The Power of Focus “You get what you focus on”, “inspect what you expect”, “if you chase two rabbits, you get neither” - - all clichés that are intended to convey the importance of the power of focus. Focus is defined as: a center of activity, attraction, or attention; a point of concentration.

The Pareto Principle is widely recognized as the management standard for prioritizing time and tasks. The Pareto Principle (also known as the 80-20 rule) states that, roughly 80% of results come from 20% of activities. If you are a Realtor® identifying your 20% activities can be a daunting task. There are more than 197 “to-do’s” that an agent performs on a routine basis. So how do you find the dollar PRODUCTIVE activities that will propel your business forward? I’m glad you asked! Leads, Listings and Leverage!

First and foremost, lead generation. Gary Keller has an awesome statement that he often makes: “If you are too busy to lead generate . . . you won’t be”. Leads are nothing more than cultivated relationships. In a shifted market such as the one we are experiencing now, MARKETING is not the answer for building your business. PROSPECTING is. With the economic uncertainties that are taking precedence in peoples’ minds, they need someone they trust to advise them. A postcard does not build trust, but a thorough needs analysis does. And you can only conduct an analysis of needs if there is a relationship in place that is built on mutual respect and trust. Real estate is a contact sport, and if you are depending on a third party of any type to contact past clients for you, I promise - -you are losing market share.

Second in importance is acquiring seller listings. Not only is market share measured in listings, but it is the number one lead source for buyers! The more listings you have, the more buyers are interested, the more your phone rings. I cringe every time I hear an agent say “but I don’t like listings . . . I like working with buyers”; and I think to myself, without listings, how do you expect to get buyers? Most agents are fearful of working to obtain listings because they are not confident in their skill set and have no systems in place to service the listings they acquire. The answer for “listing phobia” is to find a mentor or coach who can help you with your listing presentation, scripts and dialogues and systems. Otherwise, you will never become comfortable with becoming a listing agent, and you will always be dependent upon others to bring you leads.

Third and finally, is leverage. The simplest definition for leverage is help or assistance that makes you more effective. When it comes to leverage, there are three avenues for finding leverage:

1. Business Systems. Anything that is a repeatable process should have a system. This goes for everything from answering the telephone to submitting paperwork to your brokerage to staying in contact with your clients. Do you have systems, or are you “just winging it”? Winging it is for the birds.

2. Business Tools. I was flabbergasted recently when an agent from another firm called our office and demanded that our agent he was working with hand deliver documents because he refuses to use tech tools. No fax, no email, no text messaging. IMHO, every Realtor should at a minimum have a smart phone (BlackBerry, I-Phone, etc), e-fax, SMS capabilities, IM capabilities and the ability to send documents as a .pdf. These tools are not tremendously expensive, but they are tremendously effective.

3. People: People are the most obvious form of leverage. You may say to yourself “I can’t afford an assistant”. Hiring an assistant is not the only form of people leverage. As a Realtor®, you have a cadre of professionals already surrounding you. The question is, are you utilizing them? Your trusted vendor partners should be called upon to provide excellent service to your clients and feedback and input on your systems. Do you meet with your vendors on a regular basis to clarify expectations and to gain understanding of how they conduct business? If not, you are possibly missing one of the most important ingredients in your recipe for success.

The bottom line is, a Realtor’s® 20% activities are the things that cannot be effectively delegated: building relationships (lead generation), increasing market share (obtaining seller listings) and leveraging time for maximum effectiveness.

For complimentary review of your real estate practice, please contact me at paulamosley@kw.com.

Last week, I had the pleasure of attending SHIFT tour with KW founder, Gary Keller.  Gary is a brilliant business man, and had some very profound insights:

• Get used to the real "now".  Things are not going to go back to the way they were in 2002-2005.  It was a facade.

• It's okay to be a real estate "salesperson".  You need to learn to MOFIR (make offers for immediate response).  MOFIR's of the moment could be for first time buyers, investors, and move-up buyers.  IDEA:  create a "best buy list" for each group, and market them to your past clients, and sphere.

