Real Estate Training for Consultative Agents

On Being Big

Kelle Sparta, Real Estate Trainer and Coach (Sparta Success Systems) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 08:32:17 -0600

I Am BIG
My whole life, it's been impossible for me to hide. I've got a big voice and a big personality and, more recently, a big body. I take up space. There's no denying it. Personally I like being big. Some people find it intimidating, but if they take a moment to engage with me, they find that I may be big, but I also make huge amounts of space for others.

Space for Others
At my party this weekend, I invited people to share some of their memories of me. (I love to see what people remember, it often reminds me of things I've forgotten.) One of the people at the party made the comment that she remembered me listening to her as she talked about her experiences when she had lived in another state. She felt not only seen, but understood and held in reverence. One of the reasons this is so is because I accept her for who she is. I don't judge her. The fact is that I am likely the least judgmental person you'll meet. And this is why I find it so incomprehensible when others judge me.

When Will Judging Based on Weight Be "Un PC"?
I can't wait until what is "politically correct" catches up for me. It's not OK to judge people by their race, it's almost not OK to judge people by their gender, but it seems that it's still fair game to judge people by their weight. You'd be amazed at the judgments that people put out about me because of my weight.

Unhappy? Not!
They assume I'm unhappy and that I eat to make everything alright. That's patently not true. I am in fact quite a happy person. Do I eat on the rare occassions that I am unhappy? Yep. But I eat at other times too,

Lazy? Not!
They assume that I'm lazy because I don't go to the gym. Am I lazy? Ask anyone who knows me and they will tell you that I get more done in a day than the average person gets done in a week. Nope - not lazy. Simply put - I hate to sweat and I don't like doing things that a) aren't interactive and b) don't get me anywhere. Now if I get on my bike and ride to someplace I want to go, or I walk down to the corner store, I'm happy to get some exercise. But sitting in a gym and staring at the walls while I pretend to walk somewhere just isn't my game.

Stupid? Not!
They assume that I'm not so bright because clearly I don't understand the health risks associated with being "overweight" (don't get me started on that term). If you've read my blog for any time at all, I think you'll be able to say with certainty that being "no so bright" is not one of my qualities either. And, quite frankly, I bet that my blood pressure is lower than most of the people's reading this (110/76) and my cholesterol hasn't moved since I was 18 (about 120 pounds ago).

Lacking Will Power? Not!
They assume that I have no will power. But I have fasted for two weeks. And I have given up all sugar and red meat for a month. I have even gone off dairy for a year. I have lots of will power.

Keep The Judgments to Yourself
They assume somehow that they have the right to tell me that I should lose weight. People close to me mention it because they are "concerned for my health". They believe that because they love me, they have the right to weigh in on the matter. And yet even that justification doesn't always work because sometimes even strangers feel that they have the right to tell me what to do with my body.

Even on My Birthday
I got a birthday card recently from a reader (it was my birthday yesterday). And the message in the card was lovely. There was a picture of cake on the left of the card and yet when I scrolled down, somehow, I felt less than appreciated. Below the picture of the cake was a message that said "Nothing Tastes as Good as Slim Feels, Celebrate Wisely". So it seems that because I am large, even on the day that everyone else in the world is encouraged to indulge, I am not allowed. As though I am to do pennance for my size.

Unseen
It's very sad to feel so completely unseen in this way. Ironically, last week I ordered a shipment of Nurtisystem and it should be arriving in a day or so. I did it not because I am unhappy with how I look, but because I am wanting to be a little more agile as I wander through life and this having been my 40th birthday, I figured that I'd better get on it before my metabolism slows down more. I almost didn't tell you this because I was afraid that it would unsay everything I've said. But I trust you, dear reader, to be smarter than that.

Judgement is An Ugly Thing
What I am saying is that judgment is an ugly thing - for any reason. It feels bad to be judged but it is worse for the person doing the judging. You know why? Because while I only feel judged when someone outright does it to my face, those who judge others feel judged constantly - even when they aren't being judged by anyone else. They are judging themselves and this is what weighs on them, more than my pounds ever could weigh on me.

So I thank you for your love and concern and I'll thank you to keep your judgments to yourself. I am beautiful and sexy and amazing just as I am. And I always will be - no matter what size I choose to be.

And I'm Worth Every Penny.

Kelle Sparta, Real Estate Trainer and Coach (Sparta Success Systems) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 12:43:12 -0500

I Had It Easy
You know, I think I got off easy when I first started doing listing and buyer presentations. You see, I worked in Connecticut and on the Connecticut forms, there was a clause that read:

"Please note that real estate commissions are not fixed or set by law and may be negotiable between you and your broker."

The Opening to the Ultimate Closing
Yeah, I loved that clause. Because while other agents out there glossed over it and tried to get the buyers and sellers to look in the other direction when they went through those terms, I addressed them head on. In fact, that's why I so clearly remember exactly what the wording of the clause was - I used to read it out loud each time. The key wasn't in the reading of them, it was in the words I used that immediately followed which were:

"Abosolutely true - you're welcome to pay me more, but I don't work for less."

And I'm Worth Every Penny
It was rare that after hearing that someone would address the issue of cutting my commission. But on tht very rare occasion, they would say something like - are you sure you won't work for less than x%? And my response would always be, "nope - and I'm worth every penny." And most people were happy with that. Why? Because I had established that value of what I had to offer up front and I was solid in my conviction as I stated my price. In short, I believed it. I believed that I was worth every penny to them.

