Denise's Blog - Denise Says

HOW TO GET REFERRALS – NEVER ASK FOR THEM!

Denise Lones (The Lones Group Inc.) — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:11:13 -0600

HOW TO GET REFERRALS – NEVER ASK FOR THEM!

Many real estate trainers, speakers, and ‘gurus’ preach the same gospel : “If you want referrals, you better ask for them.”

I say just the opposite.

All the gurus that tell you to ask for referrals after every sale are missing one big point. Think about it. How do your potential buyers, sellers and past clients FEEL when you ask for a referral?

It’s an uncomfortable moment. They know you want something from them and it tarnishes the trust you’ve built together. Instead of a confidant, you become a typical salesperson. And most salespeople – like it or not- are seen as sharks by the average consumer.

My own personal market research focuses on what the consumer wants and how he or she reacts to what you’re asking for. All the consumers I’ve talked to adamantly state that if you exude professionalism and stay in touch with them, they will give you referrals – without you ever having to ask for them.

IF you’re not getting referrals, it has nothing to do with whether or not you are asking for them. Here are the real reasons you’re not getting referrals:

1. You’re not staying in touch with them after you get their money. Consumers want professional advisors who are looking out for them out of genuine concern – not just to make a sale.

2. Your marketing campaign is ego-based (meaning it’s all about you and your next transaction). This creates the image of a shark-like predator in people’s minds and they will avoid you just as they would a Great White.

3. You’re not giving enough of your expertise away. By ‘giving away’ I mean your expertise, advice, and good will – positioning yourself as your clients’ trusted expert.

The main reason people are stingy with giving referrals is that they’re afraid you may reflect badly on them. They don’t want to disappoint their friends and family by sending them to yet another shark. Even though you may be an honest pillar of your community, asking for a referral triggers the ‘shark alarm detector’ in people’s minds.

Also, when you’re at parties or events, don’t’ hound people by asking for business. Too many real estate agents are in the nasty habit of handing out cards while saying “Call me!” with a cheesy smile.

Instead, just talk to people. It’s okay to tell them you’re a real estate agent. But instead of asking for business, share something with them. Ask for advice about what they’re an expert on. Make a connection. Then, shake hands and exchange cards without asking for business. Making a connection is a two way street not a one way road.

They know now what you do, and will be more likely to call you when they need you. You also know what they do and can refer business to them. See? “Win-win” always works. The sharks aren’t making strong connections with others and are developing a bad reputation in the community by presenting themselves as predators who only care about their next sale. Don’t be one of them!

One more tip: Some of the best referrals come from transactions where things have gone wrong. You may think I’m joking, but it’s true. When you take a disaster and turn it around with your diligence and hard work, you often shine brighter than in transactions when everything goes smoothly.

Never ever think that you’ve screwed up! When problems arise, this is your golden opportunity to generate referrals. Dive in there and fix everything – no matter how irate or unreasonable your client may appear at the moment. They will sing your praises just as strongly when you solve new problems.

Bottom line: If you feel uncomfortable asking for referrals, you can bet your clients do too. It sounds great at a seminar, but in real life if you’re doing anything that makes you feel uncomfortable, it will show in your mannerisms and voice. This sparks distrust and sets off people’s finely tuned ‘shark alarm detectors’. Don’t be a shark!

But does it feel uncomfortable to send out real estate information in the form of letters, articles, or reports? No. You always feel good knowing you’re serving your past, present and future clients. And they feel good knowing there is somebody out there they can trust. Every time you contact them, you are in effect generating referrals – without asking.

And if you don’t agree with me that is okay because what really matters is how your clients feel when you are asking for referrals. What may seem to work for you may not work for them.

Denise Lones

Denise Lones CSP, MIRM The founding partner of The Lones Group, Denise Lones, brings over two decades of experience in the real estate industry. With expertise in strategic marketing, business analysis, branding, new home project planning, product development, and agent/broker training, Denise is nationally recognized as the source for all things “real estate”.

Denise’s background in residential real estate sales and management includes an impressive list of awards. Using custom marketing campaigns and business development systems she personally created, she was consistently among the highest producing Realtors® in a marketplace of 3,000+ agents. Denise was the only agent in the State of Washington to be awarded the esteemed MIRM designation – the top national achievement for new home marketing. In 2004, Denise was awarded the prestigious Hugh Hawkins Instructor of the Year Award by the Washington Association of Realtors.

As a columnist for isucceed.com, Realty Times, the National Association of Home Builders, and the Washington Association of Realtors, Denise has a strong “voice” in the real estate community.

Denise is a certified instructor for many prominent trade groups and educational institutions, including the Washington Association of Realtors, Master Builders Association, iSucceed.com, Washington State Department of Licensing, Windermere Real Estate, and the Washington State Housing and Finance Committee

With a passion for improvement, Denise has helped thousands of real estate agents, brokers, and managers build their business to unprecedented levels of success, while helping them maintain balance and quality of life.

FOLLOW-UP AND FOLLOW-THROUGH…WHEN THEY LEAST EXPECT IT!

Denise Lones (The Lones Group Inc.) — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:04:43 -0600

FOLLOW-UP AND FOLLOW-THROUGH…WHEN THEY LEAST EXPECT IT!

Almost five years ago I first met her. Her name was Jill. (No, this isn’t a cheap romance novel. Stick with me here.) Jill is a happy, bubbly lady who works at the cosmetics counter at Nordstrom’s—selling a very expensive line of cosmetics.

I was shocked to find out that a simple little jar of cream for your face could cost $200. With excitement and a deep concern for what I was looking for, Jill patiently explained to me what each bottle does and how it works.

Before I knew it, I was walking out the door with a giant bag of creams, potions, and lotions that I never heard of…and a bank account much lighter than when I entered. What was I thinking?! Never in my life had I splurged so much on stuff for my face. I promised myself, “Never again will I spend so much on silly cosmetics!”

Two weeks later, Jill called me. “Do you notice a difference yet?,” she asked.

Four weeks later, she called again. “Are you seeing anything yet?”

Two months later: “Are you a new woman yet?”

Jill’s follow-up is simply unbelievable—something I had never seen before. The fact that she calls me to ask if I notice these changes encourages me to keep using the product, instead of letting it sit on a shelf. By doing so, she keeps me thinking, “Well, it must work, if she’s so expecting me to see a difference. Maybe they’re not just silly cosmetics after all!”

When she calls me, she’s short, sweet, and to the point. And not only that, she doesn’t push me to buy anything else. This alone makes me more inclined to buy from her again because she’s showing me that she cares, and she’s not in it just for the quick buck.

Which is the opposite of Larry. (This is not his real name, I have changed his name to protect his identity and to not embarrass him) Larry is a stockbroker I consulted when I first decided to invest. I had little experience and I was looking for a seasoned professional to help me pick my stocks. He was nice, patient, and very informative. But guess what? Once he got my money…I never heard from him again! Until…

My name was in the paper because my family was involved in a very bad pipeline explosion. All of a sudden, Larry calls me with fake concern saying “Hope you’re doing well. Heard about the accident. Oh, and by the way, I’m sure you’re going to sue the company, so when you get your settlement, I’ve got some great stocks for you!”

Talk about an ambulance chaser! This guy proved to me that he’s nothing but an opportunistic leech who cares only about stuffing his wallet. The only reason he called me was because he wanted something from me, not because he cared about my family’s well-being after a serious accident. Will I ever buy anything from this scumbag again? Absolutely NOT!

But…just last week, Jill called me again. Even though I promised myself that I would never again buy her cosmetics, I’m so comfortable with not only using them—but also with Jill’s interest in their effectiveness—I lightened my bank account again!

What’s the lesson here? Follow-up! It is genuine, warm, caring concern for the people who give you money. Don’t be fooled. When the sale is over, the sale is far from over! If you are a successful professional, you care not only about making money, but also about the people who give it to you. It is not what you do for someone when they are paying you that counts…it is what you do for them after you have received their money that really impresses them.

Pick up the phone and call your clients or send them a great article in the mail. They may have a question or problem that they’re afraid to bring up, but your follow-up will fix it for them and make them more inclined to buy from you again and send friends to you.

Are you making your clients’ experiences easy? Are you solving their problems? Do you truly prove to them that you’re still in it for the long haul—even after they’ve given you money?

If you can follow up with people the way Jill followed up with me, you will get repeat business. Period.

Denise Lones

As a columnist for isucceed.com, Realty Times, the National Association of Home Builders, and the Washington Association of Realtors, Denise has a strong “voice” in the real estate community.

A SHOCKING PHONE CALL—DON’T LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU!

Denise Lones (The Lones Group Inc.) — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 14:58:06 -0600

A SHOCKING PHONE CALL—DON’T LET THIS HAPPEN TO YOU!

You know something is very wrong with our industry when a top producing agent—and I’m talking a major player here—calls to inform me that she’s going to be getting out of the market.

Background: She’s been in the business twenty years. She’s consistently made a quarter of a million commission dollars for the past ten years. She is well-respected in her community and in the industry.

But now her attitude is so out of alignment that she wants to throw in the towel. I could have believed it from almost anyone else. But not her.

It was certainly a shocking but enlightening phone call. I asked her, “Why in the world would you ever think about getting out of the real estate market?”

Her answer was stunning.

“Denise”, she said, “even my broker tells me that it’s going to take another year or two to get out of this. My husband watches the television news and is petrified that our savings are going to dwindle. Plus, every agent around me is confirming that the market is crashing, so what am I supposed to do?”

I almost pulled my hair out when I heard this. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Here’s a newsflash: Real estate in the State of Washington is not crashing. Real estate in the United States of America is not crashing.

Has real estate crashed in individual areas that have overbuilt? Yes. Has real estate experienced challenges where too many investors came in and bought up too many properties in certain areas—properties that they could not afford? Yes. Were there areas hit by extremely high rates of adjustable mortgages? Yes.

But not here in Washington.

In fact, this agent works smack dab in the middle of the Seattle area. Which is why I was so shocked when I received this call.

In real estate, attitude is everything. Your attitude should be protected like an egg. It is that fragile. When you allow people to get into your head to the point where you’re considering leaving the business, then it’s time to take a good hard look at who you’re hanging out with. In this business, your friends can unknowingly become your enemies.

If you work for a negative broker who whines about the calamity of it all every day, then you need to find a new broker. I’m serious. It’s impossible to work for somebody who is tearing the business down with a rotten attitude.

If the agents surrounding you are so misinformed, then you’re a tiny boat in a vast stormy sea. You’d better find some calm waters quickly.

Don’t just take my word for it. Check the numbers. If any agent or broker was examining their stats on a regular basis, they would see that in August 2008 the Washington market began to rebound. Just when things started to turn around we hit September which saw the beginning of an economic crisis that absolutely concerned everybody. This caused another stall in our market….but it was just a stall.

Yes, I know it’s scary. I cannot predict exactly what will happen with Wall Street day to day or the global markets but what I do know for sure is that real estate is a supply and demand driven industry. What happened has everything to do with consumer concern (and we can’t blame people for being concerned about this latest economic development) not the laws of supply and demand. Those laws are still there and we need to pay special attention to the facts not the media hype.