•  Look for a minimum of 10:1 return on marketing dollars.

•  Be the local real estate market economist of choice.  Know your local numbers, learn what they mean and be the voice of the marketplace.

•  Ever thought of doing open houses for REO's?  Post your cell # on large signs to capture buyers ("bank owned, call me for information XXX-XXXX").  Become the REO neighborhood information center (why is grass so high, why are there stickers on the window, etc.)

•  Go to work everyday.  Get dressed, time block for your important activities, lead generate, and get into an accountability relationship)

•  Take advantage of social media to network (facebook, twitter)

•  Don't hang around negative people - - use words of life, practice unconditional love and turn the news OFF

•  Tell the truth.  Bad advice in today's market can be catastrophic.  Good or bad news is better than uncertainty.  Don't make the delivery of bad news personal.

•  Make decisive choices.  Trying is failing with honor.  Surround yourself with supporters.  Track your results.

•  Understand that YOU can make a difference in your clients' lives.  Save families from foreclosure, save marriages.  You are needed NOW more than ever.

•  It's called a buyer's market for a reason.

•  You should implement 33 touch accelerator - 2 emails and 1 call per month.

•  If you are confident, it's easy to make calls.  Have something good to offer, and it is really easy to call and tell people about it.

•  Average is not a great place to live.

•  You do not succeed your way to success, you FAIL your way to success.

•  What will separate you from your competition is your willingness to do what they will not.

•  You can do anything you want if you write it down and come up with a plan

•  Never give up!  Down is the opportunity to get up!

•  You are on this planet to grow spiritually.  You have to learn to see down as up, spiritually

•  Success is inside of you, let it out!

•  When you fail - ask: what happened, and what do I do now?

•  If you take action, you can get anything you want within 5 years

•  Success is how high you bounce after you hit the bottom - - George Patton

•  There are no rags to riches without the rags

•  You may not realize that sometimes a kick in the teeth is what's best for you

•  Your greatest moments often come after your greatest defeats

•  Japanese Etymology for CRISIS is danger + opportunity

•  CRISIS:  Circumstances Requiring Immediate Shift In Strategy

•  Stop obsessing about what is wrong, and focus on what you have that is working.

•  We all stink when we start anything.  You practice and make time in your day to improve.

•  Most realtors want to play the gig (show and list property) instead of practicing (lead generation)

•  Change is going to come.  It can happen to you, or you can embrace it and deal with it.

•  Recession = 2 consecutive quarters with a drop in spending. Real Estate entered recession in Fall of '05

•  50% of homes being sold are to first time buyers, and that # is expected to increase by the end of '09

•  You have to do EXTRA to achieve AVERAGE results in this market.  What would you have to do to achieve extraordinary results?

•  Rule of thumb:  for every 10k in price drop, interest rates will increase 1%.  The increase in interest will overshadow waiting on the price to drop.

•  You have to price ahead of the market

•  If people are buying now, they are either dumb, or have a dumb realtor (ouch)

•  When the tide goes out, it exposes everyone who is not wearing a bathing suit (the market exposes the agents who are not skilled, and should probably never gotten into the business)

•  Why be average when you can be exceptional?

•  Always remember, you are striving to have a great career, and not just a great year.

The Six Fundamental Secrets in the SHIFT:

1. Get real and get right . . . right now
2. Re-margin your personal and business expenses . . . right now
3. Focus on lead generation and conversion . . . right now
4. Get sellers to price ahead of the market and stage their homes . . . right now
5. Help buyers find their motivation . . . right now
6. Get involved in short sales, REO's and foreclosures . . . right now.

•  Little effort becomes habit and leads to little results.  Big effort becomes habit and leads to big results.  Choose the results you want, then choose the effort.

•  Average and below do only what they like to do; people who are above average do what they don't like to do.

•  Take responsibility for the outcomes in your life.  It's not up to everyone else to create the life you want; it is up to you.