Price Isn't the Issue
Price is rarely the issue - it's usually a question of value. You see the problem isn't with whether or not you're worth what the client is paying, it's in whether or not they see the value in what you're offering. If you offer a free pre-closing hose cleaning to someone who owns a cleaning company, they aren't going to see the value. If you tell someone who is completely convinced that they are OK about their move and not stressed at all that you give emotional and moral support to help them emotionally weather the storm of their home sale - they won't see the value. But if you tell the a mother of five that you'll provide a free pre-closing house cleaning - she'll kiss your feet. And the first time buyers who are terrified that everything will go horribly wrong are just dying to hear that you're going to hold their hand.

The Moral of the Story?
Make sure that they know what they are getting for their cash and that they value those items. Then be clear that you also value your services. If those two pieces come together, you'll get your price - guaranteed.

Depression - The Silent Stalker

Kelle Sparta, Real Estate Trainer and Coach (Sparta Success Systems) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:51:28 -0500

Depression is Running Rampant
I've been spending a fair amount of time out and about recently speaking with people. And what I'm discovering is that quite a large number of people I know are experiencing depression. Some for the first time in their lives, others are mistaking it for a health issue, still others are greeting an old friend come back to haunt them again. It doesn't seem to be splitting down any demographic or psychographic that I can identify and it varies from a low-grade dissatisfaction with the world to a full-blown can't get out of bed or make any decisions attack.

Here are the signs of depression according to helpguide.org

"If you identify with several of the following signs and symptoms, and they just won’t go away, you may be suffering from clinical depression. [You may be surprised - if you're a go-getter like me, you may be depressed and not even realize it.]

you can’t sleep or you sleep too much
you can’t concentrate or find that previously easy tasks are now difficult
you feel hopeless and helpless
you can’t control your negative thoughts, no matter how much you try
you have lost your appetite or you can’t stop eating
you are much more irritable and short-tempered than usual
you have thoughts that life is not worth living (Seek help immediately if this is the case)"

Get Aware
If you're not feeling depressed, look around you. Perhaps someone near you is. Do you have any friends who have uncharacteristically stopped responding to your emails and calls? Has anyone dropped off the planet recently? Is there someone who keeps coming to mind that you keep forgetting to call?

Get In Touch
People suffering from deep depression are often beyond the ability to respond to your calls and emails. They are often incapable of making headway on tasks or even getting out of the house. Do not expect them to reach out to you for help. You have to reach out to them. I know you're busy. But this is important. Look around you. Who haven't you heard from in a while. Reach out to them.

License to Meddle
Go to their home and pick them up and take them outside. Get them moving and if they are really bad off, get them help. Don't be afraid to call the police and tell them you are concerned for a friend's life. Don't be afraid to make an appointment for a therapist with your friend and take them to it. Don't be afraid to meddle. In this one case, I'll encourage a little meddling because someone who is depressed CANNOT do these things for themselves.

Depression Kills
People who are depressed don't take proper care of themselves. If they are diabetic or have other health issues, this can result in some serious problems. And those who suffer from more severe depression may actually consider doing harm to themselves or others. If you take a moment to take stock and check in on those who have checked out, you are in a position to make a difference. Who knows? You may just save someone's life in the process.

The Power of Ritual in Our Work

Kelle Sparta, Real Estate Trainer and Coach (Sparta Success Systems) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 09:02:30 -0500

December - no October
It's getting to be that time of year again. I know, it's only October, but here in the Northeast, it feels more like Christmas and every year I find myself sitting down to watch "It's a Wonderful Life" again. I have been spending a fair amount of time recently thinking about the rituals of life and of transformation and as my thoughts are drawn to Christmas in amongst it all, I find myself remembering the scene in "It's a Wonderful Life" where the Baileys are dedicating a new home. Mary and George stand on the porch steps in front of a gaggle of people and present the new homeowners with three gifts: "Bread - that this house may never know hunger, salt - that life may always have flavor, and wine - that joy and prosperity may reign forever. Enter the Martini Home!"

The Significance of Ritual
This small ritual showed that the Baileys understood the significance of what this new home meant to the Martinis who had purchased it. They wanted to set the tone for all that would come in the future of the house by marking it with a ritual. We use rituals in our lives to mark a variety of significant life moments. Birth, death, marriage, graduation, retirement, etc. Why not have a ritual to mark the purchase or sale of a home?

Simplicity in Ritual
A ritual doesn't have to be a big affair like a wedding. It can be as small as offering three tokens of good will on the steps of a new house. All it takes is setting some time aside and being clear about what you are offering. I have seen sellers pass their love for their home on to the new buyers at the closing table. They stopped signing papers, and drew in the attention of the buyers while they told a story of something they loved about the house. Then they said "and now the house is yours. I hope that you love it as much as we did. I know it will treat you well." and then they passed the keys over. That is a ritual.

Ideas for Rituals
The purchase or sale of a home is a significant point in anyone's life. We are in a unique position to create a container to hold that significance by creating a ritual to mark it. Below I've listed some ideas for ways in which you and your clients can create rituals together.