And is anybody paying attention to the lineup of buyers who are sitting on the fence just waiting to buy? Has anyone looked at our population growth in the State of Washington lately? How about Immigration? Migration? The strong job market?

True, the job market has weakened a little lately. But we’ve had an amazing job market for many years—much higher than many other areas of the country.

But in light of all the media coverage of the crisis, nobody can see that. The fear has become palpable. And it’s causing people to do stupid things—like consider quitting their businesses.

Fear is the problem. The fear causes these people to quit, which brings the economy down further . It is the responsibility of every business owner—to their families, their selves, and their principles—to ride out bad times.

The reality is that we are fortunate to be living where we are. People love it here in Washington. They want to be here. They come here. They stay here. They buy second homes here.

The need isn’t going anywhere. Demand is healthy.

So, back to the agent who called me. What do you think I said to her? Well, all I can say is that I wish I had a tape recorder running at that moment because I gave her the biggest reality check of her life.

By the time we were off the phone, she was relieved and happy again. Because she didn’t really want to get out of real estate. She was literally being forced into a bad decision by people with bad attitudes.

Funny thing is, that’s all she needed. She had been told so often that everything is crashing that the repetition of it became embedded into her subconscious mind.

We—and I mean all of us—are surrounded by negative people. In fact, I’d say that 98% of everybody out there is negative. We need to be part of that tiny minority—that 2% that continues to make things happen no matter the size of the storm. It’s that 2% that will get all the business that the 98% will leave behind due to a bad attitude.

I don’t know who you’re hanging around with or who you’re listening to, but you need to put a freeze on negativity. You don’t have the time for it.

Instead, make good friends with the numbers. Numbers don’t lie. Get out your calculator. Do the research. Get informed about your area in terms of demand. Check the trends. Don’t just take the media’s word for it. Find out for yourself.

Now, you may be saying to yourself, “But Denise, buyers are sitting still right now.”

This is true. I won’t deny it. But that’s your fault too! Have you called some of them lately and said, “Listen, right now is the most opportune time to buy real estate. I understand everybody else is sitting on the fence, but as my client I want you to be the smart one.”

Have you had this conversation with your clients lately? If you haven’t, then you’re not doing anything to help them. And that certainly doesn’t help your attitude.

Have you called your overpriced sellers lately? Give them a reality check. Inform them that even if they come down 5%, the home they want to buy is also reduced 5%. So it’s a moot point. If you haven’t had this conversation with them, then you’re simply not doing your job. You’re sitting around listening to too many negative people.

I hate to have to be harsh, but the time has come. I’m fed up with bad attitudes and I’m not going to allow some of the best agents in our industry to get out of the industry because of fear!!!

So, get out there! Take action. Change that attitude. Help your clients to take advantage of what will prove to be the most opportune time ever to buy real estate.

Ask Denise

Q: “Denise, how do I deal with time-waster clients?”

A: The only reason you’re even asking about time-wasters in the first place is because you haven’t learned how to ask the right questions.

They’re wasting your time because you let them. They want to go see ten more houses, but you don’t even question the last ten you showed them. You just agree, hoping that you’ll hit pay dirt on the next ten.

It’s time to leave the gambling to Vegas. You need to qualify and interview people more. That’s all time-wasters are—people you haven’t communicated with enough.

If somebody’s wasting your time, sit down, slow down, talk to them, and ask them questions: What did you like? What didn’t you like? What was your favorite feature? What can’t you live without? What can you live without?

Be more open with your clients—and make sure you lead them. Don’t let them lead you.

Denise Lones

As a columnist for isucceed.com, Realty Times, the National Association of Home Builders, and the Washington Association of Realtors, Denise has a strong “voice” in the real estate community.

WIDE-ANGLE LENSES ARE OUT… ‘ZOOM’ IS IN!

Denise Lones (The Lones Group Inc.) — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 16:20:07 -0500

WIDE-ANGLE LENSES ARE OUT… ‘ZOOM’ IS IN!

I was speaking at a marketing conference last weekend in Costa Mesa, CA and I was struck by how many business owners were unable to tell me exactly what it is they do.

Many of these people have wonderful business ideas but are having problems bringing them to market.

Why?

They are too “wide angle.” They’re trying to solve everybody’s problems and be everything to everyone. It’s like they’re afraid of losing business by leaving somebody out so they try to appeal to the widest demographic possible.

In marketing—whether you’re selling real estate or computer chips or hamburgers—in order to truly dominate your marketplace, the more you “zoom your lens” for a close-up of your clearly defined target prospects, the more successful your marketing.

For example, at the convention I spoke with a very nice lady who calls herself a “psychic healer.” Well, that’s a pretty broad term. What do you heal? Who are you healing? How does it work?

“I’m a…” is a disempowering way to begin a sentence, especially a description of what you do. We humans have a habit of “labeling” ourselves—labels that can hurt us. The very phrase “psychic healer” is a red flag to many people and as soon as they hear it, they run. Same for “attorney,” “banker,” and yes…even “real estate agent.” By labeling ourselves, we may actually be repelling business. Instead, we need to zoom in on exactly who we help, what we help them do, and how we help them.

When I’m asked what I do, I don’t label myself as a “speaker” or “trainer” or “consultant.” My “zoomed” answer is: “I help business owners increase their income and take business to the next level with visual marketing.”

A “zoomed” answer for the psychic healer would be: “I help people who are financially rich but emotionally bankrupt ‘get it together’.” This is much more succinct: The focused database is “financially rich.” The focused problem is “emotionally bankrupt.” The focused solution is “get it together.”

Is this a smaller target base? You bet! Do you have a higher chance of reaching someone? You bet! When you clearly define your target audience (and yes…you’re going to have to leave somebody out…take a deep breath…it’s okay), you become infinitely more appealing to the exact people who are willing to hire you.

This is a troubling concept for many business owners who feel that by leaving somebody out, they’re going to miss out on business. It’s just not true. Practitioners in every field under the sun have proven it over and over—the more you specialize, the more business you get.

So let’s start your own “zooming in” process. Ask yourself these five questions:

What is it I really do?

Think beyond “real estate agent” or business owner . How do you help people?

What segment of my market do I really like to work with?

Be specific. Business owners? First-time home buyers? Divorced moms? Your extended Greek community? (That was mine when I first started out.)

How do I really like to serve them?

What do you do best? How do you do it?

If I were to tell somebody what I do, how would I explain it?

Here are some examples:

“I help newly married couples become financially wealthy through real estate.”

Or, “I work with recent retirees to help them transition into a new home.”

Or, “I help real estate investors find income-producing properties.”

Aren’t these better than “I’m a real estate agent”?

Does my visual image match my target audience?

If your targets are millionaires, you’d better have marketing materials that appeal to millionaires. If your target is single moms, you’d better have marketing materials that appeal to single moms.

This includes your headlines, your tone, your graphic images, and your colors. Most people neglect to match the photos they will use to the overall marketing feel.

So there you have it. Zoom in, throw away your wide-angle lens, and get more business!

Denise Lones

As a columnist for isucceed.com, Realty Times, the National Association of Home Builders, and the Washington Association of Realtors, Denise has a strong “voice” in the real estate community.

BE THE CALM VOICE OF REASON DURING A CRISIS

Denise Lones (The Lones Group Inc.) — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 16:15:28 -0500

BE THE CALM VOICE OF REASON DURING A CRISIS

Real estate agents have a hard time talking to their clients about negative events in the media such as natural disasters like the one we recently witnessed. The past couple of weeks, there has been a media frenzy…and rightfully so. Lives have been devastated and we all mourn the losses of the survivors of Hurricane Katrina.

You can’t sit in your living room without being emotionally affected by the raw power of the images of suffering on your television. New Orleans’ loss is our loss, and our thoughts and prayers are with the victims.

But real estate agents, sit up and take notice! This is the time for you to shine with your clients. You are the calm voice of reason, assuring them that the immediate real estate slowdown triggered by events in New Orleans is only temporary and will bounce back quickly.

One thing you have to understand is that people in this country are strong. If you go back in history and track every natural disaster in the United States, the one common denomination is that the area becomes bigger and stronger than ever before. Look at New York, for example, following the horror of four years ago. The Big Apple is united in a way it never was before.

Right now, Hurricane Katrina is affecting every economic market in the United States. From high gas prices to the stock market to the housing market, its effect has slowed down ‘pending’ numbers. Pending numbers represent “now” transactions in the marketplace – buyers and sellers that are actually involved in a transaction today. (As opposed to closings, which represent activity from weeks or months ago.) When you really want to read what is happening in the real estate market right now then it is imperative to read the pendings, not the closings!

But don’t worry! This is only temporary. It’s happening because real estate is a market based on emotion.

Buyers, sellers, agents, escrow and title companies, inspectors, and appraisers are all sitting at home watching the horrific images of people forced from their homes by Hurricane Katrina. It’s a natural ‘cause and effect’ situation for EVERYONE to stop and pause – whether you live in Boston or Dallas or Seattle.

Even if its thousands of miles away, people are like ants. We follow the pack. When the pack slows down, we slow down. It’s a normal human reaction to be fearful in times of disaster.

What every real estate agent should do right now is contact their database to let them know that it’s perfectly normal for the real estate market to slow down and take a breath while this disaster unfolds and then begins to rebuild – almost in honor of those people who are suffering so much.

Be the calm voice of real estate expertise that tells your clients we are only in a ‘pause’ that will pick up again. Reassure them that once New Orleans is cleaned up, they will move into a rebuilding phase and the national real estate market will be stronger than ever before.

Denise Lones

As a columnist for isucceed.com, Realty Times, the National Association of Home Builders, and the Washington Association of Realtors, Denise has a strong “voice” in the real estate community.

“WIN-WIN NEGOTIATION -- IS IT STILL EFFECTIVE?”

Denise Lones (The Lones Group Inc.) — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 15:23:19 -0500

“WIN-WIN NEGOTIATION -- IS IT STILL EFFECTIVE?”

In a world of push-and-shove real estate transactions, is it a wonder that the term “win-win” negotiations is getting rusty? Lately, I’ve been hearing a lot of “me-me-me.”

Well, I have a newsflash for you: Effective negotiation is always “win-win.”

Your clients always win when you help them get what they want. The question is “How do I go about negotiating the correct way so that all parties win?” Is there such a thing, well of course there is. It isn’t win-win negotiating if someone gets gouged!

For example, let’s say you have a buyer who is focused on spending the least amount of money. In “win-win” negotiating, your task is to help your client understand the mindset of the seller. Take them down the “Seller Road” for a little tour. It might sound something like this:

“Mr. and Mrs. Buyer, you’re about to put an offer in on this lovely house that you absolutely adore. For one minute, I want you to imagine that you’re that seller. If you were, what offer would make you excited? Would it be a full-price offer? Or would it take an above-price offer to make you truly happy? On the flip side, what would you consider to be an insulting offer? Mr. and Mrs. Buyer, don’t you think it’s in your best interests to make that seller happy and not insulted?”