•  You've gotten where you are because of what you do. . . and you will stay where you are because of what you do (good, bad or indifferent)

•  "It is not necessary to change.  Survival is not necessary."  -- W Edwards Deming

•  "If your ship doesn't come in, swim out to meet it".  - Jonathan Winters

•  There are no longer enough transactions to go around.  Some of the Realtors and real estate companies will not survive.

•  Real estate is an industry of perspective.  Your role is to be there for the client when things go wrong, not when things go right.

•  You need a database.  If you don't have a database, you have no relationships . . . and therefore, no business.

•  50% of all sales happen before noon.

•  Time management is money management.  The way you manage your time will determine your money.

•  Most people are not chasing success, they are avoiding it.

•  If Realtors do not have active buyers and sellers, that means they are not "working" (lead generating).

Mind Your Own Business!

Most Realtors® believe that because they earn a license that they have simultaneously become a Real Estate Business owner.  They have confused having a business with being a part of an industry.  Dave Ramsey often says that if you are running a business that is not profitable, you don't own a business . . . you have a really expensive hobby.

Here are some indicators that will help you determine whether you are truly running a business:

Mindset and Attitude:  Your mindset predetermines your responses to situations.  It is the filter through which you see life.  If you are a Realtor®, yet you refuse to exercise self control and mastery over time and task management and lead generation and conversion, you are fooling yourself. 

Commitment:  Business owners are committed to their business.  They continually make investments in that business.  They have dedicated office space, state of the art tools, and they are at the cutting edge of industry techniques.  They have a course of action that they have charted, and they stick to it. 

Focus:  Undivided focus and attention to your goals.  How well do you know your numbers?  How close are you to achieving the goals you set at the beginning of the year?  Do you focus on dollar productive activities?  Is your business prospecting based and marketing enhanced, or are you one of the bazillion agents who are praying that your phone will ring? 

Business Plan:  Goals without a timeline and a plan are a wish!  If you are a full-fledged business owner, you should have a business plan that contains objectives, budgets, staff/leverage, lead sources, targeted marketing strategies, educational needs, proven systems and models and action plans. 

Capital:  Legitimate businesses have capital accounts and budgets.  They spend by design, not by default.  And, they have a rainy day fund.  Most Realtors® do not.  That is why there was a mass exodus from the industry at the end of 2008 and the beginning of 2009.  Companies and agents did not have capital set aside to fund them through the market shift.

Models & Systems:  Economic Models (how much money they need to make, and how they will make it), Lead Generation (to help them generate the leads and convert them into dollars), Budget (expenditures that they will have to make to support the budget) and organizational (staffing and leverage to support the tasks necessary to power the other models).

Scorecards / Goal Boards:  It is imperative to track your progress DAILY so that you know how far off track you are.  Visually define your goals so that tracking is easy!  Be able to reconcile every activity with associated results.  If actions are not producing results STOP doing them!

Accountability:  If you are not holding yourself accountable for results, you are not running a business.  Do you do it?  Do you own it?  No excuses! 

Coaching/Consulting:  The most successful athletes and businesses hire unbiased, knowledgeable coaches or consultants who will hold them accountable to focusing on dollar productive activities and achieving results.  Their mantra is: efficiency is doing things right; effectiveness is doing the right things.  Coaches help you become more effective!

Do you own a business?  If so, continue to improve it!  If not, do you want to?  If so, become learning-based, study proven real estate business models, and take the appropriate actions based on where you are today.  It will be worth it!

 For a complimentary business evaluation, contact me at 615-431-4701 or by email at paulamosley@kw.com or visit my website:  rockstarsdothemodels.com. 

I always chuckle when I hear Realtors use "your real estate consultant for life".  It reminds me of a Dilbert® cartoon strip in which Dilbert® explains his profession:  "I like to con and insult people, that's why I choose to become a Consultant."

Seriously, though - Realtors® nationwide rate right up there with used car salesmen in professional credibility studies.  As a professional service industry - that should concern all of us.  My advice is to never mind being a consultant and focus on becoming a trusted advisor; especially in this economy.

