Many times we get clouded by our own ambition....yes it is true. We focus on success and we end up taking the giving part for granted. We get so wrapped up in the So-Called Recession and that houses take 6 months to a year to sell that we forget what is really important. This More Economy of more prospects, more listings, more buyers....must also include more giving.

Myself, my family and my businesses at many times throughout every year will donate money, drop off food, toys, clothes and household goods to a variety of families and organizations that need these items and many of the people around me handle most of the organization behind the giving, especially my wife (Kirsten) and my Mother-In-Law (Ingeborg Kepple). So, I know it is happening and I help it to happen however, I many times take it for granted. I many times assume that it is automatic and I lose the appreciation value that these families and organizations truly have with the donations.

Then all of a sudden I see a 3 year old who picks up a doll that my daughter played with and loved and now has outgrown and you know that 3 year old has just received one of the only toys she will receive all year and she is grinning from ear to ear with excitement and appreciation. The greatest feeling in the world is watching your kids laugh and have a great time....this feeling here, comes in a close second.

So, when your kids open their presents this holiday season, think of that 3 year old and it will make the giving even that much better.

 

Dave Conklin recently crafted a list great places to submit your blog through RSS feed over at RorySteveAndDave.com. While most of us know a thing or two about blogging (we are on ActiveRain, after all) I thought it might be a good idea to reshare this. Obviously we all need to keep growing our pipelines, and I think getting your blog out there in front of as many people as possible can't hurt.

All of these sites promote blog content for free through your sites RSS feed. RSS, for those that don't know, stands for Real Simple Syndication. Check out this link from RSSPad if you need to brush up.

RSSPad is part of PRWeb. All you have to do get your site submitted into RSSPad is register for a free account on PRWeb. For an example of how RSSPad can produce results for your blog, check out GetMyHomesValue.com on RSSPad.

Social networks are obviously huge online these days, and BlogCatalog proclaims itself to be the top blogger social network. Submit your blog into their free feed as part of your registration process. Check out this BlogCatalog sample.

Of course, as all of us know, you can copy and paste your personal blog through your A/R profile.

Any other ideas?

When it comes to your Pipeline!!

I truly do not care what the "state of the market" is nor do I care what CNN dictates as a dismal future in the real estate market. What I do care about is the size of my Pipeline! I know that every day houses are being bought and sold!! I must get in contact with as many potential buyers and sellers as possible and putting them into my ProspectMaximizer (CRM) and following up with them through Phone Calls, Visits, Emails and Mailings until they buy, sell or refinance.

In this market I must be adding AT LEAST 4 new prospects to my pipeline for every 1 lost and making sure that they are followed up with automatically and physically so that I can guarantee my 4+ settlements every month. I must use Online Lead Generation as well as Traditional Methods of Lead Generation to ensure that I meet my goal of the biggest Pipeline around. I must tell myself that the only Bogus or Bad lead is the one I do not have and I will do everything in my power to get those leads into my pipeline. I will spend money on Increasing The Size of my Pipeline because I believe in my abilities to turn those leads into clients and then commissions. My pipeline can never be too big if I am using the proper CRM tool and I have the right team of people in place.

So please, do me a favor, make sure the size of your Pipeline measures up to the demands of your goals and your current market conditions so that you can have a long and happy real estate career.

In talking to a FSBO just yesterday, he was not so much intrigued by showing him how I was going to make him more money by going with me and paying my commission (although he was impressed) nor was I able to close him on the mere fact that listing his home with me will bring in better more qualified buyers. His eye brows raised and the head started to nod based on the fact that selling your home on your own and sticking that red and white FSBO sign in the yard opens the doors for anyone to stop by at any time.

He travels quite a bit for his job and his wife stays home with the kids who are both under 8 years of age. After that he told me they sold their Townhouse on their own a few years back without any problems and that is why they are doing it again. I proceeded to explain is it worth the safety of your family? That red and white sign in your front yard is typically an Open Invite to anyone driving by to stop in at anytime of the day and not only knock on your door, but walk around your house, peek in the windows and even bug your neighbors. A lot of these individuals have not even applied for a mortgage and truly have no interest in buying a home. In some cases you could be opening your doors to someone staking out your home for a future burglary. Is it worth it, I continued to ask?

When you list your home with a real estate professional you are automatically providing a much safer and secure means for marketing and selling your home. You will dramatically decrease the chance of drop-ins and nosy window peekers and you will more than not have pre-approved people going through your home.

I then asked, how much is all of that worth? I proceeded to answer it for him as he was truly speechless....It is priceless Mr. FSBO, absolutely priceless!!

It is absolutely amazing how many people in this world love to blame others for their misfortunes as opposed to being honest, blaming themselves and doing something about it. It is so much easier for YOU to point the finger at others and then run and hide.

You know who you are....you love to bitch about the rising gas prices and that is to blame for you not being successful, here is a thought....make more money and it will not be an issue. Also, those of you that just love to blame the Lead Generation source for you not being successful with their program when in fact YOU did not use the tools provided and YOU have an improper follow up system to give the leads a fair chance and after a single attempt of contacting the lead YOU give up and say oh that is a bogus lead and that lead generation source sucks, here is a thought....get as many leads as possible, have a proper follow up system and YOU will make more money. Oh and those of you who keep blaming the media and the lending institution and the government and everything/everyone else as the reason why the real estate market has changed instead of embracing it for what it is and rising above all the negativity and making a pile of money.