This is “Win-Win” at its finest. You will never achieve a win-win result if you don’t take the time to have your clients look at the big picture. Yes, the big picture, the one that includes the other side of the transaction. To truly help your clients get what they want you have to help them see the danger of insulting the other side. Whatever side your client is on it is always in their best interest to see the flip side of the negotiations.

If you went in thinking only about your side, it comes across to the other side and forces them to push even harder (unreasonably harder, in some cases) to get what they want. You hit a “psychological trigger” that sets off distrust and makes the negotiations a war instead of a deal.

When you appear to be fair and reasonable, you avoid setting off the other side and come across as somebody that they too want to help by creating a “win-win” atmosphere.

But what about when the other side is trying to take advantage of you? You sense they’re pushing too hard or trying to rip you off. When this happens, take heart. Adversarial negotiations will never get you what you want. By remembering this principle, you won’t set off your own “psychological trigger” and fall into the trap of a frenzied power play type of negotiation.

In this case:

Ask for more time. (Sometimes time mellows people. They may just need to sleep on your offer.)

Ask for advice using non-personal statements. It may look something like this. I really want my sellers to look at this offer from your buyers. The challenge I am having is that my sellers are now so insulted by the offer that I can’t even get them to respond to your buyers offer. I would really appreciate any ideas you have because I am stuck. Don’t be afraid to look weak, this is not weakness this is working together with the other side to make it happen for both buyer and seller. Not to mention the fact that you now have the other agent wanting to look good, remember this is an ego business and agents love to come through for their clients, the other agent is no different.

Work together as a team and you have double the negotiating power!!

Perhaps you’re in a fast market and you’re finding yourself caught up in the real estate frenzy of “me-me-me”. In this case, using “win-win” will, in the long run, cement your reputation as fair-minded and the real estate agent to go to in a sea of sharks.

And most importantly in negotiation, if you feel you’re being taken advantage of or forced into an uncomfortable deal, employ the classic first rule of negotiation: WALK AWAY WITH RESPECT.

There’s no shame in walking away from a bad deal. In fact, sometimes it’s the best way to get the deal moving. When the other side sees you’re walking because they’re being unreasonable, often the “win-win” floodgates open and they begin to see your issues more clearly.

One final negotiating tip: as in playing poker, leave emotion at the door. Negotiations can be nail-biting, knuckle-pounding nightmares…if you let them. Make a conscious effort to not take things personally and if you feel things getting tense, postpone them. A little time is sometimes all that’s needed to clear your head and refresh your focus to help your client get what they want.

And getting them what they want is what it’s all about. When you do, everybody wins.

Denise Lones

As a columnist for isucceed.com, Realty Times, the National Association of Home Builders, and the Washington Association of Realtors, Denise has a strong “voice” in the real estate community.

TECHNOLOGY—FRIEND OR FOE?

Denise Lones (The Lones Group Inc.) — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 15:19:53 -0500

TECHNOLOGY—FRIEND OR FOE?

Have you ever wondered why some real estate agents who have never embraced technology are out there dominating their marketplaces? Meanwhile, you have every “gidget and gadget” out there, but you’re still not selling as much as they are.

Have all these gadgets really helped you to make more money? The answer depends on how you use them. For example, do you really think your client cares if you have a Palm Pilot? Or a fancy laptop? Actually, most sellers will tell you that they don’t prefer a listing presentation done on a laptop.

Are your gadgets directly benefiting you or your client? Potential sellers aren’t going to race to sign the listing agreement just because you tell them you have an All-in-One device with MLS listing accessibility. On the other hand, your private “Client Only” viewing area on your website directly benefits them, helping you make more sales.

There are two extreme types of technology people: Those who love it and those who hate it. You’ve got to get somewhere in the middle. If you spend too much time on the computer with your “gidgets and gadgets,” then you’re having a love affair with technology and not with your client base.

Today’s client—now more than ever—wants your personal attention. They are sick of bad service and want more from you than e-mails. The personal call, the package in the mail, and the occasional “live” visit is what they crave.

Get off the computer and start building real life relationships! Techno-phobic real estate agents dominate their marketplaces with their personalities. They don’t embrace technology—they embrace their clients!

But in our techno-obsessed world, you can’t survive without knowing what you do need. If you don’t use technology to your benefit, the marketplace will leave you far behind. The solution is to take it one small step at a time. Do not go out and buy every latest and greatest invention. Think about what you really need rather than something that’s just a techno toy.

For example, I am a technology instructor for the Washington Association of Realtors. I am well versed in the latest applications of technology for realtors, but I still use a good ol’ paper notepad instead of a Palm Pilot. Why? Because I just love writing on paper and frankly, that annoying screen tap dancing drove me nuts. Some people are shocked to find out that I am not completely “wired” with gadgets. I get by just fine, thank you very much.

However, the tools I wouldn’t be without are my e-stationery, e-postcards, and my “Client Only” viewing area. My clients love to view things I send them by going directly to a private viewing area rather than having me clog up their e-mail with large files. This is an example of a tool that genuinely helps clients.

The key to creating your technology plan is to think about what tools will help you and what will directly benefit and help your clients. Discard the rest.

Examples of technology tools that help you are:

Palm Pilots
Laptop computers
Desktop computers
Contact management programs (such as ACT! or Microsoft Outlook)
Microsoft Publisher! (for your flyers)
All-in-One devices with MLS listing accessibility.

Examples of technology tools that help your clients are:

Your website
Your “Client-Only” section on your website
Graphic design software that makes their house look good
E-stationery and E-postcards that feature their home
Regular real estate-related mailings sent on a consistent basis. (Yes, I consider this technology because of the resources you need to successfully execute a regular mail campaign.)

The one technology item that people either love or hate is the All-In-One device that combines your cell phone, Palm Pilot, and connects to the MLS. Many agents are not big fans of it because it’s clunky, complicated, and if you lose it—you lose everything all at once.

I would also avoid too much e-mail. People don’t love e-mail, especially photographs of houses that take up a lot of space in their e-mail system. Instead, why not consider a link in your e-mail that directs them to a web page where you have the pictures of the houses for sale?

Whatever you do…consider your own personality. You know if you’re a techno-geek or a techno-phobe. If you’re a techno-geek, get off the computer and connect with people. If you’re a techno-phobe, take your time to master one gadget or program before moving on to the next one.

As you adapt to technology, it is also important to have fun! Don’t try to master tools in a rush or when you need it most. Take it one small step at a time and never forget why you are doing this—to increase your business and to improve your client care.

Denise Lones

As a columnist for isucceed.com, Realty Times, the National Association of Home Builders, and the Washington Association of Realtors, Denise has a strong “voice” in the real estate community.

GET WITH THE VIRTUAL SOCIETY

Denise Lones (The Lones Group Inc.) — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 15:15:44 -0500

GET WITH THE VIRTUAL SOCIETY

Now—more than ever before—we live in a visual society. From the “MTV Generation” to today’s Internet obsession, getting noticed is all about visuals—graphics, colors, designs, images, fonts, and pictures.

Surprisingly, one industry is particularly resistant to this trend. Most of the people involved in this industry look exactly the same – essentially carbon copies of each other, dull and boring.

Who are these behind-the-times cave-dwellers? Yep, you guessed it—our own real estate industry.

There isn’t a week that goes by that a real estate agent doesn’t challenge me on the topic of whether or not they should put their photo on their business card. Now, I understand that few other professions do this, but in what other profession is there as much competition as there is in real estate?

It seems like everyone you know is getting their real estate license—your neighbors, your friends, your associates—jumping into the market thinking it’s an endless pot of gold. To win business in this vast ocean of competition, you’d better have something to set you apart. And real estate—more than any other profession— does a terrible job of visual marketing.

Visual marketing can be as simple as a color, a design, a theme or even a font. When people see it, they automatically think of you. Truly great visual marketing is when they don’t even need to see the entire picture—they see a fraction of it and recognize you instantly.

The other day, I was shopping in Safeway and a particular font caught my eye. I immediately thought to myself: “What is the Boeing Employees’ Credit Union doing inside of Safeway?” Before I even read the banner, I knew who it was. Now, THAT’s good visual marketing.

Who else does a great job of visual marketing? McDonald’s. You see the big yellow “M” and who do you automatically think of? Starbucks has done an incredible job with their visual marketing. No matter what city you’re in, when you see the Starbucks symbol, a flash of recognition lights up in your head.

A common myth of visual marketing is that it has to be an incredibly stunning image. True, this doesn’t hurt, but it doesn’t have to be the best nor the most attractive. It simply has to be consistent and different.

So, take a second and ask yourself right now… “What is it about my business that makes me visually stand out?” For a moment, forget the fact that you’re the best agent in town. Think visually.

Now, look at the top and bottom of my e-mail. See my zebra stripes? I’m at the point now where I don’t even have to put my name on a piece of paper. If I simply have a zebra stripe, chances are people know it’s me.

Denise Lones

As a columnist for isucceed.com, Realty Times, the National Association of Home Builders, and the Washington Association of Realtors, Denise has a strong “voice” in the real estate community.

PAST MARKETING EFFORTS REAP BIG BENEFITS

Denise Lones (The Lones Group Inc.) — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 15:12:02 -0500

PAST MARKETING EFFORTS REAP BIG BENEFITS

Do you sometimes feel like you’re spinning your wheels and going nowhere? You’ve been doing everything you’re supposed to do to market your business but no matter how hard you work at getting your name out there, the phone is just NOT ringing.

I was thinking about this the other day while I was in the hospital. A back injury I suffered in an accident a few years ago flared up last week while I was on the way to teach a class and I drove myself to the nearest emergency room.

As part of my recovery, I was told to go to a medical massage clinic. My local spa recommended a place and I immediately recognized it from having heard people talk about it and from seeing their ads myself.

I didn’t have the energy or time to research medical massage clinics. The fact that I had heard and seen this name three times over the past two years made me call them and say “Hi, I need to book some appointments.”

I didn’t even ask them about their services. Their marketing had me already pre-sold. To them, I’m the perfect marketing-recruited client. Just sign me up.

Their marketing didn’t start yesterday or the day I was flat on my back in pain. Their marketing has been ongoing for years. They didn’t know I would need them. Heck, I didn’t know I would need them. What would have happened if they hadn’t seen results from their initial marketing campaign and closed their doors? They would have missed out on a lot of business because people don’t think about them until they are in pain.

When a Real Estate agent’s clients decide that they need services—either buying or selling—they are no different than a Denise Lones who is in a heck of a lot of back pain.

The bottom line is I had a pain I needed to get rid of. Mine is back pain. A seller has pain—they need to sell their house for as much money as they can get. A buyer has pain—the pain of searching for their perfect home while being desperately afraid of making a mistake.

In life, pain hits at unexpected times. This time last month, I had no idea I would be signing up for extensive massage therapy. Likewise, there are hundreds of people in your area who are getting hit with some kind of real estate pain today—pain that they didn’t know was coming and which you can solve for them.