It is not longer just about the transaction (and frankly, it never should have been) - it is all about the referrals.  As you have heard repeatedly - all things being equal, people want to do business with those they know, like and TRUST . . . as in a TRUSTED advisor. 

In its simplest definition, trust is a firm belief in the honesty of another and the absence of suspicion regarding his motives or practices.  A trusted advisor is someone who chooses to advise his clients to do what is in their best interest - even if his bank account suffers (no pun intended).

According to Jeffrey Gitomer's new book "The Little Teal Book of Trust", the key to becoming a TRUSTED ADVISOR (and earning lots of referrals) is to:

Tell the truth. This is the number one element of trust AND relationships.

Do what you say you will do. This is a test for being trustworthy and reliable.

Communicate in a timely manner. This shows you are responsible, on top of it, and that you care.

Bring value beyond your product or service. What you do to help others be more successful will be a true reflection of your character.

Be on time. Being on time shows you respect the other person's time.

Be friendly. Smiling people are the gateway to open communication.

Be sincere. This can only come from belief in what you do, loving what you do, and caring for others.

Show and say genuine thanks. Be grateful for the opportunity to be of service.

Be consistent. I believe this element of trust is the most difficult to master because it combines all the other elements.

Give trust. You become trustworthy by giving trust to others.

 Trust is not an entitlement - it is earned.  You cannot buy trust, but over time, you can build it for free!  And those who know, like and TRUST you will make you successful beyond your wildest dreams!

Some time ago, I was attending a leadership conference.  The parting gift literally changed my life (and no, it was not a winning lottery ticket).  It was a simple black 5x7 photo frame with 10 Axioms For Breakthrough Performance.

Now you may ask yourself, what does this have to do with Real Estate, and my answer is EVERYTHING.  It's no secret that the market has shifted; the secret is in how you handle the shift.  These axioms or principles will help you break through the limiting beliefs you have if you will embrace them, and honestly consider how to apply them to your real estate practice:

1.  Complacency Breeds Failure.  I once read that Bill Gates stated that his worst fear was teen aged kids in a garage somewhere creating a better system than Windows®.   Whether you have been #1 in a market area for 20 years or 20 days, you need to know that there is someone hungry to bump you out of your position.  If you become complacent, you will surely be unseated.  To again quote Bill Gates "In this business, by the time you realize you're in trouble, it's too late to save yourself. Unless you're running scared all the time, you're gone."
2. Plunging Follows Plateauing.  This principle brings to mind the medical term "flat line".  It is one of the first and most obvious signs of death.  If you are not growing and changing, you are dying.
3. "Break It" Thinkers Reinvent the Game.  I think the best analogy to explain this axiom is Amazon and Dell.  They are classic examples of business model innovation. Amazon.com revolutionized book buying. Dell revolutionized the way computers are sold, cutting out the retail link in the chain and getting their products straight from the factory to the customer.  And isn't interesting that both Amazon and Dell are the market leaders in their industries?  Hmmm.
4. Sacred Cows Make the Best Burgers.  "But I've always done it that way"!  How many times have you said that to yourself, or even to others?  The bottom line is if what you are doing is not working - regardless of how long you have been doing it that way - you must CHANGE!  Otherwise, you are living the definition of insanity.
5. Average Thinking Limits Performance.  Everything begins with your thought life.  If you think average, you can expect average results.  You will get what you think!  Hang out with people who think big, aim high and act bold.  After all, not doing more than the average is what keeps the average down.
6. The Biggest Risk Is Not Taking One.  You will miss 100% of the shots you do not take. 
7. Look the Monster in the Eye.  Get real! Identify the things that scare you, worry you, annoy you and deal with them.  Otherwise, you will suffer "paralysis by analysis" and never move forward.    
8. Well Rounded is Flat.  Being well rounded basically means that nothing about you is exceptional.  Well-rounded people dip their toes into everything, but don't ever jump in.  They are easy to replace, because they haven't developed expertise in one area.  They support top performers rather than becoming them.  So in my new opinion, spiky is the new well rounded.
9. Use Your Comfort Zone to Rest - Not to Live In.  Rest is necessary; and one of the key components to resting is being comfortable.  Every time I hear the word comfortable, it reminds me of when my grandmother was dying.  The hospice nurse told us that they committed to doing everything they could to keep her comfortable.  Anything moving has friction - and if there is no friction, you are dead.
10. Imagination Is More Important Than Knowledge.  It's our imagination that sets us apart from each other. I really think the imagination is the showing of a person's soul. Our ability to think beyond what we are and imagine a place where we are something more than we are is what makes us strive for something more. If we can dream it, maybe it can be true and maybe humanity will become something better if we can find some way to get closer to the impossible.

