activerain: Follow This Strategy For An Awesome April! - 03/28/07 03:54 PM
As the first quarter of 2007 comes to an end, are you on track to achieving your business goals for the quarter?  
Did you list as many houses as you thought you would?  Did you show homes to the number of buyers you expected to work with?   If you did, great!    If you didn't, don't beat yourself up about it.  Nobody hits their goals every time.  Million dollar baseball players only get 3 hits out of every 10 at-bats.  Just increase your at-bats.  
Look at this next quarter and re-evaluate your goals.  Set new goals for the quarter. … (5 comments)

activerain: Relaxing Under A Palm Tree! - 03/26/07 03:06 AM
 
One single idea can change the focus of your life.
If you could be anywhere in the world, imagine yourself at your most peaceful place.
Your eyes are closed and your mind is calm.
"Imagine you are laying on a cushioned lounge chair under a palm tree at your favorite spot on a sandy-white beach at 3:00pm in the afternoon with the sun sparkling through the branches.  It's 82 degrees and you have your favorite drink.  All you can hear is the soft, gentle breaks in the ocean waves with the occasional sound of seagulls.  Your body is fully relaxed and your mind is … (1 comments)

activerain: Are You On Track With Your 2007 Goals? - 03/07/07 07:37 AM
As the 1st quarter is almost coming to an end, are you on track to achieving your business goals?   Did you list as many houses as you thought you would?  Did you show homes to the number of buyers you expected to work with?   If you did, great!    If you didn't, don't beat yourself up about it.  Nobody hits their goals every time.  Million dollar baseball players only get 3 hits out of every 10 at-bats.  Just increase your at-bats.   Look at this next quarter and re-evaluate your goals.  Set new goals for the quarter. Better yet, set new goals only … (12 comments)

activerain: Do You Have SMART Shelves? - 03/05/07 02:04 AM
How many books, magazines, tapes & CDs do you have on your shelves?
We all have them...some more than others; often from all of the seminars.
If you have any of these items lying around your office or home, I guarantee you're missing out on implementing strategies that could earn you thousands, if not tens of thousands of dollars or more.
It's time to pick up one of these money-making tools and dive into it to see what 'treasures' you can find.  Write down the valuable nuggets you uncover and make a timeline to take action.
If you started reading a book awhile back, maybe … (0 comments)

activerain: How Big Is Your TV? - 02/26/07 09:01 AM
I may be able to tell if you're financially secure by the size of your TV vs. the size of your library.Are you where you want to be financially?Do you sometimes wonder how the agent in the next office earns more than you, but you can't figure out how they do it?One question to ask is: "How big is their TV?"Now, you're probably thinking to yourself, what in the world is Dan talking about?Has he gone off the deep end?What does the size of a TV have to do with whether or not you're wealthy?Well, let me ask you this: "Do … (2 comments)

activerain: Schedule An Open House...When? - 02/19/07 05:38 AM
Most real estate agents hold Open Houses on Saturdays or Sundays.Why? Because that's how everyone does it.I think it really depends on when prospective buyers look in your local market. I've heard that in Florida, many agents hold open houses on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, but in most areas, Sunday is the customary open house day.How about holding an open house on a Thursday evening?Dan, are you crazy?An open house on a Thursday? Why then?Well, here's a strategy to take an action on:Hold a 60, 75 or 90 minute open house. Wouldn't you rather have more people come in a shorter … (84 comments)

activerain: New Strategy For Getting Sellers To Make Needed Repairs! - 02/14/07 08:29 AM
Last week, I had an active client refer me to his sister and husband, who've lived in their home for 16+ years.  You could expect that there may be some updating needed.  (Actually, they did an excellent job in remodeling the kitchen and except for renting a storage unit for excess items and stuff, it's in pretty good condition.)
Well, here's what I did:  I have a qualified contractor, who does jobs from minor repairs to major home remodeling come over to the property with me on the first of a possible two-step listing appt.  Now, he's very friendly, professional, reliable, fair-priced and … (12 comments)

