Archive for the ‘INSPIRATIONAL’ Category
Perhaps It’s Time to Rethink Your Sync
Sunday, August 29th, 2010
Just when you started getting a handle on what it takes to have a successful Website along comes social networking. In your drive to keep up and stay synced do you find yourself texting, tweeting, facebooking yourself to distraction? Or is that very activity the distraction (from life, business) itself?
It’s so easy to get lost in “doing” when we are not sure of the reasons behind it. Or worse, because it is what “everyone else is doing”. And the very worst of all, because it fills the space of the moment, squeezing out any possibility of just “being”.
These were the questions and concerns that came up a couple of days ago during a recent meeting with a speakers mastermind group I belong to. Just like you, to a person they felt overwhelmed by the process of keeping up with social networking even though they were not quite sure what it could do for them.
Now don’t get me wrong, I’m a huge proponent of social networking. However it is just a tool. One that you should be driving, rather than it driving you. And, if you feel the need to be in sync all the time, perhaps it’s time to rethink your sync…
People who are way out of sync with the digital maelstrom of the moment aren’t always bad followers. They might be great leaders.
Seth Godin
If you are feeling overwhelmed trying to stay on top of social networking then a) it’s not working for you, you are working for it; and b) chances are the people you try to stay connected with are feeling the same. As the powerful tool it certainly can be, you either learn to master it, or let it go. But never, ever let it (or any other tool) lord over you —that’s just plain foolish.
Turning An Objection Into a Reason to Buy
Saturday, August 28th, 2010
The most powerful form of objection handling I ever learned (thanks to Cavett Roberts) was to take the very reason for objecting and have it as the reason why the prospects are excited to buy. Here is a very clever example of this approach applied to an otherwise difficult to sell listing.
Music Travels Uphill Too
Long time Online Dominance students (and eTEAM members) Marie Sue Parsons and her daughter / partner Stephanie Young had a listing in the very exclusive “Riviera” section of Santa Barbara. The only problem was (and it was a big one), it directly overlooked the famous outdoor Santa Barbara Bowl. This is where some of the biggest musical acts in the entertainment industry come to our fair city and play under the stars. However, as everyone knows, sound travels quite effectively uphill. Anyone looking for a nice quiet neighborhood wouldn’t ever consider this property, despite its breathtaking views.
This is when Marie Sue and Stephanie started thinking out of the box, way out. Understanding that if sound travels well uphill music will too, they decided to host an exclusive invitation-only open house during the evening that the Steve Miller Band and Stevie Nicks were performing. They headlined it as the property that offered a free birds-eye view of every Bowl concert (which typically charges big $$ to attend). Well, the response was incredible and the sellers thought Marie Sue and Stephanie were geniuses for coming up with the idea.
What’s so cool here is that they took the very reason why the average consumer might shun this house and turned it into a unique benefit that a certain segment would kill to have. This is really smart marketing. Kudos to Marie Sue (who I’ve known for over 30 years) and Stephanie! CLICK HERE to see the write up they received in the local Santa Barbara press = great PR…
How to Drown Your Competition
Saturday, August 21st, 2010
How much can you talk about your real estate specialty? Assuming you have a specialty, do you run out of things to say or contribute after just a few minutes, or can you go on for hours?
How you answer this question is a measure of your professional depth and commitment. Given that Kevin Tomlinson doesn’t even have to look at the Miami MLS to tell you which South Beach condos are for sale, under what terms and what unique features each offers speaks volumes about his depth. One that his competitors can’t hope to match because they are far too busy trying to be everything to everyone.
The same with Linda Jefferson of GoArmyHomes.com who can give you every nuance of working with relocating army families. Like it or not, real estate sales is no longer just about sales. It is also very much a function of how well you serve and stand out from your competition as evidenced by your passion and depth of knowledge. It doesn’t matter if your experience spans hundreds of square miles if it’s only one-inch deep.
This reminds me of something my Dad said something to me when I was in my teens that I’ll never forget…
There are those with years of experience and those with experience in their years.
Max O. Russer (Mr. Internet’s Dad)
Guess which one prospects will be attracted to and to whom clients will refer others. If you call yourself a professional it is incumbent upon you to maintain and grow the depth of specialized experience and knowledge implied by that moniker. Anything less is just posing.
Are You a Tortoise or a Hare?
Monday, August 16th, 2010
Are you a tortoise or a hare? From my point of view as a speaker, trainer and coach for the last 15 years, the true answer for most salespeople is the soft fuzzy one (and darn proud of it!).
Dave Ramsey was the keynote speaker at the recent STAR POWER conference in Murfreesboro, TN. He spoke about the tortoise and the hare. According to him, the tortoise always wins —eventually.