Your marketing efforts, no matter how bad they seem at any moment, are not futile. You, much like the massage clinic, are a pain-solver. Keep plugging forward with your marketing and remember that when pain strikes—today, tomorrow, or six months from now—people will call you if they remember your name and your marketing.

Denise Lones

As a columnist for isucceed.com, Realty Times, the National Association of Home Builders, and the Washington Association of Realtors, Denise has a strong “voice” in the real estate community.

The Three Most Important Words In Real Estate Marketing

Denise Lones (The Lones Group Inc.) — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 15:02:44 -0500

The Three Most Important Words In Real Estate Marketing

We’ve all heard the tired old saying “The three most important words in real estate are location, location, location.” But if you truly want to make a six-figure real estate income, the words “database, database, database” are synonymous with your success. Your database is your own personal goldmine.

The average real estate agent meets over five hundred new people per month. Of those five hundred, they add only five of those people to their database.

That’s right…only five!

I hope this doesn’t describe you. If so, it’s time to get serious and grow your database.

So where do you begin? Whether you have one person or a thousand on your list, it isn’t the size of your database that counts it’s the quality of your database that counts.

Put only those people you’ve actually talked to or met in person on your list. People remember other people by eye-to-eye communication, hearing them speak, or talking to them. You might meet them at a networking event, at the dentist’s office, or even at the beach.

(The only time you want to add strangers to your database is when you’re building an on-line internet newsletter where people are “opting-in” to get your information.)

If somebody hands you their business card, they’re saying “Get to know me.” So, get to know them! Send a little handwritten note that says “Great talking with you today. I’ll send you out some real estate information from time to time.”

If somebody calls to ask you a question, do not just answer their question and hang up the phone. Create a genuine connection with them using your people skills and get their name and contact information. Another name for your database…just like that.

And don’t worry about irritating people with your information. Trust me, if they don’t want it, they’ll let you know.

The keys to success in working with your database are:

TRACK YOUR DATABASE.

Your database should be growing. Every week, check your numbers. If you’re not getting results, you’re not putting enough people into your database. You are missing out on future potential business.

CREATE A PLAN THAT YOU NEVER HAVE TO THINK ABOUT AGAIN.

Your business should have an annual marketing plan designed to service your potential clients, current clients, and future clients. This should include AT LEAST a monthly mailer that you send out to them.

(WARNING: Don’t design a marketing plan based entirely on e-mail. The low cost may be tempting, but people today do not want inboxes full of irrelevant e-mail.)

CALL TO ACTION.

Make sure within everything you send out you include what marketers refer to as a “call to action”. This is simply asking your client to do something. It can be as simple as “Call me if you have any questions” or “Go to my website for a free article on selling your home”.

It may seem daunting at first, but in time your success will be a direct result of your attention to your database. Treat it well and it will treat you well.

Denise Lones

As a columnist for isucceed.com, Realty Times, the National Association of Home Builders, and the Washington Association of Realtors, Denise has a strong “voice” in the real estate community.

Denise Says "What's the secret to success in any endeavor on Earth?"

Denise Lones (The Lones Group Inc.) — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 11:34:59 -0600

By Denise Lones M.I.R.M., CSP

What's the secret to success in any endeavor on Earth?

One word-routines!

What do I mean by routines?

A routine is something that you do on a consistent basis that becomes second-nature to you. You do it without even thinking about it. Or it could be a learned behavior that you do for a short period of time with the purpose of generating some kind of effect.

Let's look at Dancing with the Stars. If you've been living under a rock for the past two years, Dancing with the Stars is a popular television program. Twelve celebrities who can't dance to save their lives are chosen to receive training from professionals. Over the course of several weeks, they compete until one dancing couple is remaining.

What a perfect example of routines in action! What exactly is it that the professional dancers teach the celebrities? The very same routines that they themselves use every day. And suddenly, voila! You can't tell that the celebrities could never dance. (Well, for the most part. Some will never be able to feel a rhythm, but those are eliminated fast.)

Most become incredible dancers (practically overnight!) because they've subjected themselves to the routines of the professional. They learn the basic ones, then add subsequently more difficult ones as they master them.

It is the same for every field of endeavor on Earth.

Look at Tiger Woods. From an early age, his dad Earl instilled in him the basic routines of golf. They were programmed in his head. As he matured, he perfected his routines. He follows a set list of things he does every week and every day to stay the World's Number One golfer.

Tom Hanks once said that the reason he has so much success isn't because he's a great actor. He said that he made it a routine to only audition for movies that would be directed by certain directors. This kept him "in the loop" of the big-name Hollywood elite.

When I read this, it was powerful to me. I started to think about the routines that are the foundation of my success. Everything I do is a routine.

Years ago, I set up marketing routines. I still do them every day. I have routines for everything-communication, office management, and dealing with crises.

All successful people have routines. They may not even be consciously aware of them, but they have them. Routines are the key to success.

I'll ask an agent, "How's your lead generation?"

"Well, it's kind of rough right now", they may say.

"The reason it's kind of rough", I say, "is because you don't have a routine."

The same applies to following-up, client care, and marketing. Creating and managing routines for each of these areas-a set series of steps you do without even thinking about them because you've done them so often-is the missing element from many agents' lives.

Develop strong routines and you can't help but succeed.

Having trouble coming up with routines? I started creating powerful real estate routines over twenty years ago. I've refined them, improved them, and now have them down to a science.

You could be successful beyond your wildest dreams with just a few of them.

"But Denise", you may say, "I already have routines!"

That's great. Good for you. But how successful are you? It's one thing to have good routines, but it's something else to be banging your head against a wall every day because you're doing the wrong routines. Bad routines will knock your business into the ground as quickly as good ones will propel it skyward.

I can examine what you do and tell you what you need to cross out of your list and what you need to add. Like the professional dance instructors on Dancing with the Stars, I can set you up with the exact routines that have been proven to work time and time again.

Trust me, I've been at this for a long time. There is no need for you to re-invent the wheel. I've done it for you. If you would like to know more about what routines you need in your business, please email me: mailto:denise@thelonesgroup.com?subject=Zebra.

Let's make 2008 the Year of the Successful Routine!

Denise Says: Discover What Works for You -- and What Doesn't!

Denise Lones (The Lones Group Inc.) — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 15:17:34 -0600

Discover What Works for You
and What Doesn't

By Denise Lones M.I.R.M., CSP

Agents are always looking for "The Plan." You must have heard of "The Plan." It's that super secret 1-2-3 magic set of instructions that if you just plug it in, it will magically catapult your business to the next level.

Newsflash: This just in. There is no "Plan"! We do not live in a cookie-cutter world. There is no one "magic pill" that will work for everybody. Everybody is different.

On the Safari At Sea last week, again I was amazed at how different we all are. So many different personalities. So many different ways of doing business.

The theme of the Safari at Sea was "Find Your Formula." It's different for everybody. One of the reasons why it's so important to embrace differences is that every agent requires a different plan-a different formula for success.

What works for one person doesn't necessarily work for another. Why is it that so many agents are doing different things to be successful?

Because some people's personalities are better suited for one method over another. This is why The Lones Group is focused on creating custom solutions for our clients-because what works for Agent A may be a disaster for Agent B. Cookie-cutter solutions don't work.

And this point was driven home on the Safari at Sea for me when I saw how many different "formulas" are out there that actually DO work.

Cookie-cutter solutions don't work for most people because their very existence is to create profits for the author/creator. For example, we've all heard the "send-this-postcard-campaign-out-and-it-will-bring-you-riches" spiel. These programs are misleading because sometimes they work and sometimes they don't. It all depends on your target market, your local population, and other factors beyond your control.

It frustrates me when a client says to me, "Denise, I'm nervous to do anything with you because everything I've done so far hasn't worked."

But the reason those things haven't worked is because that agent hasn't taken the time to get to know themselves. They're listening to an outsider who says, "This works, do this," but it might be something that agent doesn't like to do and will be unable to maintain in the long run.

Each one of us has strengths and weaknesses. If you think you don't have any weaknesses, then you are in denial. Which is why I encourage agents to do what you do best and hire the rest out.

To even further drive home the "Find Your Formula" message, we did an interesting exercise on the Safari at Sea. It certainly raised a few eyebrows. Each participant sat down and answered 482 questions-yes, 482 questions! Talk about dedication to uncovering the truth.

Not one of them came out alike.

In terms of how they approached their businesses, each one had unique ways of implementing their marketing, managing their files, and contacting their clients. We discovered business styles, personality types, tolerance levels for work, and prospecting abilities that were all over the charts.

The 482-question Business Analysis we did on the Safari at Sea was enlightening in more ways than one. Not only did we highlight the different personalities and strategies of agents, but we also clearly saw what each agent needed to do.

It was like finding a personalized roadmap for each agent-detailed directions to a destination of success.

This is the part where I toot my own horn. The Safari at Sea was the primary introduction of my new Business Analysis. I know that it sounds daunting to answer 482 questions, but think about what you'll learn!

Once you answer them, it will be clear-crystal clear!-what will work for you and what will NEVER work for you. Without discovering who you really are, you won't know what strategies to implement. And which ones to avoid!

Not sure? Then just call me at 360-527-8904 and let's chat. I won't bite. I'm very easy to talk to. Prefer e-mail? So do I! Then drop me a line at denise@thelonesgroup.com. I'm happy to answer any questions.

I'm here to help you succeed. And I'm excited to bring to you my new Business Analysis. Be one of the first agents who has a personalized road map to success-based on who you really are.

Stop looking for "The Plan." Instead, find what you're good at. Then, find what you're NOT good at. Use what you learn to create a formula that works for you.

Denise Says: What a Painter can Teach About Customer Service

Denise Lones (The Lones Group Inc.) — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 18:43:34 -0500

By Denise Lones M.I.R.M., CSP

What a week!

In the past few weeks, I have had the distinct pleasure -- and pain! -- of moving. I just recently found the home of my dreams. I wasn't looking for it, but there it was. You know times in your life-those special moments where you just know something is right for you. I felt that when I saw this house. It is the culmination of everything I've ever wanted and as soon as I stepped into it I knew it.

So I bought it, and this past couple of weeks I began the process of moving in.

I am so tired.

Moving is such an emotional experience. So much to organize. So much to do. And the stuff you find that you thought you had thrown out years ago!

Having moved before, I thought I was all prepared and ready to go. Everything was packed up three weeks before move date, by the time I was ready to move from my home I felt like I was living in a hotel, just one toothbrush and a couple of bath towels and everything else was perfectly organized and ready to go - so I thought. I had everything labeled. I had checklists. I had made all the necessary calls. Movers, phone service, electrical and heating-I thought I had anticipated everything.

But there was one big thing I forgot. And the story of what happened is a lesson in Four-Star Customer Service.

I hired a faux painter named Jodi Hendricks to plaster a couple of bathrooms and do a faux wall in my dining room. What I hired her to do is what she does best, but she went over-and-beyond my expectations.

She went into my new home prior to my moving into it because I wanted her to start on the painting work before I moved all of my furniture in.

When I showed up the day before the big move, there was another person with her.