Hold a dedication like the Baileys did - if alcohol is inappropriate, then consider honey - that life may always be sweet or something silly like a smilie face - that these walls may always be filled with laughter. All you need to do is think of what you would wish for your clients, and then find something to represent that feeling/intention.
If someone is leaving, consider creating a scrapbook for them with photos of the house, the neighborhood and the neighbors. Find out where they would go to spend down time and include a photo or an item associated with that place. Make a big deal out of presenting the scrapbook - not in an ego way, but in a significant way.
Be there when the sellers are finishing up moving out. Have them say their final good-byes to the house. They will often be too busy with moving to remember to do this. Taking a moment to have them slow down and say goodbye is important. If they don't know what to say, suggest that they just thank the house for holding them while they lived there.
When the sellers go to pass the keys across the table to the new buyers, take the keys from them. Ask them if there are any well-wishes or hopes for the future that they would like to pass to the buyers with the keys. Get the buyers' attention so that they can receive those wishes. Leave a space for the buyers to respond and then pass the keys to them.
If you know that the purchase or sale represents something more to your clients like the freedom to finally start traveling, or the ability to be with grandchildren, or the start of a new life after a divorce, include those things in your ceremony.
If people are selling one house and moving into another and their old house was a happy one, create a physical container to hold the happiness. Have them put their happiness from their old home into the container and then carry it to the new house, open the container and put the happiness into the new home. If they need something more tangible than just "put the happiness in the container", give them strips of paper to write their happy memories on and then put those in the container. This is a great way to get kids involved in the moving process too.
If the property had been foreclosed on, you might want to do something to break that pattern so that the new owners come in fresh without fear that they too might lose the house to foreclosure. Perhaps a gratitude ceremony where they thank the house for finding a way to be affordable for them and then telling the house that they are happy there and asking it to support their staying in the property.

Going Deeper In Relationship
There are many ways to create small but significant rituals for your clients. By acknowledging that you get the importance of what this move means to them, you deepen your relationship with them and become more than just another Realtor.

Think about it.

Here's a link to a sorority house dedication to give you some additional ideas...

And a description of a traditional Indian house blessing ceremony

And another person's description of the ceremony they did on the one-year anniversary of their home purchase

A House Blessing Book - available on Amazon

The Catholic Epiphany House Blessing Ceremony

And a few pagan ones

That should give you some good ideas...

What's Really Important In Life

Kelle Sparta, Real Estate Trainer and Coach (Sparta Success Systems) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:09:15 -0500

I've spent the last few days working 12-13 hour work days trying to get everything finished for the updates on my products. I've spent hours in front of the computer, gotten a lot done and felt completely drained at the end of it.

Then, today, as I'm finally coming up for air, I saw it. A friend who had taken a break from our community posted to a listserve that she was needing some love. She missed her friends and she needed some support.

Now I haven't had time to check this list in some time. I've just been too busy for the last few months. It's been critical factor things only. But today I realized - this IS the critical factor stuff. If I never type another blog post or write another book or update another product, that's OK. So long as I have the air in my lungs and the strength in my hands to be able to do what I did for her.

I picked up the phone and called. And when the answering machine picked up, I sang to her. There's a little song that she and I alone share. And that's what makes it special. That's part of our connection - something she has with no one else. We didn't plan it that way, it just happened. And every time we see each other, we sing this song together. I haven't heard from her in over a year. And yet, when the time came for me to leave my message of support, this song came bursting forth from my lips onto her answering machine because I knew in my heart it was the gift that only I could give. "Oh the wonderful thing about Tiggers is Tigger's a wonderful thing...!"

Inspiration for Breakfast

Kelle Sparta, Real Estate Trainer and Coach (Sparta Success Systems) — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 09:03:42 -0500

How we start our day is how it turns out most of the time
So eat inspiration for breakfast. Whatever else you do each morning, take a daily dose of inspiration like you do your morning vitamins. Down it to wake you with your cup of joe. Do it as ritual, so long standing that you no longer even notice it's a choice like brushing your teeth or taking your shower. Make it part of your journey and, by definition, your journey will become more inspiring – you will become more inspiring. Because what we consume, consumes us. Would you rather start your day consumed by the death and drama of the morning news or lifted up by the hope and joy of a inspirational item? The choice is yours.

What do you choose to be today?
Choose wisely. Your life and everyone's around you depends on it.

In Case You Chose Inspiration, Here's a Moment for You:

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=103304453017093

Facebook as the New Just Listed/Just Sold Postcard

Kelle Sparta, Real Estate Trainer and Coach (Sparta Success Systems) — Thu, 01 Oct 2009 09:22:36 -0500

I've been getting a bunch of feedback from agents recently about how they are using technology to drive business. I thought I would share with you.

Facebook
I just got off the phone with Ludwig Pulaski at Page Taft Realty in Guilford, CT. He tells me that he just got a listing because of Facebook. Seems that a guy he knows casually had friended him on Facebook. Ludwig makes it a habit that every time he lists or sells something, he posts it in his status updates on Facebook. (For those of us old enough to remember, this is like the Just Listed/Just Sold Postcards we used to send out all the time.)

So when it came time for this guy to sell, Ludwig was a natural choice. The guy told Ludwig that he picked him because he seemed to always be selling stuff. Not bad for taking what amounts to a scant few minutes each time (especially if you're using Ping.fm rather than trying to update each individual account separately) for your updates.

AutoResponders
Another agent I spoke to (who will remain nameless because I didn't get his permission to include it in my post) said that he had stopped using his autoresponders because as he put it "when I get put on someone else's autoresponder list I eventually just stop reading because I know it's not just for me". Instead, he puts people into a newsletter setup. I have mixed feelings on this one. Having had a moment or two to reflect on this thought, I agree with him that if I get an autoresponder for random stuff, that ultimately I do stop reading and eventually unsubscribe. But if I'm getting something relevant to me (like a class I signed up for or information I need), then even though I may not read each email, I keep them and eventually I start reading again. So I'm mixed bag on this one. I think that the best answer to this would be to have autoresponders that are specific to different people's needs and from different perspectives. Doing one for each of the stages of life I mentioned in my book would be a good start. Then, people are getting something that exactly meets their needs. And if they need something more specific, then they can call you (which is what you want them doing anyway).

