to “Money Magic”, the ideal type to strive for is the “magician”. Why? Because the “magician” claims his/her own power and manifests his/her own financial reality.

Tip 5: Use the Law of Attraction The Law of Attraction simply states that you get what you focus on. So if you focus on the lack of money, the difficulty of paying bills and the fears about whether you can support yourself, then you will receive more of that in return. The solution? Easy, every time you find yourself focusing on what you don’t want, stop yourself and say, “So, what do I want?”

Tip 6: Tame your Inner Gremlin Do you have a voice that berates you? Do you find that it’s impossible to please that voice? Then undoubtedly, you are dealing with your Inner Gremlin, also known as the Inner Critic. It’s busy telling you that you aren’t worthy of having money. “Who are you to be prosperous?” it will say. It will probably badger you until you turn this voice into an ally who will say, “You deserve an abundance of prosperity.”

Tip 7 : Plan your work and work your plan When you have finally let go of your old beliefs about money, you will find it much easier to create an effective business plan. More importantly, you’ll be much more able to implement that plan and manifest prosperity when you are a money magnet.

Marketing Strategies -7 Ways To Overcome The Myth That You Have To Be "Pushy" To Succeed

Maya Bailey (Maya Bailey, Ph.D. ) — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 14:00:30 -0500

Haven’t we all been told that the ones who succeed are aggressive and pushy? Isn’t this why so many people are scared of marketing themselves? In my 30 years of coaching people, I have found that almost everyone has an aversive reaction to marketing. In other words, they would rather do anything but market themselves and that’s what they usually do.

Tip 1: Look at your old concepts of marketing:

What images come up for you when you think of marketing? Do you visualize a pushy salesman at your door? Do you think of telemarketers calling you at night? Instead, think of your favorite teacher. Marketing is all about sharing your knowledge and building a relationship.

Tip 2: Do you equate marketing to “sales”?

Most of my clients have always worked for someone else and in their own business, they are scared about whether they succeed or fail. So they begin to believe consciously or unconsciously that marketing means “sales”.

Tip 3: Do you think you are “taking” when you are offering your services?

Over many years of helping people get more clients, I can honestly say that most people believe they are taking from another when they market themselves to another person. Instead, start thinking of yourselves as giving whenever you tell anyone what you do. Your product or service is there to help someone and it’s your passion about that service that is the gift.

Tip 4: Have a very comfortable, non pushy “elevator speech”.

An “elevator speech” is a memorized version of what you say when anyone asks you “What do you do?”. Always answer the question with a question. For example, if you are a real estate agent, instead of saying “I'm a real estate agent,” say “You know how most people get stressed out when they buy or sell a home? Well my job is to help them to relax and enjoy the process. I am a real estate agent.”

Tip 5: Always ask permission to continue.

For example, if you are making a “cold call” to someone in business, get their permission to continue. For example, if you are a coach and you say your name and what you do, like “I help people succeed in business,” then say “ If you’d like to take 30 seconds, I’ll be happy to tell you what I do.” The receiver of the call will feel like their time is respected.

Tip 6: Always give before asking for the gift of someone’s time and attention:

For example, if you want to go door to door, have something in your hand to give the person. For example, “I’m your neighbor and I have a list of the properties that have been sold in our neighborhood. Would this be of interest to you”?

Tip 7: Your prospect needs to know, like and trust you.

Any attempts at being pushy with a prospect will turn them off. Remember to focus on building a relationship so they can know, like and trust you. There are many people out there offering the same thing that you do. What makes you stand out and be different? The trusting relationship that you consciously build with your potential clients.

Real Estate Marketing Strategies: Hate to Make Cold Calls? 5 Tips to Make it Easier

Maya Bailey (Maya Bailey, Ph.D. ) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 12:09:09 -0500

Have you often avoided making those "dreaded cold calls?" Do you dream of how much better your business could be but just can't bring yourself to pick up the phone?