Top 10 Activities to Do Now to Increase Your Productivity:

Write contracts!  DUH! 

Get a price adjustment on your listings to help them sell quickly.  If they don't sell in 30 days, adjust the price - get ahead of the market!

Go on a listing presentation - get in front of the client.  Deliver a powerful presentation on WHY they should list with you and what you will do to sell their home quickly.

Show homes to QUALIFIED buyers.  Pre-qualify and assess their motivation before agreeing to work with them.

Do pop-bys to generate leads.  Visit your local dollar store and find neat ways to deliver a fun item of value and strike up a conversation with your friends, family and past clients.

Make calls to your database and ask for referrals.  People want to help you!  Teach them how.

Hand write notes to strengthen relationships.  In this high-tech society, people are genuinely flattered to receive a handwritten note.  Care enough to send the very best.  ;-)

Network!  Tap into your market area by networking with other business owners and your local Chamber of Commerce.

Learn and grow.  The more you learn, the more you earn.  As you grow, so will your income.  Plug into educational activities, and take advantage of coaching and consulting with a business development specialist.

Prioritize and plan.  Be on purpose, and be focused.  If you fail to plan then you are planning to fail.

If you struggle with time management and prioritizing your tasks, please contact me for a free consultation on time blocking and time management.  It will help you become a master of your universe, and cause you to succeed at a higher level.

I spend most every day helping Realtors at all production levels navigate through the market shift.  One thing they have in common - whether a mega producer or an ambitious rookie - is the fact that most of them are scared shiftless!

What once worked is no longer making their phone ring.  They are afraid not to change, and even more terrified of changing.  They are apprehensive about making a move, therefore, they suffer paralysis by analysis, and are literally stuck. 

We have all heard the definition of insanity (doing the same things over and over yet expecting different results); and what most Realtors are doing is INSANE!  In order to take control of their careers, and get their mind around the market, they must learn to do the unthinkable, and embrace CHANGE. 

The only way to change results is to change strategies, daily activities and your environment.  I know this to be true from the kazillion diets I have tried.  First thing they tell you to on weight loss programs is to set a goal (strategy); increase your exercise and modify your food intake (activities); and go home and throw away all of your junkfood and find an accountability or exercise partner (environment).  Makes sense, right? 

What does this mean to a Realtor that is scared shiftless?  First and foremost, you need a new strategy.  If what you are doing is not getting the desired results - STOP all activity and change your strategy. 

Secondly, you must change your activities.  This means focusing on doing the painful, dollar producing activities like prospecting.  Make your calls.  Time block for lead generation, and focus on setting appointments.

Finally, you have to change your environment.  If your current brokerage is not supportive and does not provide an atmosphere conducive to productivity - get out now - otherwise, your results will be impeded!  Find a leader to navigate you through the shift, and support you in achieving your business goals - in short, find a DREAM MANAGER - a leader that is commited to helping make your dreams come true.

If nothing changes, then nothing changes!  Don't be scared shiftless, JUST DO IT today.

For a complimentary business analysis / strategic planning session, please contact me to schedule an appointment. 

