craig witt: Multiple Food Sources - 03/06/14 11:20 PM
I’ve heard it said that most of your business in Real Estate can come from 25 people that surround you. If that is so, why don’t we just go find these 25 people and take them out for a drink, share our plan, and ask for their business? It is so easy to chase the next new thing in the business of Real Estate, thinking it will work better than the last. Many hop on the idea that in order to compete, you must come up with a new and better mousetrap. The grass is greener where it is watered in … (4 comments)

craig witt: Content Rich - 09/03/13 04:48 AM
This is a piece aimed at owners and agents, with an emphasis on the importance of providing information. Information gathering and sharing is crucial in our industry; agents providing relevant information to their customers, owners to their agents, and the industry overall to the Realtor professionals at-large. You can literally get anything you need to know, about anything, at the touch of a keystroke or voice command. It is our jobs to collect and distribute the information that is important to our business, and share it with our sphere.
Let’s start from the agents perspective, since they are the most … (1 comments)

craig witt: Common Ground - 08/01/13 11:55 PM
Relationship building is key to any business that involves P2P interaction. The internet has drastically reduced the ability for face to face interaction and replaced it with impersonal, electronic emoticons and misinterpreted written tones. Any business that survives based on doing deals belly-to-belly require the most basic of interaction, once known as a “meeting”.
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]-->
<!--[endif]-->
Thousands of books have been written on the art of selling ranging from the most basic appointment setting to closing the deal. Contained within many, you will find an emphasis on personality detection and body language interpretation. So tell me, how do you … (0 comments)

craig witt: Another Success Secret - 07/11/13 03:31 AM
As we slide into the 3rd quarter of 2013 you should know by know by now the year is half over. The good news is that you can position yourself to stay disciplined and finish strong. Build listing inventory, re-evaluate your first 6 months of this year, and look toward upcoming events. The secrets to Real Estate really aren’t that secret, it’s simply that many agents just won’t do what the successful agents do. You need to pay attention to the basic fundamentals of this business, invest in your trade, and stick to what works.
State trade shows and conferences are … (1 comments)

craig witt: The Spoken Word - 06/03/13 01:06 AM
What if adding public speaking to your skillset could double your income? Would you invest the time to become a specialist, where people actually ask you to come and speak to their people? They claim that he or she that speaks…leads. If this is the case, why do so many have a fear of speaking? It’s the old “rather be in the casket than giving the eulogy” reference. Not everyone is a born public speaker, and not everyone is born a leader; it can however be a learned behavior. Just as Malcolm Gladwell explains in his book Outliers, hard work is … (3 comments)

craig witt: Why Would I Work for You? - 05/14/13 02:53 AM
Please allow me to ask you a question…why do you work where you do? No really, what significant detail or one thing can you say attracted you to and makes you stay where you are? You see, everyone has stuff to some degree…tools, training, technology or some value-add component that keeps you welded in to your office. The question is always, do I feel like I belong here and is it getting the most and the best out of me.
As I tour around the North Central Division of the United States visiting our EXIT Realty offices and speaking at … (0 comments)

craig witt: Tools for Success - 05/02/13 07:41 AM
 
… (0 comments)

craig witt: Fill Your Bookshelves - 04/07/13 06:52 AM
I want you to pretend you are in small town USA, and you just purchased a quaint little boutique retail space in a pedestrian-friendly village. You are embarking on a new business, one that is quickly being replaced by the Nook, the Kindle and the Ipad…or is it. Your dream of opening a destination book store with comfy lounging furniture, soft music, coffee and gelato is taking shape. You are only missing one thing, books.
If you believe in the premise “build it and they will come”, you better make sure that if and when they do, you have what … (4 comments)

craig witt: Cockpit View - 03/09/13 01:42 AM
Ok so I have a passion for flying, but this analogy I believe will resonate with many of you. We have all been schooled on the old adage that a windshield is bigger than the rearview mirror for a reason…so that we can see more of what lies ahead and less of what fades off behind us. Well, how about in the cockpit of an airplane? There is no rearview mirror; you are forced to only look forward and use your gauges (or your glass display depending on the age of your aircraft). Cognitive reasoning, interpretation, experience and correct action are … (0 comments)

craig witt: Balancing Being Busy - 02/14/13 11:10 PM
Ohhhhhhh yeaaaaahhh…Can you feel it? The Real Estate market is on the upswing across the country and I predict another 7 year cycle ahead. Everywhere I go and everyone I talk to is telling me how busy they are and how things seem to be improving. Now, we just need to let the media know!
Along with “busy” business perhaps comes reduced focus on the big picture. I feel strongly that a balanced Real Estate career is imperative to maintaining that “life outside of Real Estate” lifestyle we all so desperately desire; after all, our families would like to see us … (4 comments)