You're not alone. In the 12+ years that I have specialized in coaching real estate agents, I have noticed the same avoidant patterns in each of my clients. This article gives you 5 tips to make it easier.

Tip 1: Change the name

I'm not kidding. Do the words "cold calls" send a chill up your spine? It's no wonder . Whoever created that term didn't know what they were doing. So, change the term, because it's inaccurate. First of all, many of the people you'll be calling are leads. Second, why would you think cold? Are you cold? Is the receiver of the call cold? Not likely if you're living in a human body. So maybe I'm exaggerating a bit, but the point is, call it something different, call it what it is, "direct response calls". My clients do much better when they realize they are making direct response calls.

Tip 2: Be in the right mindset

Are you calling to sell something? If so, put down the phone and start again. No, you are actually calling to give something and that is your time and expertise. Would you be scared if you had a gift you wanted to give someone? Unlikely. In the same way, be in the mindset that you have a gift and you are it. Why is this so? Well, think about the fact that you have something to offer. You know much more about real estate than Ms. Jane Doe. So if you call to let her know what properties have sold in her area, that is valuable information. Likewise, if you want to offer her a Free Comparative Market Analysis. That's a gift of your time, energy and expertise. You should be proud to offer that . Guess what? If you are proud to offer that, she'll most likely feel appreciative of the offer. Our energy and mindset is transferred to our prospective clients.

Tip 3: Use a permission based approach

For example, when I do direct response calls, the conversation goes something like this, "My name is Maya Bailey and I work with real estate agents who want to double their income. If you'd like to take 30 seconds , I'll be happy to tell you what I do." Notice that I didn't barrel my way through. I said as little as possible until I got their permission to continue. Use this script as a template to make your own direct response calls. For example," My name is ____________ and I'm your local real estate consultant . I have some news about the value of properties in our neighborhood. If you'd like to take 30 seconds, I'll be happy to....." Is this getting more clear? The latest trend in marketing is permission based marketing.

Tip 4: Get excited about the relationships you'll make

If you approach this in a permission based way, people will be much more open and friendly to you. Instead of focusing on the occasional rude person at the other end of the line, focus instead on what you want. Most likely what you want is to make some connections with a person , in which you can follow up , convert them in prospective clients and then convert them into transactions. Let yourself feel how good it's going to feel to close those deals. Pat yourself on the back because it all started with the courage it took to make direct response calls.

Tip 5: Remember to reframe a "no" into a "yes"

What do I mean? First of all a "no" does not mean that you are being rejected. Neither does it mean that your service is being rejected. What it means is "No, not now." Secondly, do you realize that every "no" brings you one step closer to your "yes"? It's a numbers game and you need a certain number of "no's" to get a "yes". Just remember to have thick skin and not take it personally.

My experience as a coach to real estate agents has shown me that it's all about attitude. If you are sold on yourself and your service and you convey that with pride and enthusiasm , the other person will be glad you called. They may even become a client. It pays to know that you are valuable and what you have to offer is equally valuable.

Marketing Strategies: How You Can Create Your Own "Success Blueprint"

Maya Bailey (Maya Bailey, Ph.D. ) — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 15:09:58 -0500

Have you often wondered how you can become even more successful? Has it ever seemed to you that you have a “glass ceiling” on your level of success? In spite of all your hard work, do you find yourself still falling short of having financial security? Do you see people climbing the ladder of success, only to take one step forward and two steps back?

This is not simply a case of bad luck or poor planning. We can only be as successful as the “success blueprint” embedded in our subconscious minds. This article describes ways that you can create your own “success blueprint”.

1. Become the deliberate creator of your life

What does this mean? This means that instead of feeling like “life happens to me” you begin to believe “I create my life.” This is really the difference between playing the role of the “victim” and declaring that you are the deliberate creator of your life.

If you find yourself complaining, blaming or justifying, then you are probably falling into the victim mode. The only payoff of that is attention but the downside is never having what you want. Change that mindset now and decide that you create your own level of success.