Why should a client hire you to be their agent?  Asked this question, most agents say "because of my great service" - - as if they would tell someone that they provide stinky customer service.  LOL.

In the corporate world, we used to call it an "elevator speech" - meaning you should be able to explain your USP (Unique Selling Proposition) on a short elevator ride - 30 seconds or less.  If you are an agent who says your USP is "service", perhaps it would be helpful to consider the following Top 10 Seller Value Propositions as outlined in Gary Keller's Millionaire Real Estate Agent (next week we will focus on Buyers):

1. Thorough Needs Analysis (clarify the reasons to sell & determine acceptable timetable)

2.  Pricing Strategy (best selling price given current market conditions & resulting net sheet)

3.  Property Preparation(recommend repairs, improvements and staging to net seller most money)

4.  Marketing Strategy (establish marketing plan and timetable)

5.  Receive & Evaluate Offers

6.  Negotiate to Sell (advise on counter offers, terms and conditions)

7.  Sell (Prepare post-contract work list and recommend appropriate vendors)

8.  Pre-Close Preparation (Coordinate and oversee documentation preparation and provide pre-closing consultation)

9.  Closing (review documents, resolve last minute items, complete transaction)

10.  Post Closing (coordinate move and assist with post-closing issues)

Hope this helps.  For a complimentary coaching session on developing your USP, shoot me an email at paulamosley@kw.com.

Happy Listing!

I don’t know about you, but I really HATE the current gas prices. Isn’t it amazing the price we pay when our energy source is in short supply? It affects our family budget, and the cost of everything - groceries, clothing, electricity, etc.

What about your personal energy supply? What price do you and those you care about pay when you are feeling low emotionally, spiritually or physically? Having a steady supply of energy is invaluable to an entrepeneur - especially Realtors!

There are five major categories in which you need energy: spiritual energy, physical energy, emotional energy, mental energy and business energy. The simple solution for counter-balancing your life is to time block (or make an appointment with yourself) to pull a lot of energy into your life every day. What I have found is that most of the world does not engage and really get moving until after 11:00 a.m. That means if you want to get something done with minimal interruptions, you should try to get it done before 11.

So here is what I reccommend (as does Gary Keller, Author of The Millionaire Real Estate Agent): By 11:00 a.m. Every Day You Should:

Meditate/Pray for Spiritual Energy

Exercise and Eat for Physical Energy

Hug, Kiss and Laugh for Emotional Energy

Plan and Calendar for Mental Energy

Lead Generate for Business Energy

By following this simple energy plan, I am confident that you will see a difference in your personal energy supply, and not have to worry about running out of gas!

With the market as volitile and saturated as it is - there are 10 things that you can do right now to increase your market share, grow your business and increase your income:

1. Focus on seller pricing strategies. How motivated is your seller to move? How great are you at price reduction scripts? Move from mediocre to mastery in these areas ASAP!

2. Master staging. With so many homes to choose from, in order to move your listings, they have to be in the bottom third in price, and top third of staging.

3. Learn and use creative financing. I'm not talking about crazy loan products, how familiar are you with FHA, THDA and VA loans? In today's environment, you had best be familiar, because 85% of all loans now are falling under these programs.

4. Bulletproof the transaction. You have to be invovled at every stage of the game. Long gone are the days of signing the contract and showing up at the closing table. Too many things can go awry . . . especially where appraisals and financing are concerned.

5. Master lead capture and conversion. Lead generation is a MUST. The manna from heaven has ceased. You have to meet people, add them to your database, stay in touch with them and ask for referrals. But getting a lead is only half the battle. You have to have scripts down pat for creating buyer urgency! What are your conversion rates, and do you have the tools you need to increase calls to converts?

6. Be more proactive with internet leads. 87% of buyers find their home online. You should take your internet leads seriously, and work them hard!

7. Get leand and mean with your expenses. When you are doing fewer transactions, you must cut your expenses in order to maintain your profitability. Do you have a sustainable cashflow model? If not, you need to!