If you would exert as much energy focusing on your career and doing all the right things to maximize your earning potential as you do bitching and moaning about how you feel everyone has let you down, you would be very successful. You never have anyone to blame but yourself for your successes and your failures!!

It Is What It Is, Get Over It!!

Too many real estate agents (sales people) still do not get Lead Generation Follow Up yet so I am going to break it down into simple terms so that everyone can understand:

1) You get a lead;
2) You call (talk) the lead right away or leave a message and email the lead;
3) You discover what bits of information you are missing from the lead and you get the information through various obvious places (Google…duh!!);
4) You place all the leads information into your Contact Management (CRM) [Prospect Maximizer] system for regular and automated follow up;
5) You at no point concern yourself with the Leads time frame for doing business for that will allow you the opportunity to falsely accuse the lead of being invalid and since you are not going to only be in real estate for 6 months you can put a lead in your pipeline that has an 18 month window and know they will eventually be your client….trust your abilities and your follow up system;
6) You follow the contact management structure you have established for the lead which includes calling, visiting, emailing, mailing, etc.;
7) You continue following up with the lead until they become a client at which point you can stop referring to them as a lead;

Any questions?

I cannot believe how many real estate agents that I talk to that are still not attempting to do Reverse Offers and furthermore, how many agents have never heard of it. People wake up....when the market changes so do your strategies. So many people I have spoken with are frankly scared to present the idea of Reverse Offer and it is such a simple concept.

If you have a listing that has been on the market longer than the sellers are comfortable with and you have activity you must at the very minimum attempt to have the sellers make an offer to the buyers that come through the home to at least get some negotiations started. I would use a Reverse Offer before a major price reduction any day of the week. You obviously will have resistance from your clients however, it is your JOB to introduce any and all ideas to get their home sold. They are going to think you are a bigger "Shmuck" if you don't suggest it and their home never sells.

You are struggling, you are allowing situations to control your paycheck, you are trying to blame others for your troubles and you are considering getting out of sales and getting into something with a steady paycheck but limited income. If no one has "The Balls" to tell you the truth then I will....THE PROBLEM IS YOU! Now you can choose to get all upset which will make your struggles even worse or you can choose to listen and do something about it!! The solution is simple stop being trapped in the box that is handcuffing your success and start being creative with your actions and "Think Outside The Box" for success beyond imagination.

You are in sales and you control your own destiny but you struggle from time to time because you are not thinking past traditional means. Here are just a few creative ways to get your creative juices flowing:

-REFERRAL TREE: Instead of just calling your sphere of influence to touch base call them to give you 2 names of people that you can introduce yourself and proceed to do so. Those become warm calls.
-GIFT CARDS: The gift card is perfect anytime, not only after you complete a sale. Get a bunch of $5 Gift Cards to Starbucks and get them to your most stubborn prospects with a note that says "I want you to be fully awake when we finally get a chance to meet.....Does Wednesday at 4:00 or Thursday at 11:00 work best for you?"
-MAIL THEM A SHOE OR A FOOT: Easy now....do not cut your foot off!! If you can get your hands on some old Manequin feet or better yet just get some slightly used shoes at Goodwill and put one in a box and send it signature required with a note "Now that I have my foot in the door, please let me know when would be a good time for the rest of me to join it?"
-SEND A SINGING TELEGRAM: Send a singing telegram with a song that details exactly what you are selling, why you are great and when you want to meet with them.
-SEND A CARD: Not to the prospect, but to the prospects spouse or significant other asking: "Hello....would you mind having (name) call me when they get home, for some reason (he/she) is not getting my calls at their office and I am trying to schedule a meeting with them in the next week.

I know some of you are saying that wow these things are very Corny and my reputation is more important than doing things like that. I will look you straight in the eyes and tell you that if you are not going to use every creative effort imaginable to make sure that your income is always in excess of $150K++++ every year can you please step aside so that the good sales people can get through and maintain their reputation....THANK YOU.

I truly PHind it amazing when so many sales people struggle with sales and acquiring new leads and PHollowing up with those leads and then to hear they are aPHraid of or unwilling to use the most important piece of equipment they own. PHenomenal things happen to individuals who PHocus on the simple and most basic sales tool that has been around for over a 100 years. You PHind time to talk to PHriends and PHamily with this century old technology....then why is it so diPHicult to take the same approach in your business world.

Trust me it is absolutely PHun to knock on doors but to cover more ground and to convert more leads into clients, it is essential to harness the power of your PHone(s).

Successful Lead Generation is solely dependent upon the sales representative who works the lead. If you do not have a solid follow up and/or contact management system you are doing yourself and all marketing dollars a severe injustice. In doing sales training this morning for a small group of reps ranging in experience from 2 months to 25 years it amazes me how proper follow up systems are often overlooked and how the most experienced sales rep can easily fall into a state of complacency, not due to the lead but due to their inability to commit to a follow up system.

I truly find that most of the unsuccessful sales representatives or the ones complaining about business or the lack there of is due highly to their inability or unwillingness to properly follow up with a lead. Reality has to truly kick you in the a** sooner or later to show that not all leads are going to "Pay Out" today. They must be put into a CRM and/or a consistent follow up system for successful conversion.

Truth be told....Leads are everywhere! Thanks to the power of the internet and various other technologies, the ability to gain access to individuals that have an interest in the product or service you offer is easier than ever. Calling a lead only 1 time and emailing the lead only2 times does not equate to a strong plan for success.