The Gift of Negative Feedback

Kelle Sparta, Real Estate Trainer and Coach (Sparta Success Systems) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:48:07 -0500

When They Complain It Really Means They Love Me
It took me a long time to realize that anyone who gave me negative feedback was actually expressing love towards me. I could never have realized this in my 20's when I would give everyone my opinion (good or bad) because I thought I knew everything. Then came my thirties as I started to relax and wait for people to ask before offering them my sage wisdom. Now, standing on the edge of 40 (in November!) I realize that giving any sort of unpleasant feedback is something I only do for paying clients or close friends. Why? Because people don't always take negative feedback well. In fact, there's often a fair amount of drama associated with it. And, quite frankly, I can't be bothered to deal with the potential fall-out unless I really care about the person I'm talking to.

It's Easier to Walk Away
It's so much easier to walk away and let someone figure it out for themselves than it is to engage the process. And in today's world where things are moving quickly and everyone is carrying more on their plate than they care to think about, it's really tough to get anyone to take an interest in anything outside of themselves.

See The Gift in the Gripe
So here's the deal. The next time someone starts to come down on you about something they didn't like, remember that they are offering you a gift. They could have walked away and not told you what the problem was. But they cared enough about you that they took the risk of having the drama that might ensue to tell you how to fix a problem. And doesn't it make the negative pill a bit easier to swallow when you know that it truly does come from love?

Upgrades, Products and Sales - Oh My!

Kelle Sparta, Real Estate Trainer and Coach (Sparta Success Systems) — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 14:28:55 -0500

I've been working on quite a few upgrades to our technology and systems over the summer. One of those upgrades is switching to a print-on-demand fulfillment house which will offer me the opportunity to upgrade my products more quickly, offer more niched products and the larger sets of products, as well as ensuring that we are never out of stock when you order something.

Closing The Old Fulfillment Center
As a result of this upgrade though, I'm having to close out my account with the existing fulfillment center. I need to sell out of the products that are in the old center before I make the change to the new one.

What's That Mean to You?

Deep Discounts
It means that you're going to get the opportunity to save BIG on almost all of my titles. I'm offering steeply discounted rates - some as much as 65% off the regular price to encourage you to buy them now.

Only While Supplies Last
This sale will only last as long as my stock of products lasts. I've been planning this move for months, so I've been letting inventory dwindle. For some of the products, I have less than 15 in stock, others as many as 45, but that's still not many. So I can't guarantee that everyone will get this deal.

Cool New Stuff Is Coming
As a result of this change, I'll be rolling out a bunch of new products for agents and brokers alike. Things that I've always wanted to offer but didn't want to commit hundreds of dollars in costs up front because of their highly targeted nature (you only need them when you need them) or their large size (yes, I'll soon be offering my famously successful - 70% success rate - new agent training program on CD for the first time EVER).

I'll let you guys know when the new stuff comes out. I hope you'll be as excited about it as I am. It's going to be so cool!!!

If you're interested in the sale, you can find out more about it here.

Using Twitter In Your Business

Kelle Sparta, Real Estate Trainer and Coach (Sparta Success Systems) — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 09:33:19 -0500

Have you ever cosidered using Twitter as an information feed?
That's right, you can tweet links to the latest listings, information about the real estate industry and changes, special events, planned developments in your local area. In 140 characters, you can educate your community. And the best part is: this idea integrates with any blog you may have too. Which means, you can double your Google Juice with the same information.

Blog/Tweet Combo - The One-Two Punch of the Google Juice
So here's what I mean. Enter your blog post, then Tweet it to the world. You can do this manually if you have an Active Rain blog or other non-integrated service. Or you can set it up to be automatic if you have a WordPress blog by adding the Twitter Tools plugin to your blog. It will automatically tweet your stuff. So now you have the Google Juice from the blog and you have the extra traffic from the Tweets. How great is that?

Joining the Conversation
The best part is, that while you are putting out all of this great content, you're also in a position to get into conversation with people who are asking you questions about it. After all, you're the expert right?

That's your quick tip for the day!

Thinking About a Career in Real Estate? The Qualities that Make a Good Agent

Kelle Sparta, Real Estate Trainer and Coach (Sparta Success Systems) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 16:27:00 -0500

Every new agent has a unique experience of starting in real estate. A few do well right out of the gate, most of the rest have challenges along the way. I remember walking in a little late to one of my new agent training sessions when I was a newbie and finding everyone in the room having a meltdown thinking that there was no way they could do this. I was the odd man out in the room – I KNEW I could do it and I did – I sold 25 houses in my first year.

The Success Factor
There is no way I can tell you that without meeting you and talking with you how successful you'll be. In fact, out of anyone on the planet, you are the person most qualified to tell you how well you’ll do. It's all in the attitude and the actions.

Qualities of Successful New Real Estate Agents
Here are the things I’ve seen as factors for why some people succeed and others don’t. If you have these qualities, then you’re likely to survive:

You love people – you talk to people everywhere you go and you are intensely curious about them
You’re a problem-solver. If there’s a problem, you’re the person most people turn to to make it right.
You’re flexible and resilient – if you get knocked down, you get right back up and try again. You don’t focus on the fall, but on the goal in front of you.
You love to learn.
You’re not easily discouraged – you believe there is always a way to make something work – it’s just a matter of finding it.
You’re good at making connections with people. People like you and are comfortable with you – even if they can’t quite put their finger on why that is.
You don’t mind flying by the seat of your pants, so long as you know there is a backup system in place if you should falter.
You have a sense of adventure and excitement about learning new things and meeting new people.
You’re good at not taking rejection personally.
You have the discipline to stick with your project and not mess around playing solitaire all day.