"Hi, Denise", Jodi said. "This is my friend. She's helping to clean up your new house. I brought her along with me because with all the work you've had done, you have quite a lot of dust scattered around."

I was stunned.

I was also horrified that I didn't foresee that the dust and dirt that flares up during work creates a massive cleanup job. But it didn't matter. Jodi took care of it for me.

Here they were-Jodi, her assistant Brenda, and the cleaner. Shining my floors. Getting all the dust out of the corners. Wiping. Polishing. Making my new home as beautiful as possible. And they were NOT just cleaning up dust they were cleaning toilets and sinks and baseboards - EVERYTHING!!!

Never has a tradesperson done such a wonderfully nice thing for me. I talk all the time about how Four-Star Customer Service is almost dead (except among the Best of the Best agents!), but then someone like Jodi comes along and reminds me there's still life in it yet.

When it hits you, it literally sends butterflies to your stomach. During the course of Jodi working for me, not only did she pour her heart into her work, she looked at the big picture. She stepped back and didn't say "This is the job I'm getting paid for, and I'm going to do no more." Instead she said, "My client is inundated with things to do because she's moving. That's a huge task. The last thing she needs to be doing is cleaning. Heck, she even doesn't need to be cooking."

Which leads me to the second thing Jodi did for me that totally blew me away.

She brought me a giant pot of soup. Homemade soup. Enough for my entire family! Tell me please, do you know of a painter who not only takes the initiative to hire a cleaner but also makes soup for you?

I will long remember the incredible kindness, generosity, and sheer business sense of Jodi Hendricks of Hendricks Painting. If you ever need some great work done, Jodi will do it with flair and enthusiasm.

So, with all that said, have you thought lately about what your clients go through when they move? I was surprised how emotional it was. I thought my last time had prepared me, but the pain and headache of the actual process all hit me again-hard.

As a real estate agent, you see people going through this process every day. What an opportunity for you to make a startling impression on them! Instead of just hanging out back at the office while the move is happening, why not take that extra measure of Four-Star Customer Service and make it a truly memorable experience for them?

It's the smallest details-like making a meal-that makes the biggest difference. How many real estate agents cook soup for people? I don't know of one. This could be you.

People are fragile at this time. They're experiencing not only the excitement and anticipation of their new home, but the sadness and the heartbreak of having to say goodbye to the old one.

Rule of thumb: Don't drop by during the move just to say "hi." This is the worst time to do so. Instead, drop by to bring soup. Or a tray of lasagna. Or at least a pizza.

Jodi Hendricks, thank you for all your hard work and for reminding me how important Four-Star Customer Service is. You've taught us all a very valuable lesson.

(Have the rest of you had an experience like this? )

Denise Says: If you can DREAM it, YOU can do it!

Denise Lones (The Lones Group Inc.) — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 18:41:13 -0500

By Denise Lones M.I.R.M., CSP

It was a cold and rainy day when I sat down with my broker for our weekly meeting. I was a relatively new agent in his office, but I was slowly learning how to double (and then triple) my income without working seven days a week.

After going over the week's numbers, I said to him, "I love the results I'm getting since I started to do things the right way. Someday I'd love to help others rise past the struggles that I've suffered through the last couple of years."

"That'll never work," he said with a condescending smirk.

I stared at him. Did he just try to crush my dream with a throwaway line? I felt like a knife had just been nonchalantly shoved into my heart.

I walked out of his office in a fog and went back to my desk. As the day went on, the rain pounded down even harder. But with every drop that fell, my determination grew. Nobody was going to tell me what I couldn't do.

By 5 p.m. that day, I realized that my broker was a little man with little ideas and little dreams. He couldn't see what my mother and father had instilled in me. My hard-working parents built a restaurant from scratch. With hard work and determination, they rose above all challenges to create a successful business.

"Never give up!," my parents always said. "If you can dream it, you can do it."

Thank goodness I didn't listen to my broker! If I had, I wouldn't be here talking to you today. My parents were right. If you can dream it, you can do it. I'm living proof.

The problem is that most of us don't dream big enough. It was only when I started to see myself as a well-known instructor that I started to become one. If I had kept the image of "average real estate agent" in my head, that's all I would have ever become.

I can't tell you how many agents are stuck in the "That'll-never-work" mindset. Are you one of them? If you are, it's not your fault. We live in a society that tells us certain things are possible and others aren't. We believe in arbitrary rules based on what others tell us. By doing so, we limit the possibilities of what we can actually achieve.

For example, an agent called me about a year ago to sign up for coaching. At that time, she was making $60,000 a year. When I asked her what she wanted to make, she said, "Oh, I'd be thrilled out of my mind if I could make $100,000 a year."

"A hundred thousand?," I asked. "Why so low?"

"Low?," she said. "Are you kidding?"

"Based on what I already know about you from our short conversation, $100,000 is going to be easy for you. You should set your target higher. Two hundred thousand is more like it for you."

"Two hundred thousand dollars? Denise, how is that possible?"

I spent the next entire hour explaining to her that not only is it possible, but for her it's going to be easy. But only if she allows herself to dream big and implement the systems that make the dream work.

A year later, guess what? She's achieved her new dream that I helped her to see. She's on track for even MORE than $200,000 this year.

It's not that she didn't want to dream big. It's just that nobody ever taught her to do so.

One of the hallmarks of successful people (in any field) is the ability to dream big. The bigger your dream, the bigger your reality becomes. What you focus on the most-and put the most effort into by taking action-becomes reality.

And here's another secret: When you dream big with others in mind, there is a greater likelihood your dreams will come true.

When we decided on $200,000 as a goal, I asked my agent friend, "What will you do with the money?"

"I want to help others," she said. "I want to inspire others to succeed."

At that moment, I realized I was in good company. I saw the flicker of energy in her eyes-the same flicker in the eyes of the young girl who was told "That'll never work."

Ha!

Because she has included helping others with the money she makes, she is destined to achieve her goal. There is something magical about including others in your big dreams. All I can say is that it works. It worked for me, and it's working for my new agent friend.

Think it. Dream it. Make a plan to do it. Take action. Never give up.

Decide who you're going to take with you on your journey. How will you help others with the success you create?

Then, take massive action. Develop a system for each dream-a system that propels you and runs while you sleep. Design it, create it, and watch it grow.

Finally, make good on your promises. Show others the power of dreaming big and help them to achieve their own dreams.

Warning: It won't always be easy.

Those few people in this world who really do achieve their ultimate goals and dreams will tell you that it was no freewheeling joyride along the way. In fact, what makes achieving goals so sweet is the journey itself-the struggles won against difficulty and treachery.

Don't let outside influences nor challenges stop you from accomplishing your goals and dreams. Stick to your plan. Never give up. The world will try to kick you down, but it's your choice to stay standing.

It all comes back to the words of my parents: "Never give up. If you can dream it, you can do it."

Thanks, Mom and Dad.

Denise Says: The Five Biggest Mistakes Experienced Agents Make

Denise Lones (The Lones Group Inc.) — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 18:39:00 -0500

By Denise Lones M.I.R.M., CSP

You're experienced. You're good at what you do. You know real estate. You're an expert.

But you're starving for business. You know that there's more out there for you, but it's elusive and you can't seem to grab hold of it.

What is wrong?

You're probably making the same mistakes other experienced agents make. Just because you've been in the business for a while doesn't mean you're immune to mistakes. Put your ego aside for a second and let's talk about some of them.

Here are five huge (but very common) mistakes that experienced agents make day-in and day-out:

1. Inconsistent Follow-Up.

Agents always ask me, "Denise, why is real estate such a feast-or-famine business?"

They're always surprised by my answer: Real estate is NOT a feast-or-famine business. In fact, it's a very consistent, if not the MOST consistent, business on Earth. There always has been, and there always will be a need for housing.

The reason it seems to be feast-or-famine is that when agents are out working with buyers and sellers, they feel busy. When they're not out there, they don't. This creates a roller coaster rhythm that creates this false feast-or-famine mindset.

This is the wrong way to look at the "busy-ness" of your business. The real core of your business is your automated follow-up program. If you've done all your automated follow-up tasks today, then you've been busy today-regardless of how many buyers and sellers you've physically been with.

We all know that in real estate, there are days when your phone rings off the hook and other days where it doesn't ring at all. This is unimportant. I repeat-this is unimportant! What IS important is that you take steps EVERY DAY to create and maintain your automated follow-up systems.

When you have a system in place, you master the art of consistency. Consistency is everything in real estate.

2. Complacency.

This is an easy trap for experienced agents to fall into. Experienced agents fall into patterns of doing the same things over and over again. When I ask about it, the response is usually, "Well, that's the way I've always done it."

This phrase is the way of mediocrity. If you want to stay at the same level and never reach the next one, then that's the attitude that will keep you stuck there.

But there's always another level. And it's easier to get there than you would think. All it takes is looking at what you do now, cutting out what doesn't work, and adding what does work.

The best way to avoid complacency is to have goals. Most agents are not goal-driven. They have been conditioned to never "Think big". Rather, they have the undefined goal of "being successful". Well, what does that mean? What is "successful"? Proper goals should have an exact dollar amount, a deadline, and an action plan.

3. Solo Syndrome.

This is the disease experienced agents suffer from when they believe that they are better off doing everything on their own. Printing their own materials. Doing their own transaction management. Creating their own marketing materials. Buying and selling their own office equipment.

This is a dangerous mindset. The more an agent tries to do, the less effective he or she can be. The more an agent can delegate to others, the more effective he or she is.

I'm convinced that most of the agents who suffer from "Solo Syndrome" were the kids who would never share their marbles with you on the playground. This is an ego-driven problem that creates workaholics who become slaves to their business-instead of having their business work for them.

A better way is to hire the right people, delegate your tasks, and outsource almost everything. When you do this in conjunction with follow-up systems, you truly find success without sacrificing your life.

4. Lack of education.

Experienced agents are so "busy" playing in their disorganized businesses that they do not carve out enough time for education. A huge percentage of the real estate community only thinks of clock-hour classes when it's time for license renewal or when they want a designation next to their name. Very few agents actually seek out education to better their careers and get to the next level.

We all know that work piles up, but we can never let it get in the way of growing our knowledge. Knowledge will set us free from all the piled up work. Knowledge teaches us new ways to streamline and simplify our work.

Agents that truly "get it" take classes to find out how to improve their businesses, increase their income, and simplify their lives. Most agents don't realize how much one class per quarter would increase their business. Even such a small investment can make a huge difference.

5. Lack of marketing.

If there is one industry that is notorious for putting out poor-quality marketing, it's real estate. It's understandable because most agents haven't created Madison Avenue marketing campaigns for Fortune 500 companies.

But marketing is essential. You must get "outside the box" when it comes to your marketing. It needs to be exceptional. If it's not, you're going to get lost in the shuffle. It's a plain fact of life in the business world.

And unfortunately, exceptional marketing costs money. That's a fact. Sorry to burst your bubble. To do things right, you're going to have to substantially invest in your marketing up front.