2. Start to identify self limiting beliefs

Here's some examples of self limiting beliefs that I hear a lot from people who feel "stuck":

• I'm not good enough

• I have to struggle to make a living

• There's never enough money

As you identify the self limiting beliefs, don't be alarmed. Remember these are not facts they are only beliefs. And they can be changed. The only way to change them is to first become aware of them. You're already on your way to letting them go. So celebrate every belief you find as a weed in your garden that you can now discard.

3. Install empowering beliefs

Once you have decided to release the old self limiting beliefs because they are no longer true you are making space for new Empowered beliefs. For example:

• I am highly worthy

• Money comes to me easily and effortlessly

• I work smarter, rather than harder

4. Become crystal clear on what you want

You might think that you know what you want if you say, "I want to be successful". Actually that is a very vague message. You have a much better chance of getting your desires fulfilled in creating a positive success blueprint, if you specify what you mean by "successful".

• How many transactions would you be doing per month?

• What would be your yearly income?

• What kind of people will you be working with?

• How many hours per week would you be working?

• Specifically, what kind of work would you be doing?

5. Visually rehearse what you want to create

Have you heard that top athletes mentally rehearse their performance before an event? Did you know that Tiger Woods visualizes his golf strokes before he ever gets on the green?

In the same way, visualize yourself successful in your field. Whatever your niche market, imagine that you are successful in providing them with the service they need. See yourself receiving checks that reflect your full commission. Imagine just having sold a home. See the happy faces of the sellers as you bring them over a bottle of champagne. Whatever it is you're thinking of doing, visualize it first.

6. Step inside the visualization

In my 12+ years of coaching success minded professionals to double and triple their incomes, I find that they often skip this final step. And yet this is perhaps the most important step. Not only do you need to visualize what you want to create, but also you need to visualize yourself having it now, and feel what it feels like.

For example, imagine your dream, having already come true. Visualize yourself driving, your brand-new car (smell the leather) into the driveway of your brand-new house. Be in the living room of your new house, what is the view like? Picture the happiest scene possible in your new house, perhaps a gathering with friends and/or family. How does it feel to know that you have succeeded in reaching your dream? How does it feel knowing that you have an abundance of resources, not only for your own financial security, but also to give to others?

When you feel it, you create it. Your thoughts and feelings radiate energies that magnify back to you what you want. So the more you can live in your future fantasy, as if it's happening right now, the faster it will come to you. Your subconscious mind does not know the difference between fantasy and reality.

Follow the simple steps above, and create your own “success blueprint.” Putting these ideas together will help you to create your own “success blueprint.” Your subconscious mind will receive the program it needs that determines your relationship to success.

Real Estate Marketing Strategies- "The Secret" to Explosive Growth in Today's Market

Maya Bailey (Maya Bailey, Ph.D. ) — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 22:04:43 -0500

In today's changing market with so many real estate agents struggling, why do some succeed?

This article describes the mindset and the actions that successful real estate agents are taking now. When real estate agents follow this simple formula, they can become Top Producers in any market.

Part 1: Mindset

In my work as a real estate business coach over the past 12 years, I have had the honor to interview the top producing real estate agents in the USA and Canada.

This is what I found out: the top producing real estate agents all said the same thing. "What helped me to get to the top was my mindset first of all". When I inquired further as to what they were talking about, they all pointed to having these characteristics:

* Optimism
* Positive Mental attitude
* Looking for opportunities
* Prosperity thinking rather than scarcity thinking
* Clear definition of their ideal clients

What I find interesting about all of these mindset qualities is that these are the same qualities that the Law of Attraction teaches.

But how can this be? Many top producers have been successful for decades before "The Secret" ever came out. Here's the reason - even before the "The Secret" came out, the Law of Attraction has been in existence.

Centuries ago people were writing about the Law of Attraction. Scholars in this century have written about the Law of the Attraction. Writers like Emerson, Blake and Einstein, have all written about the Law of Attraction.