8. Get clear about your role. You are not a chauffer, a therapist or a mortgage finance expert. You are a LEAD GENERATOR and customer service manager! Are you lead generating 3 hours per day everyday? If not, then you are abandoning your most important role as the CEO of your own real estate practice! Are you serving your customers well? If not, someone else will!

9. Become and expert in short sales and foreclosures. There is a HUGE opportunity in these two avenues. Yes, there are more phone calls and paperwork necessary to get the deal done - but with foreclosure rates as high as 50% in some areas, it makes sense to get involved!

10. LEAD GENERATE, LEAD GENERATE, LEAD GENERATE! Three hours per day, every day - forever! Your first hour should be spent preparing your list of whom to contact. The second hour should be spent ON THE PHONE or handwriting notes. The third hour should be spent doing follow up notes in your database.  Always remember, if you are too busy to lead generate, you won't be.

If you need help in any of these areas, please contact me!

Happy selling.

I love the Dilbert cartoon in which Dogbert is explaining what a consultant does - his explanation is that a consultant is one who "cons and insults people".  ROFLOL. 

"Consulting" has become a major buzzword in the real estate profession in recent months.  Everyone wants to consult agents on topics ranging from closing gifts to personal image.  Geez.  There are some things that you can just do on your own  ;-) 

A lot of Realtors are now calling themselves "Real Estate Consultants".  And that is fine - as long as you understand the role of a consultant, and deliver the goods.  So before you jump on the consultant bandwagon, I wanted to make sure you can deliver the promise to your clients.

First of all, in order to have good results in a consulting relationship, the consultee must want to know what to do to get the results they want and be learning based.  Consulting is not for know-it-alls.

Contrary to popular belief, effective consulting is not "giving expert advice".  It is:

1.  Helping people make good decisions.

2.  Helping people take action on those good decisions.

3.  A strategy for developing and educating people so that they ultimately make appropriate action oriented decisions on their own.

4.  Effective learning (hands on many times) with direct and immediate feedback.

5.  Helping people learn what do do when things don't go as planned.

6.  A pathway back to the consultant for more education/training.

There are 4 Basic Characteristics of Effective Consulting:

1.  It uses proven systems and models (not creativity).

2.  It uses great questions to enlighten and bring clarity (not lecturing).

3.  It is action focused to bring about accountability for results.

4.  It is respectful, caring and non-judgmental (remember the Dogbert description).

Hope this helps you decide whether you are a Realtor or a real estate consultant for life.  ;-)

As always, your feedback and comments are welcomed.

I am one of those annoying people who always reads directions.  I figure that if someone else has already endured the pain of learning how to do something (and documenting it for my benefit) the least I can do is ignore my impulse to rely on my own brilliance (chuckle), and take advantage of someone elses.

That is the exact premise behind "The Millionaire Real Esate Agent", written by Gary Keller.  He says on page 36 "Epiphany! A lightbulb went off in my head, and a had an aha.  I then slowed down just long enough to start looking at what other successful people were doing".  Wow!  What a concept! 

What would happen if you were baking a cake and decided not to follow the model for baking the cake (or the recipe)?  What if instead of 1 cup of sugar you decided 10 cups would be better?  Or if instead of 1/2 cup of oil that 2 cups would make the cake more moist and delicious?  You would still technically have a cake, but it may not be edible.

The same is true in real estate.  There is a model to follow that ensures your success.  There are systems in place to help you achieve at a very high level.  Reinventing the wheel is exhausting work.  Why not just adapt to proven models?  After all, if someone nets a million dollars in commissions, they are obviously doing something right - would you not benefit from following in their footsteps?

For more information on the models, please contact me.

Lessons Learned From The Janitor

 I just finished reading a fantastic book called "The Janitor - How an Unexpected Friendship Transformed a CEO and His Company".  It was written by Todd Hopkins and Ray Hilbert and was published by Thomas Nelson.

The premise of the story is that a grumpy workaholic has a chance encounter with an opera singing janitor while working late one night at the company he owns.  The janitor - Bob, shares with the young CEO 6 Directives that he learned from his wife, who in the story, has already passed away. 