activerain: Do You Ever Get Into A Business Lull? - 02/14/07 01:05 AM
As I sit here, we woke up this morning to a sparkling, winterland collage of snow and ice everywhere.  With over 100,000 homes without electricity and many streets covered in snow and ice underneath, it's best to stay put inside and call some clients today, who are probably at home too.
We all, from time to time, go through peaks and valleys.  That's the way normal business cycles go. 
BUT the secret to more success is to shorten the valleys by being aware during the rise to the peak that you have to keep doing what got you there. 
Don't stop prospecting or stop … (1 comments)

activerain: Are You Afraid Of FAILING? - 02/11/07 02:44 AM
Are you afraid of FAILING?  
Don't be afraid of failure!  
In the past (and still sometimes today), I've been afraid of failure.    But I recently read about a new way to look at SUCCESS and FAILURE.  
We all know it took 10,000 times before Thomas Edison invented the light bulb.  But what if he had quit trying after 9,999?  Would we be in the dark? ;)  
Mr. Edison learned 2 valuable lessons: 1) what not to do again and 2) he was getting closer to his goal.  
Failure tells us what won't work, so we can find another … (12 comments)

activerain: What Are You Focused On? - 02/06/07 07:33 AM
Are you focused?  
A better question may be: What are you focused on?  
Are you focused on: -  achieving your goals? -  watching your favorite TV show every week? -  just enjoying your life? -  helping others?  
There's no judgment being made here. Whatever you are focused on will happen.   'Lack of focus' can be dangerous.  Even if you aren't focused on something, change that and decide what it is you want to focus on.   Here's an idea that I recently heard about and it came from a story about Mr. Rockefeller and Mr. Schwab over 50 years ago.  … (1 comments)

activerain: Do You Drag, Roll or JUMP Out of Bed In The Morning? - 02/04/07 05:08 AM
Have you ever found yourself waking up and just wanting to roll over for a few more minutes?......or hours?  
I know I have once or twice.  :)   We all have done it.  
But it's important to have a reason to wake up in the morning.  
Why do YOU wake up in the morning?  
What's your WHY?   Why deal with certain clients? Why prospect every day/week? Why negotiate contracts? Why work late and on weekends?  What result do you want to achieve from doing these activities?   Don't just do them to get a paycheck to pay … (1 comments)

activerain: Stop, Take A Breath & Read This Powerful, Short Story - 02/03/07 01:35 PM
If you sometimes feel like I do that it's just going to be another day, it's important to remember what you want out of life and how real estate sales can get you there.  By working really hard when we have to, we can then play really hard when we want to.  My dad always says "The harder you work, the luckier you get!"  But when you're working, be focused and be clear on what you have to accomplish for the day, so that when you're home, you can focus on you and your family. I recently read this story and felt compelled to share … (1 comments)

activerain: Are You Where You Want To Be? - 02/02/07 12:05 PM
If you're not, then you need to ask yourself, "Who am I associating with?I recently attended a personal development training with Mr. John Gardner, a self-made millionaire from South Carolina and one of the co-authors of "Chicken Soup For The Entrepreneurial Soul" talking about the successful habits of many success-minded business people in history as well as the current day entrepreneurs.One of the philosophies I learned from this training was "The Law of Association". Who are you associating with on a daily, weekly and monthly basis to improve your business skills? It's been said by many that 'You become like the … (3 comments)

activerain: Don't Be A "POP TART"! - 02/02/07 12:00 PM
A "Pop Tart" is when a prospect calls you from an ad or sign and wants to see a property right away and you "pop up" without knowing anything about them. It's a potentially dangerous and/or time-wasting situation. Make a short list of 3 - 5 qualifying questions.
Here's an example of some questions:
Are you working with another agent? Have you been pre-approved in writing by a reputable mortgage lender? Do you currently own a home that you need to sell before you buy? How long have you been looking for a home? Are you able to go ahead and make an … (0 comments)