In 1962, Catherine Ponder published her first book called "The Dynamic Laws of Prosperity". This book was all about Law of Attraction. Her main point was that you need to radiate out before you magnetize in. In other words, you can't get something for nothing. You have to give first.

Top producing real estate agents may never have read these authors, and yet they train themselves to have a prosperity mindset. They train themselves to be optimistic, to look for the opportunities in any market, and to focus upon what they wanted, not upon what they didn't want.

This in fact is the KEY. To succeed in any market, you need to be clear about what you want to achieve, then you need to know that you deserve it, visualize it and affirm it and take action steps to move you in the direction of your goal. This in essence is the Law of Attraction.

Too many agents in today's market are doing the opposite.

They are focusing on what they don't want - the downturn in business, the slowness of the market, the falling home prices, rather than seeing that today's market is for the most part an excellent time to be focusing on buyers.

Home prices are low, and they may not get lower. Interest rates are very low and may not get lower.

What more do you need to sell to prospective buyers? Keep focusing on the opportunities right now in today's market with a prosperity mindset.

Part 2: Action Steps

It's not enough just to practice "prosperity thinking" or to practice the Law of Attraction.

You need to be taking the right action steps. This usually means being in front of, either in person or on the phone with your ideal clients.

Who do you want to work with? List the characteristics of your ideal clients. Do you want to work with people who are:

* Committed?
* Decisive?
* Qualified?
* Highly appreciative of your services?

If so, then what are you doing to reach these people? Are you choosing online marketing as so many agents are doing? Or are you choosing off-line marketing, which would be called prospecting?

Make a decision and do it.

If you decide to go with prospecting, then you need to do it regularly and consistently. The top producing real estate agents took one to two hours a day, every day in the morning, to call different categories of people.

Here are some groups they would call to generate business:

* Past clients
* Current clients
* Sphere of influence
* Expired listings
* FIZBO'S
* Calling around "just listed/just sold"

When I work with my clients to help them to make these calls, they find that it becomes much easier to call when they have a compelling reason.

What is your compelling reason to call you past clients, your current clients, or your sphere of influence? If you have something to offer and you get to the point, they will be happy to hear from you.

For example, you can let them know that you are an excellent referral source. You might say something to them like: "I just wanted to let you know that if you are needing somebody to help you repair or upgrade your house, I am a good referral source."

I'm well-connected with painters, plumbers, electricians and many others. Please let me know when I can be of service and provide you with someone's name or number.

After you give them that information, they will be open and receptive to hearing what you have to say next. Your next line could be something like, "I'm very excited about expanding my business. Who do you know, who is even whispering about buying or selling a home?"

I find that simple strategies like this can make all the difference in your attitude about calling people. When you know you have something to give, (everyone likes to be the giver) you will look forward to picking up the phone and calling people. You will usually find that by giving them something, they will want to get back.

That's the Law of Attraction in action.

In summary, I recommend using the Law of Attraction prosperity mindset combined with effective action steps. Whatever action steps you choose, be sure to schedule a time first thing in the morning before the day gets rolling. And make it a point not to accept incoming calls during that time.

You'll be surprised at how much new business, you can generate from just focusing one hour a day. You can become a top producer and double and even triple your income in ANY market.

Real Estate Marketing strategies: How to Stay Positive No Matter What

Maya Bailey (Maya Bailey, Ph.D. ) — Tue, 01 Sep 2009 14:21:02 -0500

Now more than any other time in our recent history is as important that we find ways to stay positive no matter what. Why? Because your success depends on your mindset, not on the economy or on the marketplace. How do I know this to be a fact? I’ve interviewed hundreds of top producing sales people all over the USA and Canada, and when I asked them the secret to their success, unquestionably and without a doubt and independent of each other, they all said the same thing, “My mindset.”