If you look at the behavior and personality of the two it’s not hard to see why. Hares are quite often undiagnosed ADHD, Ritalin-deficient go-getters that are constantly looking for either a) their next adrenalin high, or b) the next bright-shiny object / silver bullet that will promise to deliver it. They confuse the distinction between strategic and tactical, and a well-defined “process” is something that gets in the way of all that sense of urgency they literally thrive on.
The tortoise however focuses on measured steps that will eventually take them to their objectives. Their path is strategically well planned and they are comfortable with the fact they will not get there overnight. “Slow and steady” is their motto as they put blinders on to avoid the glint of all those bright shiny objects that promise quick results.
Tortoises stay focused, calm and resilient. Hares are easily distracted, get tired and often don’t read (RDR)…
It is my contention that Aesop was writing for the tortoise market. Hares have no time to read.
Anita Brookner
Now you may protest that the hare has a lot more fun. Well… that depends upon how you define “fun”. Chaos can seem like fun for awhile, until it isn’t any more. A long-term consistently growing, financially profitable business —now that’s what I call fun :0)
Choose Who YOU Want to Work With
Wednesday, August 4th, 2010
Do you work with every prospect that comes your way? Even in the best of times most agents do, figuring “Any business is better than no business.” And when times are tough, sales associates tend to look at prospects like someone dying of thirst looks at a glass of cool, clear water.
Yet this very understandable approach to new business could in fact cost you the very thing you want –a steady stream of new business.
The reality is that you will do better by being very selective with whom you choose to work. The reasons are very simple: you will enjoy your job so much more and those that you do serve will appreciate your efforts that much more.
The funny thing about human nature is that the more selective you become, the easier it will be to attract those very people. When I had my Mortgage company in the mid-1980’s, real estate agents told their borrowers they had to call and mention the agent’s name if they wanted a chance to work with me. Needless to say, this created a sense of extreme value in the minds of prospects —they were chasing me, instead of the other way around.
This effect was helped greatly by my very public declaration that I simply did not work with everyone…
It’s not a matter of who can benefit from what you sell. It’s about choosing the customers you’d like to have.
Seth Godin
There is one very important caveat here. This only works well when you also choose to specialize. Trying to be everything to everyone is like taking a megaphone to a crowd of people and screaming that you will take all comers —it kind of defeats the purpose.
Differentiate For Success
Monday, July 26th, 2010
What are the qualities that define a top producer from just another real estate sales associate struggling to keep it all together?
There are two primary ones that really make these folks, well… stand out from the crowd:
- Implementation – they consistently put into practice proven strategies and tactics. You never hear excuses as to why they didn’t do something.
- Differentiation – they strive to be different, stand out from everyone else.
This second one is so interesting because while most agents will talk about “standing out” their actions say something else. Many agents clearly become uncomfortable if they do or even consider doing something that will make them stand out. Maybe it’s a throw-back to the days when we were in high school and “being like everyone else” was social survival rule #1.
When it comes to being consistently successful however, being perceived as different from the rest (ideally in a good way) is absolutely essential both in business and life…
America has believed that in differentiation, not in uniformity, lies the path of progress. It acted on this belief; it has advanced human happiness, and it has prospered.
Louis D. Brandeis
(American Supreme Court Justice, 1856-1941)
We are all unique beings with unique talents, perspectives and gifts that can positively affect our world. It just takes willingness and courage to allow them to flower.
(NOTE: click on the image above to view a short video about the importance of differentiation in marketing)
Don’t Drink the Poison of Comparison
Saturday, July 10th, 2010
Let me ask you something, and be honest about how you answer this. Have you ever felt just a tinge of envy when meet someone who is “more successful” than you? Or on the flip side, feel just a bit superior when you meet someone who is not as successful as you?
If you answered yes to either of these welcome to the Human Race. The tendency to compare ourselves to others (either positively or negatively) is very common and in fact well supported by our celebrity-crazed media and society. If we are not careful we could end up spending a significant part of our time worrying about how we compare to others. Let me share something from first-hand experience in this matter —this never, ever works to your benefit —ever!
Comparing yourself to others is like a highly corrosive acid that eats at your soul and tarnishes the possibilities you already have available to you. I remember (way back in 1976) as a young, upstart sales person who saw some early success. At first I just focused on what I needed to do to be successful. I learned from others as I could and was not being bothered by the fact that so many (in fact almost everyone) was better at doing the business than me because I was new.
However, once consistent success was achieved, I started to compare myself to others and without fail ended up feeling depressed because there was always a bigger fish. As a result my productivity, and even more importantly, my enjoyment of the business plummeted…
If you resent those who have achieved more than you, that blocks your own path to achievement. If you feel superior to those who have achieved less, your own achievements will quickly crumble.
