Instead of a New Year's Resolution... How about a New Year's Theme? - 12/31/08 07:39 AM
I SO wish I could take credit for this idea... But alas... someone else beat me to it and I suppose it's the soulful thing to do to acknowledge her brilliance...
I read an article in one of my local neighborhood newspapers (the North Denver News) written by a Denver wedding officiant named Maureen Thomson (www.memorableceremonies.com). 
Here's the introduction to the article:
"Several years ago, I eschewed the traditional New Year's Resolution (which I failed to maintain 100% of the time anyway) in favor of a theme for the year. As opposed to a list of "will do's" that the resolutions … (50 comments)

Now THIS is a Non-Dorky Business Card! (Well, it's dorky, but I love it!) - 12/29/08 03:28 PM
A couple of weeks ago, I had the privilege of having coffee with one of my readers. We talked about this and that... and that and this... and then he casually mentioned that he had created a "mock" business card that he "wished he could use in real life." When he showed it to me, I was floored - I think it's GREAT and that he should definitely use it in "real life!" He has the personality to pull it off and it definitely stands out from the crowd...
He's not convinced, so I said I'd ask my friends at Active … (46 comments)

To Present or Not to Present... I Have My Answer - 12/28/08 10:22 AM
You wanna know the top search term that brings new surfers to my website? Okay, there are two. The first is "New agent announcement letter." The second is "Sample listing presentation."
I offer a free sample listing presentation on my website if you join my VIP Lounge (that's free, too). Seems to be a popular item. I'm rather proud of my listing presentation - there's nothing boiler-plate or corporate about it - it's direct and to-the-point, conversational and informative. I've used it, or a similar version for years.
But over the last year or so I've been rethinking the idea of … (51 comments)

Houses aren't Pet Rocks... No Amount of Marketing Can Sell a Stupid Product! - 12/23/08 08:04 AM

I remember interviewing for my second listing back in 1997. The seller asked me this question: "Jennifer, I assume our house will sell quickly because it's so cute (it was), but if it doesn't sell right away, what will you do?"
Hmmmmmmmm. Hell, I dunno. I was a green bean agent; I'd only had one other listing in my career and didn't have a clue. I came up with something, that probably sounded like this: " I'll do a broker open house, I'll do mid-week open houses, I'll distribute color brochures throughout the neighborhood and post an ad on the nearby … (33 comments)

Real Estate Agents Ask... "How do I...?" Ask ye-self first! - 12/22/08 07:55 AM
Every day, every hour, someone posts a blog on AR or a question on a forum asking "how to" do something.  How to... approach a FSBO? How to... better market a listing? How to... target first time buyers? How to... persuade a seller to reduce his price? Etc. etc. etc.
Good questions, all. Deserving of answers.
However, I believe that in most cases, the answers are within ourselves. Not that I mind being asked (I love sharing my - ahem - brilliance), but a big part of my SWS philosophy is to learn to Trust Your Gut. To know that you … (25 comments)

Christmas Card Lemons... to Lemonade - 12/19/08 12:00 AM
Am I the only idiot on the planet who can turn a simple Christmas Card mailing project into a full-time job? My plan... send out Christmas cards to my local Denver SOI (sphere of influence) and toss in my hot-off-the-press Referral Directory magnet as an extra-special holiday gift for my friends (hey, I sprung for the xtra large magnet at over $1 each!).
Simple enough...
Well, it's been anything but. One thing after another created delays in my sending-out-cards process - first, the cards I bought (and addressed & stamped) weren't big enough for the magnet (remember, I bought the xtra large … (48 comments)

An Interview & Review of my First Born (SWS) - 12/17/08 08:56 AM
Okay, bear with me as I proudly share one of the best reviews I've read of my book. The reviewer, Tamara Dorris really captured the essence of what the book is about... and the message I intended to convey. THANKS Tamara!
Oh, and she's interviewing me today at 11:00 Pacific/2:00 Eastern. Join us? That'd be cool!
Do You Sell With Soul? Book Review and Upcoming Author Interview
"Each and every day, you'll have to choose between Right and Wrong. Fair or unfair. Respectful or Disrespectful. Every time you meet with or talk to a client...a prospect...a buyer...a seller...every time you make … (8 comments)

Do You Use Outlook Express? Watch Your SENT Folder! - 12/16/08 07:37 AM
I'm addicted to my Outlook Express. Been using it for, oh, probably ten years now. It was a real surprise to me to discover that other people DON'T use good old OE! To me Email = Outlook Express.
Well, about a month ago, I started having problems sending messages. If you were communicating with me during that time, you might remember getting ten identical emails from me at a time, one right after the other. Apparently, my SENT messages were going to my Outbox, but weren't able to move to the SENT folder; thus they were being sent over and over again. Because I … (22 comments)