craig witt: The Road Ahead - 01/02/13 02:34 AM
Another year is upon us and if you are like me, you have set goals and put a plan in place to improve over last year’s results. You see, I start my planning in late October for the next year, making small adjustments until the final weeks of December, ensuring my plan is actionable by January 1st. This year I must admit was a little more challenging for me because I am about to embark on something new and different, all in the spirit of growing our company.
I have recently been given the privilege of representing EXIT as the President … (2 comments)

craig witt: To fish or not to fish...that is the question - 12/10/12 11:40 PM
This holiday season as I look toward a new year, I have to reflect on the past and analyze what I did well, what I need to improve, and what I want to accomplish next year. Positive growth is the most important factor in Real Estate Brokerage. There are many components that make brokerages successful, but if the owner or manager is not growing by bringing in new talent, they will die. Three simple, powerful words...Get, Keep and Grow. The owner that does this well will win; relentless prospecting, retention and training can solve a lot of problems in the office.
… (0 comments)

craig witt: Another Convention Ends...A New Year Ahead - 11/27/12 05:35 AM
Preparing for the EXIT Convention each year is exciting for me. I look forward to seeing old friends, making new ones, learning from our speakers, and getting the latest updates from our EXIT Approved Suppliers. I should say it surprises me how our corporate leadership pulls off such an amazing Convention year after year, but frankly it does not surprise me at all. I look at all the incredible tools, systems and support EXIT provides us every day at such a high level and I have come to only expect the best. Walking into the main Convention room was unbelievable this … (0 comments)

craig witt: “Everyone has a plan - until they get punched in the face”. - 10/17/12 11:53 PM
What a great quote from the controversial boxer Mike Tyson. Although maybe not the most eloquent speaker, this simple phrase is spot on.
We are in the final quarter of 2012 and another year is drawing to a close. So many of us talk about how we are going to do things differently next year, making plans and setting verbal goals that will take us to the success level we all desire. Did you know 92% of New Year’s Resolutions are NOT kept? How many do you think follow their business plan? Better yet a bigger question would be, how many … (0 comments)

craig witt: The Discipline Factor - 05/21/12 04:55 AM
It’s amazing how climate can change attitude and production. We are so fortunate to have seasonal change in our region; fortunate because along with market changes, simple things like sunshine can get everyone moving again. This cyclical change in our industry not only affects Realtor’s, but it affects our customers. Now I know some agents stay busy all year long, but you must admit, there is something in the air right now and it’s been bustling since March 1st in most markets.
I will be the first to remind everyone that life happens and real estate is moving every day of … (1 comments)

craig witt: Two is Better than One - 02/09/12 06:11 AM
It can be a lonely world out there. Human beings are not meant to be “lone wolves”; we need to be surrounded by others to get the most and the best out each other. There is comfort in companionship and strength in partnership when you have a strong network of people that have your best interest in mind. I have a belief that most people would have a hard time counting five individuals closest to them that they could call any time of day and those people would come running to their aid. There is a distinct difference between acquaintances and … (1 comments)

craig witt: Be a Leader this Year - 01/11/12 05:37 AM
Being a leader is not for everyone. For some reason many think the leadership position is easy, but anyone in leadership knows it can be challenging. Getting people to follow you and your beliefs takes effort, respect, honesty and well-defined goals-a vision of what’s to come. I heard one man say once “if you think you are a leader, turn around and if there is no one following you, you are simply out for a walk”. Companies fail or succeed based on the person driving the ship, the leadership that has the fortitude to weather the storm and stay true to … (2 comments)

craig witt: Forming Good Habits - 12/12/11 06:18 AM
Statistics say it takes anywhere from 21 to 66 days to form a habit, any habit that is...both good and bad. Changes come about through forming new habits such as thinking differently, reacting differently, or behaving differently. Frustration can set in quickly while we wait for these changes to take effect and become more automatic. If it takes only 66 days to form a new habit, why do so many never reach their goal? Why does it seem that forming a bad habit is easier and happens sooner? For some, habits can form in as little as 18 days! It is … (1 comments)

craig witt: Thank You Notes vs. Email - 07/07/11 02:31 AM
I can remember receiving my first hand-written thank you note from our U.S. President of EXIT Realty, Tami Bonnell, back in 2005 after opening our second office. I was shocked that an executive with the company I had been with less than a year would take the time to not only send me a card in the mail, but to hand write the card! It sent a strong message to me from the personal feeling I felt when I received it. I now keep every hand written card I receive in shoe boxes in my office and often go through them … (9 comments)

craig witt: Paying Your Dues - 06/06/11 05:44 AM
I often hear agents from every brand discussing the ongoing expense of being a Realtor. Typically, those affiliated with a brand are frustrated with the cost of their franchise fees and their annual dues, depending on their brand and structure, and it seems the frustration comes around the same time every year. Annual dues for some companies are due at the first of the year; others like EXIT Realty, are due on June 30th which is also the same time as NAR dues and your state/local dues. At a time when expenses are being examined more than ever, the cost of … (0 comments)