Choose to be inspired instead of intimidated or resentful.
Focus on creating your own special manifestation of goodness and abundance.
Ralph Marston
The next time you have the urge to compare, stop and remember that it is about as useful as drinking a cup of poison. Instead, celebrate the success of others and learn what you can. And be grateful for your own success and readily share what you know. Either way is a much more fulfill ling way to live.
Work to Live, Not Live to Work
Monday, July 5th, 2010
Summer is here (at least for those of us North of the equator) and today is one of the biggest and most important “relaxation” holidays of the year in the U.S. —the 4th of July (okay, it’s actually the 5th, but we are celebrating it today).
So just how relaxed are you feeling? Is it hard to “let go” and not think about work. Or do you feel stressed because you are trying not to think about work and the little voice in your head says you better or something bad will happen?
If so, welcome to the club. Far too many of us (me included) have a hard time relaxing. I suspect the primary reason for this is that age-old culprit, fear. Fear that if we let go of our iron grip everything will fall apart. Actually, quite the opposite is true. If we don’t learn to relax on a regular basis, everything will fall apart, starting with our health and relationships…
When you don’t have time to relax, that’s when relaxation will help you most. Go ahead, and allow yourself to relax.
Stop clinging to what you think you need. Start allowing the beauty of what is.
Ralph Marston
So as you are cooking those hotdogs and burgers enjoy the moment for what it is. You’ve worked hard, you deserve to enjoy life without constant fretting and worry. Remember, you can handle anything that comes your way. It’s just a lot easier when you are fully rested and regained the perspective that you work to live, not live to work…
Avoid Comfort Zone Jail
Monday, June 28th, 2010
How you feeling these days —pretty comfortable? And if not, then chances are you expend a great deal of effort trying to achieve the state of comfort. Almost everyone does.
If you take a hard look at today’s mass media, the vast majority of it is geared to achieving greater levels of comfort, whether it be through food, a new car, Lazy-boy chair or the hammock that swings just outside my office door that is used almost daily.
There is nothing wrong with being comfortable. In fact it is a state we all need from time to time otherwise we grow dull very quickly. When “comfort” becomes our primary goal however, that is when it is no longer our friend. It becomes a very deep rut from whose depths it can be very difficult to climb out of.
As human beings we are “hard-wired” to stretch and learn new things. And when we don’t things can break down very quickly, be it your business, relationships or health…
I used to have a comfort zone where I knew I wouldn’t fail. The same four walls and busywork were really more like jail.
Author Unknown (click here to read the whole poem)
Getting out of your comfort zone is easier said than done. At first things feel awkward and very unsure. Now there are two ways to look at this: a) “Ugh, this feels like I’m just starting over and I’ve been there, done that!”, or b) “I wonder what new things I’m going to learn and be able to do!”. Perhaps the best way to think about “comfort” is that it’s a rest stop on the road of life, never the destination…
Win Win vs. Win Lose
Saturday, June 19th, 2010
When the World Cup of Soccer is over, in addition to those annoying horns going silent, very few will remember who came in 2nd or 3rd regardless of how hard each team played. If you make a profit in the stock market it is coming out of the pocket of some other investor. A seller just said “yes” to list with one of your competitors —they win, you lose.
The idea that business, and even life for that matter, is a zero-sum game is deeply ingrained within our highly competitive Western society. By the way, our primitive reptilian brain loves the idea of “I win, everyone else loses” because it is so survival-centric. Which of course should give you a clue that perhaps this way of thinking is not the best for your long-term well being and happiness.
A much more powerful (and healthy) way to look at competitive situations is to consider what you can learn each time you “lose”. For example, when I started selling real estate back in 1976 (okay, hold the AARP jokes) I focused on listing FSBOs. At first I was terrible at it. However, every time I “lost” the listing to another agent I made a point to ask the seller a very important question:
“Mr. & Mrs. Seller, congratulations on listing with _______, I am sure they will do an outstanding job for you. Would you mind sharing with me what it was about ________ that caused you to choose them to market your home?”
By taking this approach, I went from “terrible” to “pretty darn good” pretty darn fast! Each time I lost a listing to a competitor, it became an opportunity to learn what set them apart. From that perspective I should thank each of them for helping me become the “FSBO Kid” (as I was known) in just three months flat…
Make failure your teacher, not your undertaker.
Zig Ziglar
Zero-sum is a very limiting way to look at life and business. Celebrate your wins of course, and be grateful for the opportunity to learn when you don’t come out on top. It truly is a gift if you choose to see it that way.