Is it Okay to Blame the Market for Your Lower Production? - 12/15/08 11:04 AM
In my last blog, I mentioned that I refuse to work with agents (on a consulting basis) if their only explanation for their struggles is to blame the Other Guy. If someone isn't willing to first look in the mirror to find the solutions to their dilemma, I know I'll be of no use to them!
But let's talk about blame for a moment... rational blame versus irrational blame.
I think it's pointless to "blame" our clients for our troubles. Oh, we real estate agents are experts in doing this - after all - the phrase "Buyers are Liars" is deeply ingrained in … (76 comments)

Seriously, is it time to hit PAUSE on your real estate career? - 12/12/08 08:05 AM
While I don't advertise it, I do some one-on-one consulting for Very Special People. By VSP, I mean, people who buy into the Sell with Soul philosophy (yeah, I discriminate) and who are intelligent and self-aware enough to 1) be willing to play outside the box and forego traditional wisdom most of the time and 2) are willing, even eager to ask "How did I contribute to this problem" rather than simply whine about how everyone else on the planet sucks.
Anyway, wanna guess what the most common consultation I'm doing these days is? Seducing a Sphere of Influence? Nope. Writing … (23 comments)

Today's Market Realities II - Old Fogie Agents- Consider Living a Bit Less Large... - 12/10/08 08:06 AM
Ahhhhhhhhhh... I remember when my average monthly income was $23,500... which meant some months were even higher. I remember two $50,000 months in a row. I remember the year I broke the $300,000 mark. I remember the year I burned out and half-heartedly worked only six months ... and brought in $179,000.
Sigh.
Trouble is, I got into the habit of spending those dollars, not frivolously, but spent them I did. If I wanted a new kitchen, I got it. A sweet little investment property that seemed like a good deal - I bought it. And yes, there was a bit … (28 comments)

Today's Market Realities Part I: When to Venture Out of Your Comfort Zone... and When to Stay in... - 12/09/08 07:31 AM
As promised, I'm writing a little series of blogs on how I'm coping with this ... ahem... more challenging real estate market that my not be going away any time soon. Phooey on affirmations and positive thinking - let's get to WORK! (okay, so there's nothing wrong with positive thinking - please continue to do it).
In the past, I've written about how it's just fine to stay in your comfort zone - especially if you're an introvert. My assertion has been that most of us are just fine the way we are - that we have plenty of skills and talents and … (33 comments)

The Realities of Today's Less-than-Vibrant Real Estate Market - 12/08/08 10:41 AM
I've been thinking (and writing) a lot lately about the realities of today's real estate market. While I'd love to be all Rah-Rah and Positive and Enthusiastic and Optimistic, I just don't think such emotions are necessarily warranted in many parts of the country. I'm lucky to work in a market (Denver) where real estate IS moving - there ARE buyers; there ARE sellers and there IS money to be made by the real estate community. In fact, I've even played in a few bidding war games the last several months for retail properties (that is, not underpriced REO's).
But that … (56 comments)

All I Want for Christmas is... um... - 12/04/08 07:04 AM
Couple of days ago I was tagged by Linda Jandura for the latest meme-thingee going around Active Rain.  "What do I REALLY want for Christmas?" if money were no object and the law wasn't standing in my way. Oh, and you can't say something obvious like "Peace on Earth." Linda tagged me because she said "I know she'll be honest!" Whoa - there's some pressure!
Okay, I'll give it a shot.
Seems easy enough. I'm not so old that I don't remember the thrill of putting together my Christmas list with every expectation that it would be fulfilled!
But, um, I'm … (18 comments)

"I Sell Real Estate Every Day... Sometimes I even get paid for it!" - 12/02/08 10:11 AM
I have a handful of personal mantras that I'm pretty enamored with. In fact, my friend Kevin Miller at House of Magnets has immortalized some of them in magnet form - so if you order magnets from him, you might just find one of my mantra magnets in your shipment!
Anyway, one of my pithy sayings is "I Sell Real Estate Every Day - Sometimes I even get paid for it!" I use this mantra on two general occasions...
The first (to myself) is when I'm feeling frustrated that my buyers aren't buying or my listings aren't selling - at least not … (15 comments)

Phooey on Prospecting... I just wanna do my job! - 12/01/08 08:00 AM
I'll be interested to see the responses to this forthcoming brain dump... some of you will totally relate, while others will think I'm just a weirdo.
I hate to prospect, in any way, shape or form. By "prospect" I'm not really referring to any particular method, strategy or activity, I just simply don't like drumming up business. I get no joy out of self-promotion, marketing or pursuing. I very much dislike the idea of spending any time at all worrying about where my next closing might come from.
But I LOVE LOVE LOVE selling real estate. Or, perhaps I should say that … (82 comments)

 
Jah-sws Rainmaker_large

Jennifer Allan-Hagedorn, Author of Sell with Soul

Pensacola Beach, FL

More about me…

Sell with Soul

Cell Phone: (303) 947-1335

Email Me



Listings

Links

Archives

RSS 2.0 Feed for this blog