Some agents tell me, "Denise, I get all my business from referrals." To those agents I say that referrals are great, but they can only go so far. If we're not growing a steady stream of new clients, we will all go out of business. The only way to find this steady stream is effective marketing.

Experienced agents face different challenges from new agents. Take these five mistakes to heart and use their solutions to move your business to the next level.

Any questions? Need clarification? Got something that's burning a hole through your brain? Let me know. I love questions. Just drop me an email at denise@thelonesgroup.com. I'm here for you.

Denise Says: Stop WHINING and Start Taking Action!

Denise Lones (The Lones Group Inc.) — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 18:30:21 -0500

By Denise Lones M.I.R.M., CSP

For the real estate industry, the last three months have been one of the strangest periods I've witnessed in the last ten years. Real estate agents have whipped themselves into a frenzy based entirely on media baloney.

True, the media deli has been serving up large portions of this baloney. Barely a week goes by without a new report about a crashing market or an expose of another ruthless lending predator. As of this writing, I've never seen real estate portrayed in such a nasty light as it is right now.

All this negativity is breeding insecurity among many agents. I can't tell you how many panicked e-mails I get from new agents, experienced agents, and agents who should know better. As I've reported before, the market is NOT crashing. There has been some bad news this year, but it's not a full market crash. Not even close.

Not only are agents e-mailing me about the news stories, but also about their lack of leads. The news reports haven't scared just agents, but also people who would have listed by now if not for fear of what's going on out there. It's turning into a vicious circle, a "Catch-22" of sorts. The markets have slowed down in many areas of the country for the simple reason that people are afraid that the markets are slowing down. What utter nonsense!

It's not that the leads aren't out there, but real estate agents are faced with a particular challenge-a challenge that is unique in modern times. The challenge is to EDUCATE the unknowing masses about what's really going on. The sky is not falling, and it's your job to shout it from the rooftops-backed up with solid numbers to prove your point.

There is so much real estate business out there right now and it's time for a little "Tough Love" from Denise Lones. Are you ready? Brace yourself because this isn't going to be pretty. Here goes:

"Stop whining and start taking action!"

Look, I'm sorry you have half the leads you had a year ago. I'm sorry your phone doesn't ring off the hook like it used to. I'm sorry your offers aren't being accepted in twelve hours.

Newsflash-This is life! One minute you're swimming along without a care in the world, the next minute a sunken ship crashes on your head. This is life. This is reality.

Instead of whining about it and feeling sorry for yourself and your profession, why not take action? How about MASSIVE ACTION?

I can guarantee you that the agents who are going to be rolling in money one or two years from now are the ones who are proactively taking MASSIVE ACTION toward lead generation today.

It's not that the leads aren't out there, it's just that it's going to take a little more hard work and determination than it used to.

So what can you do starting today?

1. Find investors.

Investors are savvy people. They don't fall victim to the nightly news stories. They understand up markets and down markets. They plan ahead (at least the professional ones do), and move their money as needed.

These are great people to be doing business with right now. They're buying up real estate like mad because they know that in two to five years, all the property they buy right now will be worth at least 20% more.

What about putting together a monthly luncheon for investors? Simple invitations sent out that read, "I specialize in working with investors. I'm doing a special luncheon to present my Top Ten Investment Properties This Month". At the luncheon, talk about examples of great investments and tips about the neighborhoods in which you are the expert. Make it short and sweet, but informative.

2. Condensed Open Houses.

Condensed Open Houses allow you the opportunity to do more than one Open House at a time. Take two houses you want to show this weekend and show the first one 9-10, then the second one 11-12. Then go back to the first one from 1-2 and the second one from 3-4.

This is an effective strategy because you can get "morning" people and "afternoon" people to visit the same properties. You've also infused the Open House with a sense of urgency, which eliminates time-wasters who will never buy but want to talk your ear off.

3. Send a "Market Is NOT Crashing" Report to your database-immediately!

If you're not 100% conversant with the facts that clearly show the market is fine, then get yourself educated by doing the proper research. When you crunch the numbers, you'll be amazed at how much evidence you'll have to show people. Get excited about it. Get into an attitude of "I can't wait to tell people about this!"

This accomplishes two things: 1) It EDUCATES people so that we can begin to take the edge off the media scare and 2) It solidifies you as the "Go-To" expert for real estate information in your community.

4. FSBO's.

It always amazes me how afraid real estate agents are of people with "For Sale By Owner" signs on their lawns. They are a GOLD MINE of potential leads. 82% of all FSBO's eventually list with a real estate agent. Talk about conversion rates!

But the secret is not to call them up and tell them what you can do for them. Instead, show them with action. Every single week, send them a report that details homes that have sold in their neighborhood, pending sales, sold prices vs. listing prices, and examples of FSBO's who eventually listed with agents and made more money by doing so.

Information is power. Send them power.

5. Send Annual Client Reviews.

I can't tell you enough how powerful this lead generation tool is. You're going to have to experience its amazing results for yourself.

An Annual Client Review is an analysis you create for each of your past clients. Show them that you are watching their assets. Just like a fund manager for a brokerage firm sends annual reports to investors, you send annual reports to people who have bought from you. This cements you as a trusted advisor and proves to them the value of their home purchase. It also keeps them talking about you and by turn becomes an automated referral machine. Trust me, your competition is NOT sending out Annual Client Reviews. Put it all in a glossy binder with a photograph of their home and send it to them. You will most definitely STAND OUT.

(Note: Don't be afraid to send depreciation information. The facts are the facts. People appreciate the truth, and when you have the guts to tell it to them, they respect you for it.)

6. Find Absentee Owners.

There isn't an Absentee Owner out there who doesn't want to know how their property is faring. They don't often see their property and usually don't keep up with neighborhood values. Make sure you send them quarterly reports on what's going on in the market and do an Annual Client Review for them as well.

7. Find Rental Owners.

There are only two kinds of rental owners I know-thrilled ones and miserable ones. Thrilled because all their units are rented to respectable tenants who enjoy living there. Or sad because not all their units are rented and the occupied ones are filled with tenants who give them a hard time.

If you were to position yourself as a rental property owner expert, you'll find that thrilled owners will buy more rental properties and miserable owners will sell more rental properties.

Make sure you're sending out to both your "Top Ten New Rental Properties To Buy" hotlist. The thrilled ones will use it to shop and the miserable ones will want to be in it.

8. Throw an event.

If you're absolutely dead quiet right now, bank on the people you already know and who like you. Get some contacts from what you already have going for you.

A good example is a Client Appreciation Event such as a "Breakfast with Santa" (hint hint-December is only weeks away). Or maybe a Holiday Open House. For October, do pumpkins and candy. For November, do turkey and stuffing.

9. Give a "State of the Market" Seminar.

What better way to EDUCATE your community about the pitfalls of listening to the news media? Advertise, promote, and invite business owners from your community to let them know what's really going on in real estate.

10. Expired Listings.

This is another GOLD MINE opportunity for agents. Be smart, though. Don't hound listings that have expired in the last week.

Once a listing expires, the owner's phone rings off the hook immediately, making some pull their home off the market entirely.

Remember, always be a contrarian! Do the opposite of what everyone else is doing.

Since everyone else is contacting listings that expired last week, you'll be the only one calling listings that expired six months ago, nine months ago, twelve months ago.

Often what didn't work out last year works out this year.

To sum up, there is no excuse for you not to be getting more leads than you can handle right now. Start implementing these 10 ideas today. MASSIVE ACTION will produce results that will prove to you once and for all that real estate is alive and well. No baloney.

Denise Says: Real Estate - The Teeter-Totter Principle

Denise Lones (The Lones Group Inc.) — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 19:34:33 -0500

Balancing Your Work and Personal Lives

By Denise Lones M.I.R.M., CSP

Agents have a million excuses why they can't afford to take time off. Whether it be a weekend or a vacation or even two hours on a Wednesday, we struggle to allow ourselves to relax.

By thinking like this, we are setting ourselves up for burnout, stress-out, and financial failure.

I'm often asked a question like, "Denise, you've got one minute. Give me sixty seconds of advice on what I could do today to increase my income."

"Take tomorrow off", I say.

Their jaw drops. "What?!?!" they say.

"Yes, take tomorrow off. Go see your grandchildren that you haven't spent time with. Take a walk on the beach. Go hiking. Meditate. Whatever."

"But Denise, that's not business advice. That's personal advice."

I have news for you. Our personal lives ARE our business lives. They are intertwined together. You cannot have colossal success in one area if you don't have colossal success in the other. It may seem like you have success but what you really have is an unbalanced teeter-totter. Yes they are loving the success they are having at work but at what cost to their home life.

Picture a teeter-totter. On one side is your business life. On the other is your personal life. We all know agents who are tipping the teeter-totter to one side or the other.

Some agents spend too much time on the personal side, but ultimately end up broke. Others spend too much time on work, convinced they can't afford to ever take a day off. These agents are sunk into the ground on the other side.

Is this really what you want out of your business? No, what you want is a sense of balance between the two sides-a balanced teeter-totter. If you're not prepared to create this sense of balance, one side will drag you down and you'll sink to the ground.

The top 5% of agents aren't in the top 5% just because they make a lot of money. There are a lot of moneymakers out there who haven't been to a parent-teacher meeting in years. I don't consider these "top 5% agents". Nothing infuriates me more than seeing a child neglected because of the financial goals of a real estate agent.

A true Top 5% Agent is one who has learned how to make a lot of money and yet still have a life. A true Top 5% agent knows that it's not the number of hours they work-it's the quality of work during those hours.

If you have a hundred things to do in a week, it doesn't matter if you do them in a 7-day period or in a 5-day period. You WILL get those hundred things done in a 5-day period even if you force yourself to take two full days off. Working 7 days a week is NOT the answer. Getting the hundred things done IS the answer-not the hours you spend doing them. You can even get them all done in 4 days! Yes, that means you have 3 days off!

I could not run my business anymore by working 5 days. When I reduced my week to 4 days, I became more productive and my business grew. Hard to believe, I know. But it's true.

Of course, this requires surrounding yourself with great people. You also have to learn how to give up control to them. It wasn't natural for me to work a 4-day week. Nor was it natural for me to give up control to anybody.

But since I've done so, I've never been more productive-both personally and professionally. It is truly knowing that you don't need to work 100 hours a week to get everything done.

By putting restrictions on the hours you work in your business, you force yourself to become more productive. When you have less hours to do the things that need to get done, your powers of focus multiply. With less time available, there's less time to waste. Get it done and get out.

Another benefit to all this is "recharge" time. There is no better way to come up with new ideas to grow your business than by being well rested.

When WAS the last time you took a day off? Or even a week off? When was the last exotic trip you took? Stop making excuses.

Excuses like, "Can't do it in the spring. That's the busy time." Or, "Can't do it in the summer. People want to move before school starts." Or, "Can't do it in the fall. A lot of people are still moving before the end of the year. Or, "Can't do it in the winter. I gotta plan for the spring."

Resolve today: No more excuses! Plan a day off-right now! Resolve to not even think about work for one second that day. Create balance in your life and watch your business grow.