These are top producing sales people that have been in the business for 10, 20, or even 30 years. They’ve been through up times, down times, and all kinds of different markets, and they said without a doubt it was their mindset .When times get tough, people start to look outside of themselves for answers and what they really need to do is look inside themselves and ask themselves the question, “How can I stay positive, how can I stay hopeful, how can I stay optimistic?” This article will provide you with some tools to make it easier to be in a positive mindset no matter what.

The first tool is to really stop watching, or listening, or reading the news. Why? Because the news is based on negativity. The news amplifies fear and negativity in order to capture more listeners, more readers, and more viewers. The media is a business like anything else and there’s a saying called, “If it bleeds, it reads.” So the more scared they can make people, the more people will buy more newspapers to find out what’s going to happen, or turn on the TV more, or in some way stay fixated because they’re in fear, they stay fixated on what the media is telling them.

The second tool is stop being around negative people. Your colleagues are going to want to constantly come up and talk to you and tell you how bad it is. Maybe your clients or prospective clients are going say to you on the phone how bad it is, and even friends will do the same thing. You will go through a day and everybody will want to tell you how negative it is. Here are my suggestions. First, avoid those kinds of people that are negative and second, if you’re stuck with them in an elevator or your car, I suggest you do what a former client of mine does. When the other person is talking negatively, my client just tunes them out and just says, “Well that may be true for you, but that’s not true for me.” It’s like an inner mantra “It may be true for you, but it’s not true for me.” You’re creating your own inner environment.

The third tool is a technique that I’ve used with my clients this past 12 years as a successful business coach. It’s a very powerful tool called The Stop Technique, and there’s 3 steps to it. The first step is just called Stop. The way it works is that if you start to notice your mind going in a negative direction such as, “Oh I can’t succeed in today’s economy. Oh I just don’t have what it takes to be successful or to make money. I have to work really hard and struggle and sacrifice.” Any of those negative thoughts that will bring your energy down, your job is simply to catch those as early as you can in the beginning and say, “Stop.” Take a deep breath, and then put in a positive new thought.

You can put in your choice of however many positive new thoughts you have ready in your aresenal. If some of your negative statements are about yourself like, “I’m not good enough, or I’m not smart enough, or I’m not experienced enough,” or whatever those kind of disproving thoughts, I would say a really good generic thought to put in, an empowered belief to put in is, “I love and approve of myself unconditionally.” That takes care of those self judgmental statements. Another kind of self limiting belief is something that you continually tell yourself, “Oh well, to succeed I’m going to have to really struggle, and sacrifice, and stress out, and work hard, and then I won’t have a life.” If that’s been your primary belief then you put a stop on that when you hear it coming, and in inside you’re saying to yourself, “I’m not going there. I’m not going there.” You take a deep breath and positive new thought could be, “I’m committed to working smarter, not harder.”

One of the things that’s great about this technique is that it really forces you to become aware of what you’re thinking from moment to moment, and it’s what you’re thinking from moment to moment that will create a negative or positive mindset. If you’re continually thinking negative thoughts either about yourself, or the market, or about money, or any of that, then guess what, you’re going real fast into a negative mindset. Then what happens is what you believe tends to come true, and it becomes a self fulfilling prophesy. For example if you tell yourself, “I don’t have what it takes to succeed in today’s market,” and you tell yourself that over, and over, and over again, your thoughts will create your reality and then you’ll find that you don’t have what it takes.

Henry Ford said, “Whether you believe you can or you can’t, either way you’re right,”. The way to create a positive mindset is to continue to bring your thoughts back to, “I can do it,”. You need to have unwavering faith in your ability to be successful. The way you do that is to retrain your mind. The stop technique is the most powerful technique for retraining your mind, but you may have to use it a few hundred times a day at the beginning. Your mind has been going down that negative track in a very undisciplined way for a long time and like wild horses that have been all over the place, you now have to reign them in and that is going to require a lot of vigilance at the beginning.