The premises oddly enough transform the workaholic into a great businessman, family man and friend.  In the end, Bob passes away in the process of teaching the young CEO directive 6.

The first directive was Recharge versus Discharge (because a burned up brain just won't start).  The idea is that after working all day, you need to do something that energizes you are sparks your creativity such as reading, journaling, cleaning, or playing golf.  You will find that as you unwind, creative solutions to your most challenging problems will seem to come time mind effortlessly. 

The second directive was to View Family as a Blessing - Not a Responsibility.  Viewing your family as a burden makes your work a bondage.  Enjoying your work makes it easier to come home and enjoy your family.  If you walk around saying "I hate this job and I only do it to help pay bills" - that job is guaranteed to make you bitter toward your family.  If you go to work thinking "this job is a blessing because it enables me to provide for my family" - - your days will go suprisingly more smoothly, and you may just begin to enjoy your work.

The third directive was Pray, Don't Pout.  Instead of pouting because things aren't going as well as you had hoped, pray and ask for favor and wisdom.  Favor to understand your problems, and wisdom to handle them effectively. 

The fourth directive was Pass it Around.  In the story, the Janitor gave the young CEO a watch.  On the back of the face of the watch, the words "Pass It Around" were engraved.  The meaning is time is flying by, share your wisdom and knowledge with others before it is too late.

The fifth directive was Don't Spend - Invest!  And no, he was not talking about money.  He was talking about time and energy.  Evaluate all of the activities in your life as either an investment or an expense.  Does the outcome of what you are spending your time and energy on have eternal significance?  When we focus on our own agenda, we are SPENDING time and energy.  When we focus on our life's purpose, we are INVESTING time and energy.  Invest your time and energy into things that have eternal value.

And finally, directive 6 - Leave a Legacy.  Don't just take from the past, pay it forward for future generations.  The illustration given was the two dates found on tombstones.  For example, mine would be June 23, 1972 - Whatver, 2090.  Lots of times, we get caught up in the birth and death, and spend little time concentrating on the space in between.  After your time on earth, what will be left behind?  Are you doing something worthwhile with your life that will live .. after you are gone?

I highly reccommend this book!  It has had a profound impact on me, and I pray that God will allow me to learn to incorporate these six directives in my daily life.

As always, comments are welcomed!

What if I told you that advertising was a waste and that direct mail has a 2% effectiveness rate?  What if I also told you that there is a sure-fire method for turning strangers into friends and friends into customers?

Traditional methods of marketing (like unwanted telephone calls, junk mail and SPAM) also known as INTERRUPTION MARKETING is the enemy of anyone who is trying to save time.  And the marketer who interrupts us not only tends to fail at selling his or her product, but they waste our most valuable commodity - TIME.

To be more effective in your business development, perhaps you should consider permission based marketing instead of interruption marketing.  How do you do that?  It is really simple, and a lot less expensive! 

Step1:  Offer your prospects an incentive to volunteer to communicate with you.

Step 2:  Using the attention and permission given by the prospect, over time, teach the consumer about your services.

Step 3:  Reinforce the incentive to guarantee that the prospect continually gives you permission to contact them.

Step 4:  Offer additional incentives to get even more permission from the customer.

Step 5:  Leverage the permission to change your consumer's behavior and get them to use your services instead of someone else's.

Permission marketing cuts through the clutter and allows a marketer to speak to prospects as friends - not as strangers.  Permission marketing is anticipated (they look forward to hearing from you), personal (the messages are directly related to the individual), and relevant (the marketing is about something the prospect is interested in).

Permission marketing lets you turn strangers (folks who might otherwise ignore your unsolicited offer) into people willing to pay attention when your message arrives in an expected, appreciated way.  And refer you to their family and friends.

For more information on permission based marketing for Realtors, or for a complimentary consultation on how to become a permission based marketer - email me at paulamosley@kw.com.

Happy selling!