What side of the teeter-totter are you on?

Denise Says: Have you Ever Thought of Working for Me?

Denise Lones (The Lones Group Inc.) — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 19:30:12 -0500

JOBS AT THE LONES GROUP

We are pleased to announce that Elisa Classen, that vibrant voice that you hear when you reach The Lones Group, is moving into a new position with us. She will be helping us with special projects as well as client care, customer service, and more writing. Elisa has developed a "fan club" of sorts over her almost two years of working with us, and we are so happy that she is evolving with us.

This also means we are in need of a fabulous, fun and very efficient Receptionist/Administrative Assistant in our busy Administrative Division at our beautiful Bellingham,Washington-based headquarters, so -

ANNOUNCING!!
TWO Opportunities at
The Lones Group

Receptionist/Administrative Assistant and
Business Development Team Sales Division

Interested parties should send their resume and a cover letter to:

The Lones Group
2200 Cornwall Ave
Bellingham, WA 98225
or email it to: shauna@thelonesgroup.com

or give us a call at (360) 527-8904 and talk with Elisa to find out more!

Denise Says: Where in the World is Denise for October?

Denise Lones (The Lones Group Inc.) — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 19:27:08 -0500

Upcoming Events

Tuesday, October 16th 12:00 - 2:00 pm

FULL - Agent Appreciation Luncheon

Denise discusses the future of Pacific Northwest Real Estate and Barb Lamoureux presents an intimate look at a Real Estate Superstar's 20 year career.

Thursday, October 18th
"The Super Hero in You" at the North Puget Sound Education Day
Contact http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=5oakofcab.0.gzwprecab.veq86vbab.2429&ts=S0289&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.npsar.com%2F for more information

Monday - Friday, October 22nd - 26th
SOLD OUT - Safari at Sea Class at Sea
Contact The Lones Group for more information (360) 527-8904

Thursday, November 1st
"GRI 100" in Kirkland
Please call Washington Realtors to register (800) 562-6024

Tuesday, November 6th
"The Transformation" Denise's special class for Brokerages at
John L. Scott in Auburn

Thursday, November 8th
"GRI 200" in Lynnwood
Please call Washington Realtors to register (800) 562-6024

Denise Says: A look at one Last Lecture

Denise Lones (The Lones Group Inc.) — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 19:25:41 -0500

By Denise Lones M.I.R.M., CSP

There was a moment this week that everything stopped. The world, in its constant grind forward, came to a sudden standstill.

I couldn't hear my phone ringing. I couldn't read my inbox. I couldn't see my assistant standing before me.

What caused my entire existence to freeze?

This article.

As I read it and watched the video attached to it, I was taken back by the incredible attitude of Professor Randy Pausch. Diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer, this dear man, 46, is able to laugh, joke, and inspire. It made me stop and pause to think. After reading this, I couldn't help but wonder what I would say if I had to deliver my "last lecture."

I, too, am up in front of an audience most of my working life, teaching and helping others to fulfill their dreams.

But what if-it all ended tomorrow?

This was the thought that froze me at my desk as I read the heartbreaking story of this college professor-husband, father, and humanitarian-as he said goodbye to his students. And at such a young age!

And then-as so often happens-I remembered Garth.

Garth Robertson was my first mentor, my premier guide to the world of real estate. He taught me, motivated me, and helped me become a successful agent with his incredible coaching. If I ever had a doubt about anything, Garth was there to tell me in his smiling warm voice, "Denise, you can do it."

Garth Robertson was the trainer at the first real estate company I ever worked out. He was amazing. I went to every training he ever did and I can flat out tell you that if he had not been there for me my first year in the business I would not have survived that first year. He was the most optimistic person I had ever met, but most importantly he believed in my ability and spent that year telling me what a great agent I was and was to become.

Once I heard those words from him, I was always able to do it-no matter what it was.

After working with him for just a year, Garth was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

I was devastated. I was also completely NOT prepared for the year to follow. Garth suffered a grueling decline in his health and his body deteriorated at a pace that was frightening to watch. His attitude however never wavered, he was always so darn positive. Even when he was dying he just keep focusing on what he had not what he was losing. Garth taught me more about life through his death and to this day I do not forget the lessons of life that I learned from him.

The very last time I saw Garth, I told him, "I'm not going to be able to sell real estate without you in my life."

On his deathbed, he smiled. "Maybe not for the week of my funeral. Maybe not on the anniversary of my death. But I have good news for you. What I have already taught you-what is already in your head-you will know forever. You can't get it out of there. It's not going anywhere. So, whenever you have doubts, just remember that once you have already done, you will always be able to DO."

Both of these men, struck down in their prime, are shining examples of the right attitude. They accepted their fate and continued to lift up the spirits of others-even in the face of death. Which is why we should be grateful every day for everything we have. In the face of our daily grind, we need to maintain an attitude of joy and thankfulness. If Randy and Garth can, then we can.

So why do we all spend so much time focusing on what's NOT working and what we haven't achieved? Why do we gripe and moan about all the sales that haven't closed or the people who seemed interested but never called us back?

When there's so much to be grateful for. Look around you. You're here. You have choices. You have options. You have life. Live it and love it.

We-and I mean all of us-don't focus enough on what we have accomplished. This is especially true for real estate agents. We are a negative bunch. We always see what's wrong and barely acknowledge what's right.

We can do anything we set our minds to do if we are prepared to do the work. What gets in our way is most of us don't have a Garth saying over and over again, "You can do it."

Once you've done something once, you can always do it again. You've already proven to yourself that you have the ability to do it.

Take that one small success, pat yourself on the back for it, and then parlay it into a slightly bigger success. Pat yourself on the back for that one and then parlay that into an even bigger success. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.

Quit it with the regrets! Professor Randy Pausch's story showed me he had no regrets. He understands where he is, but he doesn't whine or complain about it. And we think we have problems?!

If you were told today that you only have a few months left, what would you focus on? Would it be the listing you lost because the seller was unrealistic about price anyways? That buyer who you toured around for two months who bought a house from someone else? Or the person at the Open House who was rude to you?

Do these things really matter in the big picture?

Absolutely not. What matters is the quality of your life. If you're not planning your business around the quality of your life, then you're not living. You need to plan time to enjoy every day.

Because you never know when it will all be over. Jump for joy and rejoice in all you have-today! And if you're having a bad day, reread the story of Randy Pausch.

Denise Says: Where is Denise?

Denise Lones (The Lones Group Inc.) — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 19:46:05 -0500

You have asked for it:

Upcoming Events

Tuesday, September 18th
"Making Money with Technology" in Olympia/Thurston County
Contact Washington Realtors Thurston County to register (360) 491-3910

Wednesday, September 19th
Keynote Speaker Windermere Anacortes Office

Tuesday and Wednesday, September 25th and 26th
SOLD OUT "Solving the New Equation" and
SOLD OUT "Catch the World Wide Wave"
Classes Windermere Symposium in Seattle

Thursday, October 4th
"It's All About Price" in Aberdeen
Contact Washington Realtors Grays Harbor to register (360) 532-7651

Tuesday, October 9th
"The Agent of Tomorrow - What Top Agents are Doing to Succeed"
Please call Washington Realtors to register (800) 562-6024

Thursday, October 18th
"The Super Hero in You" at the North Puget Sound Education Day
Contact http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=qqgorecab.0.gzwprecab.veq86vbab.2429&ts=S0280&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.npsar.com%2F for more information

Monday - Friday, October 22nd - 26th
Safari at Sea

Audio Education: The Lones Group and Washington Association of Realtors now are offering the Washington Association of Realtors Audio Education program. Clock Hours have never been easier. Call 360-527-8904 to ask for more information! It is a great program.

Hello Friends:

I have had so many people contact my office to know where they can find me. Please contact The Lones Group for more information (360) 527-8904 for classes that still have openings or go to the Washington Association of Realtor website and look under Education. I am also planning a mini version of my popular Safari class for 7.5-clock hours for Brokers to offer to their agents to push them to the next level of success in current market conditions. I have had so many people contact my office when the Windermere classes sold out in the pre-enrollment! I would love to meet each of you at one of my classes. Do sign up!

Denise Lones, M.I.R.M.

Denise Says: I Can Make a Super Agent Out of You!

Denise Lones (The Lones Group Inc.) — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 19:38:59 -0500

Hello Active Rain: I am announcing my 2008 EVOLVE! Coaching Program. The Lones Group is proud to announce the details of their 2008 EVOLVE! Coaching Program with me. We are looking for 20 agents who need a business shock to the system.

This Coaching Program Includes:

•· Extensive Case Study to show where you have been and what you will become

•· Custom Marketing Makeover at our new Core Agent Level (find out more about our Marketing Makeovers)*

•· Custom Website

•· One-Year Safari Club

•· 12 Months of Follow Up materials formatted, printed, and mailed to your database

•· Six live trainings with Denise

•· Twelve conference call trainings with Denise

•· Business Analysis

•· Learn valuable presentation skills and additional training

•· Learn the business systems you need for your business

•· Feature case study written about you in Denise's upcoming book

Cost is $19,900 per year (valued at $26,000)
Financing is available
*Those clients that have already completed a Marketing Makeover,
please call us for pricing

This is an exclusive coaching group and will be
limited to space available.

Denise will be using these 20 agents to showcase the Power of Transformation when one is properly guided and trained and when there is accountability and tools provided. Denise will be using these 20 agents to show the rest of the real estate industry that ANYONE can succeed when properly guided. This investment will pay
for itself over and over again.

This is a limited program and Denise will interview each potential candidate to see if they really want to take their business to a level they have only dreamed of.

Please email Denise directly at denise@thelonesgroup.com and tell her why you want to take part in this group.

Denise Says: Get Control of Your Money!

Denise Lones (The Lones Group Inc.) — Thu, 13 Sep 2007 19:35:08 -0500

By Denise Lones M.I.R.M., CSP

When you cash that big commission check, how do you feel? Pretty good, huh? At that moment, you love money. But what happens when you haven't seen a commission check for weeks? Money becomes your despised enemy.

Unfortunately, this is the relationship with money that most real estate agents have. While this business can seem "feast-or-famine," it's really a matter of becoming friends with money. Because some feasts are bigger than others and some famines last a very long time.

Living commission check to commission check is a terrible way to live. Most agents think they have no choice but to live this way. "It's the nature of the business," they say.

I have news for you: It doesn't have to be this way. Mastering the money side of your business is simpler than you may think. It just takes a little discipline and a new way of looking at it.

Here are some tips for making friends with money:

1. Know what it costs you to live.

When I ask agents "What does it cost you to live?," I always get the same answer.

First, they stare at me for a few seconds and start rattling off expenses. "Hmm. Well, there's my mortgage, my car payment, my kid's tuition."

This is "Income By Dissection."

You should never have to dissect your income. Whenever that question is asked of you, you should immediately know the exact number of dollars it costs you to live.

It's all about awareness.

Get your "nut" in order. Make a list of every single ongoing monthly expense you have. Estimate for what you don't have fixed numbers.