Real Estate Marketing strategies: Procrastination and the Fear of Failure

Maya Bailey (Maya Bailey, Ph.D. ) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 11:30:51 -0500

Did you know that 9 out of 10 business owners suffer from procrastination at some time in their career? Most of the time they are puzzled by this pattern they often stay stuck in procrastination for weeks, months and sometimes years not understanding what is going on.

Having been a business coach for success minded professionals for over 12 years, I have found that it's easy to release the habit of procrastination and get to action once you know what is going on.

I was working with a client today and during the coaching process she became aware that the procrastination was a kind of protection for her. As we went back to the origins of this behavior, she realized that in growing up most of her efforts to succeed with her parents were met with the attitude of, "it's never good enough". She had fallen into the habit of performing less and taking less action. This was her way of protecting against being disapproved of or falling short of her parents expectations. In this way the pattern of procrastination actually served her well when she was growing up.

I was able to guide her into realizing that the procrastination pattern no longer had the benefits it once did.

In fact her pattern of procrastination was creating:

* Barriers to reaching her goals

* Feelings of inferiority

* Anxiety over things not accomplished

Once she realized that the habit that once had so many benefits for her now only hurts her, she was able to install some new empowered beliefs such as:

* I am so happy and grateful that the only person's approval I need is my own

* I am so happy and grateful that I'm organized and focused * I am so happy and grateful that I enjoy doing things in a timely fashion

* I am so happy and grateful that as I give my business 100%, I reach my full potential

* I am so happy and grateful now that I attract an abundance of prosperity

Releasing yourself from the habit of procrastination requires some inner reflection to understand what comfort zone procrastination creates for you. Once you understand it's original positive intention, you can easily change the old beliefs and install new Empowered beliefs.

Real Estate Marketing Strategies: 7 Steps to Make It Easier for You to Be Resilient

Maya Bailey (Maya Bailey, Ph.D. ) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 14:07:46 -0500

Did you know that every successful professional has one thing in common? They all possess a strong level of emotional resilience. Were they born with it? No, in most cases they learned it as an ability necessary for survival in business.

What is emotional resilience: It is the ability to quickly return to a state of poise, confidence and ease no matter what curves are thrown your way. How do you get there?

Here are the 7 Steps:

1. Have a strong level of belief in yourself: Know that whatever happens, you are offering to the marketplace something that is extremely valuable. Know your uniqueness and communicate it clearly.

2. Have strong boundaries: You don’t need emotional walls in business but you do need to set and maintain strong boundaries. This especially includes the ability to say “no”.

3. Always go for a win/win: Give yourself permission to know what you want and go for it. Make sure it is a win/win. Rule of thumb---if the interaction is not going to be a win/win, refuse to be involved in it.

4. Keep an attitude of high intentions and low attachment: When you’re in negotiation, you need to be strong and assertive with a high intention to succeed. It may sound paradoxical but you must be detached from the outcome, knowing that you did your best.

5. Remain focused on the task and keep your emotions in check: In your personal life, live it up! Have a ball! Allow yourself to laugh, cry and get angry. It’s good for your soul. However, in your business life, keep cool and keep your emotions in check. This will make it easier for you to attend to the task at hand.

6. Stop trying to make your clients into your friends: If you really want to be emotionally resilient, don’t create dual relationships. They tempt you to get emotionally involved and then take everything personally. To be resilient, you need to stay impersonal, i. e. centered and calm.

7. Create positive self-talk: Don’t let your Inner Critic run the show. Develop the voice of your Inner Ally so that you are always tuned into positive self talk. You’ll hear statements like : “Good Job” or “Don’t sweat the small stuff”.

How good are you at keeping your Inner Critic at bay and filling up your mind with positive self- talk, like “I’m proud of myself for…”?

Real Estate Marketing Strategies: Why is it that even the very best receive coaching?

Maya Bailey (Maya Bailey, Ph.D. ) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 13:27:53 -0500

Have you ever wondered why even the very best, in any profession receive coaching? Have you ever thought about why a top-notch athlete, like Tiger Woods, would need coaching?