Don't Just Survive - Thrive
If you want to do well, then you have to add one more criteria to the list – you follow-up and follow-through. Your word is your bond. This is the factor that sets the so-so agents apart from the super agents, so learn this one well.

My Best Advice
Don't just get your license. Become a training junkie. Training does three things for you:

It educates you and makes you feel more confident. When you feel confident, then you're more open to telling people what you do and asking them to work with you.
It motivates you and keeps you focused. When you're learning, you're engaged. This keeps you moving forward.
It challenges you to improve. When you are constantly making improvements, you're constantly excited by your work. This shows in how you interact with people and it makes them want to work with you.

Every Rookie of the Year I've ever talked to has been a training junkie. There's got to be something to that. Good luck and happy hunting!

Start off right - get your free copy of my 10-part audio training program on Selling According to the Stages of Life.

I Need a New Sound - Help Me Pick One - I Need Your Help

Kelle Sparta, Real Estate Trainer and Coach (Sparta Success Systems) — Tue, 11 Aug 2009 09:50:32 -0500

Hey guys!

I wanted to talk to you about something. I'm in the process of creating a new sound for my company. A sort of "audio brand" that represents me. I was looking for something exciting and animated and motivating and rich feeling. I wanted it to make me feel something.

I've had an intern working for days listening to audio clips on Opuzz royalty free music and we've got it narrowed down to two choices. Can you please tell me which you prefer? (Or tell me if you hate them both, I'm open to all types of feedback.) I'm in the process of rebranding all of my podcasts, so if you're one of my podcast listeners, I'd vote if I were you because you'll hear it at the beginning and end of each one, and it would suck for you if you hate it.

I really appreciate the help.

Audio Brand Option 1

Audio Brand Option 2

Thanks!

Dating Tips That Can Help Your Career - Revisited

Kelle Sparta, Real Estate Trainer and Coach (Sparta Success Systems) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 19:00:47 -0500

Back in 2006, after spending many years dating and many years working with coaching clients in real estate, I clearly saw the places where the two overlapped. It didn't take me long to get Realtor Magazine to agree that it was a fun topic that agents would enjoy.

So I wrote an article for Realtor Magazine called "10 Dating Rules That Can Help Your Career". It was a smash hit with the readers. And evidently hit home so hard with one Realtor, Ryan Shaughnessy, that he clipped it out and kept it in his file for reference. Well, back in April, he wrote his own version of it, but from the Buyer's perspective rather than the agent's. It's called "Understanding Your Relationship With Your Real Estate Agent - Simply Apply Dating Rules"I liked it so much that I didn't want you to miss out on it. SO go to his blog and check it out for yourself. It's really creative. I'm sure you'll enjoy it. (And don't forget to read my original version first, so that you can compare the two.)

I'd be interested to hear what you think after you have a chance to read them both. I'd be even more interested to see if someone could come up with a version for sellers as well. Anyone up for the challenge?

Rockin Out to Podcamp Boston 4

Kelle Sparta, Real Estate Trainer and Coach (Sparta Success Systems) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 12:04:04 -0500

This is my fourth year attending Podcamp Boston (#pcb4)(which, for those of you counting means that I've been to all of them). It is always fun, enlightening and a LOT geeky. This year, I had the added benefit of also getting a bonus where one of the attendees actually got the virus off my computer that had been sitting there for months while I tried to figure out how I could do without it for a week while Staples worked on it. A wonderful good samaritan (who will remain anonymous by request) did it while we sat in sessions and chatted at breaks. It was painless and done gratis because he likes me and it was easy for him.

It's funny. I usually come back from Podcamp with a TON of new tech toys to talk about. I have a few this year (which I will share over the next few days), but not as many as in years past. I think this is partly because of the format of the breakout sessions as "discussions" rather than "presentations", so there wasn't as much touting of "cool new stuff". Part of it was because of the economy - there just isn't as much new stuff. And part of it is that I've been coming for four years, so I know all of the basics and I have heard about a lot of the new stuff from my friends that I met at previous Podcamps or discovered it on my own by searching for tools I needed. It seems that this year I graduated.

This year, the newbies were coming to me for advice. This year that experienced people and I were talking on a peer level. This year, I knew more. I didn't feel so clueless. There weren't any discussions that I just couldn't follow. I'm telling you - it was wierd. I'm used to being out of my depth. There's a TON of stuff to learn in the internet sphere. And it seems, that as much as I'm constantly learning something from someone, I've finally gotten to the point where I'm not running to keep up. Whew!

I felt so comfortable, in fact, that when one of the discussion leaders didn't show up, I offered to facilitate the conversation for the room. The conversation was lively and a lot of people learned a lot of things - including me. The great news was that I got to facilitate and I didn't even have to sign up or schedule the room or pick a topic or anything. Many thanks go out to the person who failed to show.

Michelle Wolverton, @Chelpixie to her Twitter fans worked her butt off making the event a success. I wanted to publicly say "Thank You" to her, Chris Penn, Chris Brogan, and Whitney (sorry I don't know your last name) as well as the other organizers. You guys rock. And they do it all for free - in fact - they pay to attend the event. How's that for passion?

All I can say is that if you have the opportunity to attend a Podcamp (and they happen all over the world now), do it. You'll never have a better time with a more kind, caring, giving group of geeks.

What The Heck Is RSS?