Once you figure it out, pay attention to it. Think about it every day. Make it a part of your routine. By being aware and knowing where you stand, you can almost feel the money coming in and going out. This prepares you for what you need to do in order to boost your income.

2. Avoid budgets.

"What?! Denise, how can I live without a budget?"

I'm not a big budget fan. I call it the "B" Word.

The simple truth is that most budgets don't work. When on a budget, we limit ourselves by constantly referring to what we can't spend. Whenever we focus on a negative, we create further negative thoughts.

Instead, I tell agents to focus on their net worth. Knowing your net worth is the first step to escaping that evil phrase, "All I ever do is pay bills." When you're constantly aware of your net worth, you know where you are and where you are going. And your desire to increase that net worth makes you actually want to save money. A budget does the opposite. It makes you want to spend money because it creates an artificial limit.

It's all in the head-in the way you look at it. A budget limits, but net worth empowers. Tracking your net worth, you have something to show for every penny you spend.

Still not following? Look at it this way. Every time you pay a bill, it has a negative effect on your cash flow. If you're using a budget, all you're aware of is your lack of cash. But when you look at your financial life in terms of net worth, every time you pay a bill you become a little bit richer. See what I mean?

In the end, your net worth is the only scorecard that matters. It's your reward for all the hard work you do. Pay attention to it.

3. Work three months ahead.

Let's say you bring in $20,000 of closings this month and it's costing you $7,000 a month to live your life.

A typical gut feeling is "Wow! I made an extra $13,000 this month. I'm taking two weeks off to go to Hawaii. And maybe I'll get that deck addition we've been talking about."

Not so fast.

Here's a better idea. Take that $13,000 and put it in your Three-Month Ahead Account. A hard (but powerful) lesson to learn when you're running your own business is that there are going to be lean times-very lean times. A good business is always three months ahead of time. This is a rule I've implemented for years. If you don't have three months' expenses saved up somewhere, you will find yourself in hardship at some point.

There will be times in real estate when you won't have closings for three months. What are you going to do if you don't have a Three Month Ahead Account? Think about that. Think long and hard about that.

4. Have financial goals.

When you read those personal finance books and audio programs, they talk about income as something that's "fixed." As a real estate agent, this is actually something you can control. You have the power to increase your income by implementing better systems and lead generation techniques to find more clients.

The problem is that most people don't know how to "Think Big." They limit themselves by not having big enough dreams, plans, or personal missions.

Are you in this business just to live transaction at a time? Or is there something you're working towards? What is it you really want to accomplish?

These are questions for which you should have solid answers. Exact dollar amounts. Exact experiences you want to have. Exact places you want to go. You should be making money to live, not living to make money.

What about retirement? Most agents don't have a retirement plan. This creates absolute havoc in so many lives. This is why there are so many agents working into their later years. Because they didn't think about it when they were young. Start thinking about it today.

5. Pre-plan vacations.

Whether you're an experienced agent or just starting out, this is a necessity for your business. You cannot overlook this required part of your life. We all need time to recharge and get away. We often forget to plan this into our schedule and what happens? We forget and end up working three years without a break.

A vacation is not something that should be treated as an "if-we-get -an extra closing" event. A vacation is as important to an agent's psyche and ability to be good at what they do as anything else in their business.

Agents who are well-rested and who take time to enjoy their lives are agents who provide better expert service for their clients.

By following these tips and making friends with money, you're in a powerful position to get to the next level of your business. Know your net worth. Know what it costs you to live. Know what it will cost you to live the life you want. Implement changes and take vacations.

If you make friends with money, you can't lose.

Denise

DENISE SAYS: There is Good News for the Real Estate Industry

Denise Lones (The Lones Group Inc.) — Fri, 31 Aug 2007 17:36:01 -0500

By Denise Lones M.I.R.M., CSP

NOTE: This is a follow-up to today's 1 p.m. call to discuss President Bush's address about the mortgage crisis and the federal government's response this morning. Due to the late notice a number of you were not able to join us on that call. That is unfortunate as this is important information that affects us whether we are homeowners, real estate investors, developers or real estate agents.

For those of you who wish to have a copy, please contact my office at 360-527-8904. CD copies will be available in a week at a shipping and handling cost of $20. You can email requests as well to elisa@thelonesgroup.com with your shipping information, contact, etc.

For those of you who want the information now to share with your staff and clients, please read below. We are heading into a holiday weekend and time is of the essence. Denise

The Real Estate market has taken an unfair beating by the media for months. It's a wonder anyone is buying or selling real estate based on the doom and gloom scenarios the media has painted about the market.

I, however, have stood FIRM the American market is strong and vital and will continue to flourish. I have taken much criticism about my optimism. I can afford to be optimistic because I don't just speculate, I do my research.

The U.S. economy is strong and the Pacific Northwest economy is booming - yes, booming. Although home sales have been hurt by the latest mortgage meltdown, our employment and economy have stayed strong. People are moving to our area, staying, working and retiring in our area. This hardly makes for a crashing market thank you very much!

The market was further damaged when the mortgage industry's sub prime market melted. Unscrupulous lenders and over-optimistic homeowners and investors got involved in mortgages that really were too good to be true. This caused a meltdown which then had consumers extremely concerned. Whenever you have concerned consumers you have a slowdown in purchasing, and when you have a slowdown in purchasing you have a shift in the market.

I would like to point out some good news about the market including the price appreciation in the Northwest has seen. The Office of the Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight listed the following appreciation rates for the areas listed below over the past five years. What is most interesting about these numbers is that each of these areas has continued to appreciate even in light of the mortgage meltdown.

CITY	1 year appreciation	5 year appreciation
Seattle/Everett/Bellevue	9.89	66.8
Bellingham	5.14	86.1
Bremerton/Silverdale	0.14	81.9
Kennewich/Richland/Pasco	6.52	23.2
Longview	13.6	59.3
Mount Vernon/Anacortes	8.28	73.8
Spokane	9.30	68.5
Tacoma	9.34	75.6
Wenatchee	23.54	79.2
Yakima	8.28	35.3

The numbers above are hardly signs of a crashing market. What this does show is that people want to live in these areas and there is a demand.

Even better news for our market, President Bush finally spoke out about the critical mortgage situation. In a live broadcast August 31, 2007 President Bush addressed the "mortgage crisis".

In a nutshell, he said, although the country is facing a mortgage crisis it was caused directly by unscrupulous lenders. The government plans to take action. President Bush stated that overall the mortgage crisis is modest in relation to our overall economy and not to panic. Housing is what drives our economy. Government officials acknowledge this and plan to take action. This is nothing but good news for the real estate industry.

The President said that the government will not do a bailout but will play a "limited" role. A federal bailout would only encourage future unscrupulous activity. While the government promises to help the average homeowner they will not be helping investors or speculators.

President Bush said the top priority in our country is home ownership and helping families stay in their homes. Here is the proposed strategy:

1) MODERNIZE THE FHA - The government will improve and modernize the FHA and help borrowers refinance with the FHA at lower rates. This will help approximately 80,000 families in mortgage crisis.

2) ADD NEW FHA PROGRAM - FHA SECURE - This new program will allow consumers to re-finance their homes into secure mortgages without high penalties.

3) TAX REFORM - There will be a change to the federal tax code that will make it possible, and easier, for families to refinance their mortgage during this unexpected stress in the mortgage market. This new code will allow families to refinance without the tax penalty that currently exists.

4) NEW FORECLOSURE AVOIDANCE INITIATIVE- Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will be involved in a new initiative to help homeowners refinance rather than foreclose on their homes.

5) MORTGAGE INDUSTRY REFORM- The President promises to bring strong regulations to the mortgage industry which will help prevent predatory lending. Lenders will have to provide complete and accurate disclosure on all loan products. This will also have to be understandable to the consumer. Lenders will also have to clearly disclose all fees and closing costs. The President says that if lenders are cheating consumers the government will find them and punish them.

6) MANDATORY FEE DISCLOSURE- The disclosure of fees will be altered to make it easier for consumers to understand what fees they are paying.

President Bush further stated that it is the federal government's goal to protect home ownership in this country. He said it is the American Dream and every citizen's right. When we own homes we have better communities and neighborhoods, according to the President. While the government will not bailout speculators and investors there will be help for homeowners.

DENISE'S BOTTOM LINE

I would first like to say that I was THRILLED with the President's speech. I have always believed, and still do, the real estate market will survive and thrive through this "media-frenzied" period. The current challenges we have in the market are due to predatory lending and people funding their lifestyle and using their homes as piggybanks. There is good news in this market, but you have to get past all the media mud-slinging first. Real estate is here to stay and real estate agents are needed now more than ever before. I could not think of a more exciting time to be in the real estate industry.

I welcome questions or comments. Please feel free to contact me at denise@thelonesgroup.com.

Denise Says: Time is running out!

Denise Lones (The Lones Group Inc.) — Thu, 16 Aug 2007 16:56:38 -0500

THIS IS MY LAST INVITATION TO MY SAFARI AT SEA CRUISE

The clock is ticking. I can almost literally hear it. Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. The countdown is on.

This is your chance.

By August 22, I need to get my headcount in to Celebrity Cruise Lines for my October 22-26 Cruise departing from Seattle on Monday afternoon, October 22, and returning on Friday morning, October 26. This is a fabulous opportunity for any of you who have been wanting to take any of my classes (they ahve been sold out for the Windermere Symposium, I have been told), need 15 clock hours, or simply want a good excuse to get away for a short period of time.

My last blog was about burnout. Most of us have been there -- or may be there right now. It isn't fun to stare at the clock, not sleep well, feel uptight. We don't like the feeling -- nor do those around us.

My team and I toured the Celebrity ship Mercury several weeks ago and found it to be a beautiful place, enjoyed the food, saw comfortable rooms (accessible to families, those with difficulty in walking, etc.), and had to stop in the spa and found we wanted to stay. I think we could have stayed in that place for the whole cruise.

A number of people have talked about wanting to get away -- even for a short time. I have contracted with the cruise ship to provide the lowest fees. I really am excited about this opportunity to share what I have learned -- from my time as an agent to a broker and now as a marketing firm owner and coach. I am even taking my own accountant, who specializes in real estate investing, along. We will talk about success storie we know, so that you can be one of those stories maybe by next year's cruise.

My class time will be spent covering 12 modules of information about selling to different generations, marketing yourself, pricing, and so much more. I have heard agents talk about how much they enjoy, yes enjoy, coming to my classes. It isn't just time spent sitting and daydreaming. We talk about things you care about.

After class, we will have a karaoke contest (with prizes), get to know new friends, have a day trip into beautiful Victoria, B.C. I will host a few parties to get to know each of you better and bring along my team. There is a reason I hired each of them. They are truly professionals who also enjoy life. I think you will enjoy meeting them as well.

My clock is now ticking and I must get on to my next task. I hope to see a few -- or more than a few of you -- give my office a call to know more about this fun class at sea. The ship does have Internet access in its business center, can accommodate children, provides haircuts, ...there are no excuses!

Denise - 360-527-8904