Why is it that so many successful real estate agents have used coaching to get to the top? There's a saying that “7% of all the agents do 93% of all the business… and the rest don't have coaches.” What do the top 7% know that the 93% don't know? This article will answer this question and many more about why even the very best receive coaching.

What is coaching?

When coaching first became a profession about 15 years ago, people didn’t know what it meant to have a coach. If you told them you had a coach, they would ask, “What sport are you in?”

In 1995, Newsweek ran an article that predicted that coaching would become the fastest-growing profession. Not only that, but instead of people asking, “What’s coaching?” they would be asking, “Who is your coach?”

That prediction has come true. Coaching has become the fastest growing profession.

Why do real estate agents often work with Business Coaches? Having been a real estate business Coach for over 12 years, I have noticed the profound need that real estate agents have for a Business Coach.

Why is this?

• Real estate agents, always need to be “on”, they are always selling to the public. If you are real estate agent, you know this to be true. Your level of confidence needs to be continually high to attract clients.

• You are aware of how easy it is to get distracted. There are always multiple demands on your time. Many agents come to me complaining that they are feeling scattered and they want my help to get focused and stay focused.

• Prospecting is a big part of your work, and unless you are a natural extrovert, it takes a lot to pick up the phone and start calling people. I am amazed at how many agents, when they first come to me, are even scared to call up their former clients or their sphere of influence.

• Using the right marketing strategies is imperative. If you are spending a lot of time and money on the wrong ones, you’re in big trouble and a coach can spot that mistake right away and help you make the right decisions.

• With the changing market, mindset has become more important than ever. A negative view of today’s current market will lower your confidence significantly, reducing your sales and overall income. Now more than ever, real estate agents need coaches to help them see the opportunities in every market.

• If you are a seasoned agent, you know how easy it is to fall into a slump or “hit the wall” as someone was telling me today. When you hit the wall, it’s somewhat like being in quicksand. Try as you might, you can’t pull yourself out.

• Last but not least, there is the issue of support. As a real estate agent, think of how many people you support on a daily basis. You are the support for all of your clients, all of your former clients, all of your prospects, and if you have kids, you are their support as well.

Who supports you? Who can you count on to lean on for yourself? This is where coaching fills a big need. When you have a coach, you have a committed ally, someone who is in your corner from week to week and is rooting for your success. How supportive do you think that feels? In addition, the coach can help you to see your “blind spots” and move past them.

Why do some people “resist” receiving coaching?

A reason that people often give is “I can't afford it.” This actually turns out to be bogus, for the simple reason that coaching pays for itself. I ask my clients to think of how many transactions they need to close to pay for coaching. The answer is always the same. “The coaching pays for itself.” Why? Because one transaction will cover the cost of coaching many times over. So if money is not the real reason, then why do people resist something that would help them? In my 12 years of coaching, plus my 20 years before that of being a psychologist, I have noticed that the real reasons people resist coaching are issues that they are unaware of.

Here’s what I have discovered:

• Most people have a hidden belief that goes like this, “I have to do it alone.” The idea of having someone help them does not fit in with their mindset. They think it means that they are not as good as they should be. I always remind these people that even Tiger Woods has a coach. Why? Because he has blind spots and we all have blind spots.

• Many people unknowingly have a block about “receiving.” Have you noticed that some people cannot even receive a compliment? These same people pride themselves in being givers. There’s nothing wrong with being a giver, but unless you can also receive, you are not in balance. Stephen Covey advises us, “Make sure that every interaction is a win/win.” In other words, you should be giving and receiving and being open to receiving guidance.

If your business is growing steadily, year after year, you probably don’t need a business Coach, unless you feel unbalanced between your personal and professional life.

On the other hand, if you’ve been struggling with getting more clients, getting more listings, and having a balanced lifestyle, then it’s time to let go of the belief that you can do it alone. It’s time to receive help from a coach or a mentor.

Be sure that whoever you choose, has plenty of experience, and specializes in the particular issues that are currently a challenge for you.