Kelle Sparta, Real Estate Trainer and Coach (Sparta Success Systems) — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 18:09:09 -0500

I had a friend of mine recently ask what RSS was. (You know - those little orange radio wave looking things that are on every blog and podcast.) Seems she had gone onto Wikipedia and other sites to figure it out and nothing made sense. I remember doing this too when I first learned about RSS. Nothing made sense. I thought that some of you might also share this confusion. So I'm going to share with you what I used to explain it to her.

RSS stands for “Really Simple Syndication” which is like setting up TiVo. You use a reader (like Google Reader, My MSN, or My Yahoo) and you tell it what you want to read by subscribing to the RSS feed for different sites. For instance, I might like to read The New York Times, the Speaking of Real Estate Blog put out by NAR, The Onion blog, and see what the White House is saying today. So I would go and subscribe through the RSS reader for each of those sites. Then I would open my reader program each morning and read what those sites had to say that day, rather than having to go to each site individually to get the information.

I hope this helps!

The Talking Stick

Kelle Sparta, Real Estate Trainer and Coach (Sparta Success Systems) — Sat, 01 Aug 2009 07:21:12 -0500

Image Courtesy of Walking Crow Originals

The Talking Stick

In Native American culture, it's called a talking stick. When you hold this stick in your hands you get to speak your piece for so long as you choose. No one can interrupt you. No one can take the stick from you. So long as you hold the stick, you are heard.

One of the things I've noticed most recently about our culture, is that we don't listen anymore. We are a culture of people starving to be heard. My boyfriend and I, both big talkers, have challenges when we have arguments. It takes him longer to put his thoughts together into words during an argument than it does in regular conversation, so I never know when he's done with his thought. Subsequently I am constantly stepping on him.

So we've instituted the talking item. At home, we have a stick -- because I like to keep to tradition. But when we're out and about we have to be more creative. So it's usually the talking cell phone. The phone must obviously be off. So long as one person holds the phone, it is the other person's job to listen. And I mean really listen. We're not talking about waiting for your turn to talk or working on what the next thing is that you're going to say. We're talking about truly just quietly listening. Taking in whatever it is that the person has to say.

Are there people in your world who are not feeling heard? When was the last time that you feel like someone actually listened to you? Perhaps it's time to institute the talking stick in your world as well.

Enjoy your Saturday. [Passes the stick]

More Pimping of Twitter Profiles

Kelle Sparta, Real Estate Trainer and Coach (Sparta Success Systems) — Tue, 28 Jul 2009 09:10:23 -0500

OK - So I wrote you guys a few days ago about pimping my Twitter profile background. I used the one that I referenced then (Twitbacks.com), but it just wasn't ENOUGH for me. You know how that goes?

So I was touring other people's sites and found one I liked that said: This background created with MyTweetSpace.com, so I checked it out. Sure enough, there were a LOT more choices for cool things to do with my background. So, yet again, I repimped my profile. You can see it here:

KelleSparta

I also did the profile for the FreeRealEstateTrainingBlog that I run. You can see that one here:

FreeRETraining

Limitations
It does have a section where you can enter text, but I wasn't able to find a font where most of the text I entered was readable. Ultimately, I opted to not have the text. Plus, is you have too much text, it doesn't show the logo at the bottom of the sidebar. (The background doesn't scroll with the text.) BUt, still, I think it's pretty cool.

Pretty Cool Huh?
I like this one a LOT better. Let me know what you think...

Delays Everywhere

Kelle Sparta, Real Estate Trainer and Coach (Sparta Success Systems) — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 11:51:22 -0500

Have you noticed recently that the world seems to be delayed?
I placed an order on Amazon.com for my Thai Deoderant Stone (great product BTW - before I dropped the last one and shattered it into many, many pieces, it had lasted me for over 5 years), but my order didn't get shipped for a week! It still hasn't arrived and I ordered it on the 13th. Then there's my custom vitamins that I get. Those haven't arrived yet either and I run out in two days. Those are the minor details of life, but annoying nonetheless. Plus, deals that I've put together and partnerships that are pending seem to be stuck in transit as well. My doctors' appointments are being cancelled or rescheduled, I have to find a new dentist for my new health care plan and I can't seem to get several projects that I'm working on completed. As fast as the world is moving and as fast as new opportunities are arising, the details seem stuck in the mire.

Patience Is a Virtue - Bah Humbug!
Yeah, I know - be patient. I have to tell you that patience has never been my strong suit. In fact, I suck at it. I want it yesterday! You too? Yeah - we're in this together.

What To Do
My answer to this dilemma is to keep plugging along. I'm making progress towards my goals even if I'm not at completion. My theory is this: if I keep making progress, eventually completion is guaranteed - no matter how long it takes. (Soon, I hope!)

Hang In There! - I know I will.

On Forgiveness

Kelle Sparta, Real Estate Trainer and Coach (Sparta Success Systems) — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 10:46:15 -0500

I sent out a tweet today with Lily Tomlin's quote "Forgiveness is giving up all hope of a better past." I love that quote because it's so true. Forgiveness isn't saying that it's OK something happened. It's not saying that you'd want it to happen again or that you're willing to be a doormat, kicking post, punching bag, etc. in the future. It's simply saying that you've come into acceptance of what happened as being true - without value judgement - and stopped putting energy into being outraged or angry or victimized by it.

Where Are You Putting Your Energy?
When we don't forgive, we are the ones who pay the price. It is in the letting go that we regain our equilibrium and our power. And think about all of the energy that you are holding onto in feeling upset about the past that could be rechanneled into new items.

