Five Reasons to Stay in the Trenches

Five Reasons to Stay in the Trenches

I don't know about you, but I feel that the competition is going to thin out even more in 2010.  For many, last year and so far this year has been very challenging.  I believe that we will continue to see challenging times, however; the strong will survive and here are five reasons to stay in the game.

•1.      To have success, you have to endure adversity.  Handling adversity build character and persistence builds endurance.  I look at the past as exactly that.  We are granted a new start each day and that's why it is call the "present". Since each new day is a "present", treat it as a special one and don't waste it on non-productive activities.

•2.      Somebody will succeed in tough markets so it might as well be YOU!!  Concentrate on the dollar producing activities.  Get out of the office and call on professional referral sources or attend networking events.  We are sales professionals and we need to put ourselves in front of as many opportunities as possible.  Remember the " 50 Butt Rule".  Wherever 50 butts are, your butt should be there also and even better, put yourself in an opportunity to speak in front of as many butts as possible.

•3.      Tough times sharpens your character.  People are either motivated by pain or pleasure.  Myself, I'm motivated by pain, where my wife is motivated by pleasure.  Tough times make me work harder where for Pam, she melts during these challenging times.  For those who are motivated by pleasure, create awards for yourself. This helps to overcome challenging times.  Set income goals, prospecting goals and project completion goals. Having a rewarding goal to shoot for will help if you are a this kind of person.

•4.      Tough times shrink the competition which will open more doors for you.  There are many orphan clients out there.  That means for Real Estate Professionals, there are buyers and sellers whose former agent is out of the business.  For those in the mortgage industry, there are Orphaned Real Estate Professionals looking to find mortgage professionals that are competent and understand the power of two. 

•5.      Despite how poorly the market is, you must be a visionary.  Act as though the market is improving because it will come back eventually as it always does.  Have a song in your heart, a skip in your step and you will attract people to work with you.  Those that are excited about their profession attract opportunities.  Don't act like Eeyore, one of the Winny the Pooh characters who is dismally gloomy for almost eternity. But that's not Eeyore's perception of himself, according to him; he doesn't expect too much of himself and therefore remains quiet for most of the time.

Some final thoughts

"Time equals life.  Therefore, waste your time and waste life, or master your time and master your life"-Alan Laklin

•1.      Spend your time in soliciting or marketing activities-networking, sales appointments, follow up calls, preparing proposals, etc.  Spend time with clients and look for non-traditional ways of creating income for your profession.  Create "Blue Oceans" Opportunities for yourself.  Let the rest of the competition beat each other up  in the "Red Ocean". 

•2.      Become a Master of Your Profession.  Spend time on your Personal Development.  Take a day off each month and work on those projects that would significantly save you time and improve your customer service.  Develop your short and long term goals.  Without goals, you have nothing to shoot for. 

•3.      Lastly, have great faith.  Here is a formula to use for your business A + T x DPA x A + GF equals Success.       

Attitude plus Talent times Dollar Productive Activities times Action with Great Faith equals Success!!  

Have a wonderful week!!  

Tom Ninness is Vice President/Regional Production Manager for Cherry Creek Mortgage in Denver, CO.  He is also the President of Summit Champions, Inc. and creator of the "The 90 Day Journey to Your Sales Success", a powerful 90 day action plan for the sales professional.  To learn more about The Journey and Summit Champions, go to www.90dayjourney.com, www.summitchampions.com  or contact Tom at information@summitchampions.com   Office: 303-840-0753.