Where Do You Get Your Energy?
People ask me all the time where I get my energy. I seem to have boundless amounts of it. And, yes, I would say that I am a more energetic person than most people. But I've also learned over the years how to not fritter my energy. I avoid drama and I try to forgive quickly and often.

I Feel Deeply, But I Also Move On Quickly
Being the intense scorpio that I am, I feel very deeply. People's comments, positive or negative, can affect me - especially if it's someone close to me. I can be incredibly hurt or incredibly loving in the flash of a moment. I love my emotions, but I've had to learn to take control of them over the years lest they sweep me away in a torrent. I used to think that in order to forgive someone, it meant that I had to put them back into a position of trust again. This is not true.

Forgiveness is NOT a Lack of Discernment
To forgive someone doesn't mean you have to trust them again. Trust is earned and betrayal takes time to become trust again. Forgiveness is just getting over it - not letting it happen again. To be honest, forgiveness is getting over yourself. I find that I have to get over myself a fair amount (especially when I'm hormonal). It means taking responsibility for the part I played in the situation (if any, but probably I played some part) and moving on from being upset.

Finding Fault - Huge Waste of Time
I want to be clear that I'm not saying that everything is your fault. What I'm saying is that fault is irrelevant to moving on. I take responsibility for my part because it allows me to feel empowered to avoid the same situation again in the future. I do NOT beat up on myself for the mistake. It was a mistake and I'll learn from it. Move on.

Move On
What do you need to move on from today? Are you blaming the economy, your mother, your spouse, or "those people"? The moment you can stop blaming and start focusing on the future instead of the past is the moment that you can make real change in your life. Are you ready for it?

Good Agreements Make Good Friends

Kelle Sparta, Real Estate Trainer and Coach (Sparta Success Systems) — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 10:22:05 -0500

Setting Expectations
When my business partner and I decided to start selling houses together, we also decided that having a partnership agreement in place was a good idea. We figured that the more we spelled out in writing, the more we identified who was responsible for what and what the expectations were, the better off we were. We also wanted an agreement in place for how we would deal with jointly acquired leads and past clients if we split.

Good Planning Pays Off
This was the smartest thing we did as partners. Because a year later when we determined that we weren't a good fit as business partners and our joint business together went up in flames of anger and upset, we knew that we had an agreement to fall back on if we couldn't be reasonable in the moment. Thankfully we were good friends first and business partners second, so we worked it out amicably. But having that agreement in place made all the difference in having peace of mind as we negotiated our way through the process.

Thinking of Partnering Up?
Think carefully. Having a business partner is a great thing. It means:

You're not alone in the business
You can actually have a day off
You can go on vacation and not take your cell phone
You can do more business
You can likely jointly afford to hire an assistant

It's awesome. It's also dangerous. It also means that:

You are on the hook for anything your partner promises
You are liable for anything unethical or illegal that they do
You have to cover for them if they just disappear
You'll be smoothing things over if they don't get along with a client
You'll have to deal with the issues if your partner isn't good to your assistant or abdicates responsibility for them

The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly
You see, for every upside, there is also a downside. Add to this that if your values don't match, there is a whole other level of challenges that you have to face. And, even if the two of you get along, if your partner and your broker don't mesh (which is one of the things that happened with my partner and myself), you;ll be faced with moving companies too.

Look Before You Leap and Lay Out a Cushion At the Bottom
This is why you should lay out all of the details before you go into business with someone. Write down, in clear, unambiguous terms, exactly what is expected of both sides and what the hierarchical structure will be (especially important if there are more than two people on the team). Who had the final word? Who has creative control? Who is the promise-keeper? Who is the problem solver? Who gets to decide how to spend money? Who is on the hook if you go over budget? These things are more are important factors. And, just in case, have a plan to part ways so that you have the advantage my partner and I had all those years ago.

Getting More Done - Staying Focused

Kelle Sparta, Real Estate Trainer and Coach (Sparta Success Systems) — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 14:48:30 -0500

I was reading Chris Brogan's newsletter recently and he referenced a great tool that I am now using. It's a downloadable egg timer. Basically, you set up the amount of time you want it to count down and it will do that until it reaches the end and then it makes a sound of your choosing (I chose "Yabba Dabba Do!")

So what I do when I want to stay focused is that I start the timer for about 30 minute intervals. Then I get down to the task at hand (a specific task). This week, I'm updating my popular First Time Homebuyer Seminar. I don't stop working on it for anything (calls, people, emails, etc.) until the timer goes off. It's stunning how much you can get done in a half an hour. Last time, I outlined all the things I would have to do to update all of my products and to pick out a new fulfillment company. It's crazy effective.

Try it out for yourself:

Egg Timer Windows Version

Egg Timer Mac Version

Oh, and don't forget to make your $5 donation. I guarantee that using this program will yield you more than $5 in return.

Enjoy!

Losing Faith

Kelle Sparta, Real Estate Trainer and Coach (Sparta Success Systems) — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 09:41:50 -0500

I've heard people say that losing faith in God (or whatever higher power you believe in) is the worst thing ever, but I don't believe that's true. It's bad, yes, but even worse than that is losing faith and trust in yourself.

Are You Trustworthy to You?
When we make bad decisions or when things aren't going our way, we often begin to question whether we are capable of choosing wisely. We wonder whether we can be trusted with the important decisions. And since it's our life, not being able to be trusted in those decisions becomes a problem because without it, we are left with two choices:

Rely on others to make our decisions for us (leaving us at the mercy of their opinions, beliefs, limitations, and more).
Do nothing because we are too afraid to choose unwisely again.

Not Making a Decision Is Still Making One
The problem with not making a decision is that choosing to stand still (even if it feels like unwanted paralysis) is still making a choice. It's a choice to not use our gifts and talents for fear of not being received or being sabotaged by ourselves or others. It might even be a fear of being incredibly successful and then being afraid of the very public fall that could come after success is met. Whatever the fear - it's real and it's keeping us from getting where we want to go.

Letting Go Of The Past
In order to have a successful new beginning in our lives, we need to be willing to let go of what no longer serves us. We need to be willing to make space in our lives in order for something new to arrive. The old MUST fall away - no matter how comfortable or friendly it might seem. We have to step out on a limb and risk it breaking beneath us.

Choose A Direction - It Doesn't Matter Which Way You Go
When you are standing in valley with no knowledge of what lies outside of the valley, the only way to determine the path out of the valley is to start climbing out. When you reach the rim of the valley, you'll have a new perspective that will tell you which direction to go in from there. But if you insist on knowing the "right" direction before you set out when there is no way to have that knowledge, all you do at best is go walking around in circles, at worst you sit on your hands and claim to be a victim of circumstance. So pick a direction and start walking. The way will become clear as you get further up the hilll.

Course Corrections are NOT Mistakes
When you get to the top of the ridge, you may find that your new perspective tells you that it would have been faster to go up the opposite side of the valley. Oh well. You know that now, but you had no way of knowing it then. There is no need to rebuke yourself for choosing the "wrong" path. Instead delight in the fact that you have a better idea of which way to go now and at the worst, at least you are out of that stupid valley. Airplanes on autopilot make constant course corrections. Did the computer make a mistake to put it off course? Of course not! The winds blew, the earth moved, and the environment acted on the plane. We cannot control the outside world - only ourselves. So course corrections should be assumed to be part of the process.

What If I Don't Like The Rim?
You can always walk back down into the valley. But usually, we find that there is a friendlier valley over one of the edges - larger and with more resources. The exploration is usually well worth the effort.

Mistakes are NOT Bad
We have this horrible habit as adults of expecting that we have to know everything and get everything right the first time. Somewhere between childhood and adulthood - my guess is during adolescence - we forget that there is a learning curve and that mistakes often come with unexpected benefits (the glue used for sticky notes, for example, was a mistake made by someone trying to make a super sticky glue). In short, stop giving yourself a hard time.

Make a Decision
Are you stuck in a rut? Do you not know which way to go? Stop trying to figure it out and just try something different and keep trying new different things until something works or makes you happy or both.

Do you like the posts on personal growth and development?
Would you like more? I only post a few of these on my real estate blog, but you can find more on my personal blog at www.TuneInSite.com. Subscribe there for regular doses of motivation and insight.

Pricing for the Web

Kelle Sparta, Real Estate Trainer and Coach (Sparta Success Systems) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 11:40:44 -0500

Remembering The Past
There's a pricing convention we all have that few realize where it comes from. Being old, and having been in the business forever (since 1993), I remember. You see many years ago, there was something called at "listing book". It was a printed version of the MLS. Most agents didn't go online to look up properties, they looked in the book. Subsequently, agents started listing their houses at $499,999 instead of $500,000 so that they would be the first house the agent found to show.

But All That Has Changed
In the intervening years, most (if not all) MLS services have discontinued the listing book in favor of online searches. But, we didn' change our pricing conventions because agents knew that prices would be listed just below the even dollar mark, so we adjusted our searches to compensate.

Here's The Problem
Buyer's just aren't (necessarily) that smart. Today, most buyers are starting their own searches online. They are using search engines that prompt them to choose even dollar numbers. Therefore, your listing which would be at he bottom of the price range (and therefore most desirable) for the $500-$525K price search is now invisible because you priced it at $499,999 - oh what a difference a dollar makes.

Price On Even Dollar Amounts
This is why it's more important than ever to get your pricing right. In his highly competitive market, you want people to find your listings. Make sure they do by pricing them at the price points they are searching for.

Pimp Your Twitter Profile

Kelle Sparta, Real Estate Trainer and Coach (Sparta Success Systems) — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 10:34:17 -0500

I love learning new things, don't you? Today I have been working on expanding my network for my new Twitter account that tells people about the Free Real Estate Training Blog and as I was following realtors and trainers across the country, I learned something new. (I love this business!) You see, I wanted to make my Twitter background interesting. I tried uploading a photo, but it looked, frankly... well... lame. So in reading what the other Tweeters were saying, I learned about a new (to me) application called TwitBacks.

Twit Backs

Using this program, you can create a custom background choosing from a variety of templates. If you use picniks too, you'll be able to add text, stickers, do special effects to your photo and more. It's a whole lot of fun. Oh, and did I mention, it's free?

So I have updated my Twitter background on my Free Real Estate Training Blog twitter site. I guess it's time for me to upgrade my KelleSparta account too now. I'll see you in the virtual pages!

Oodle - Free Advertising Service for Listings Online!

Kelle Sparta, Real Estate Trainer and Coach (Sparta Success Systems) — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 16:28:25 -0500

Have you heard of Oodle? It's a free classified for listing homes, cars, and other things online. (Seems they are trying to compete with Craigslist.) Regardless of whether they are going to be successful or not, putting your listings on Oodle gives you several benefits:

If you put a link to your website (and you'd be crazy not to), then it improves your SEO.
Drives traffic to your website.
Is one more piece of evidence for your sellers that you are advertising everywhere possible (without breaking your budget).
It integrates with Twitter, so you can automatically tweet your listings making less work for you in the long run.

Check it out!