When the market is flying high and sticking a sign in the yard brings in multiple offers it can be easy to think you’re doing better than you necessarily are. The harsh reality is, however, a tougher market always exposes the real truth behind how you’re actually doing. And some of us have gotten off track. Below, I detail “The Five Detours on the Road to Success.” 

1. Lack of Accountability 

Every human being does better with accountability because we truly cannot see our own shortcomings; outside perspective is the best way to gain clarity on our patterns. 

2. Loss of Motivation 

Motivation, by its very nature, is designed to dissipate so we need to seek it out continually. As my friend and mentor, Zig Ziglar, says: “Motivation is like bathing. You have to do it on a daily basis!” 

3. In Need of Direction 

Once you get things moving and gain some momentum you actually need more direction than you did when you were just starting out. This is borne out by countless people who work their whole life and have nothing to show for it. 

4. Isolation 

All you have to do is watch the “Animal Planet” documentary on predators in the wild to know how detrimental isolation can be: Predators never attack the pack; they always look for the isolated, hurt, wounded, and lost, the ones who’ve stopped moving forward. Self-employed people are more predisposed to this isolation than anyone else. 

5. Drift 

While “isolation” is a predator, “drift” is a killer; it’s the “silent assassin” because we don’t know how far and how fast we’ve drifted until something catastrophic happens. 

As you can see, the “Five Detours” are things we all face and it can be easy to get off track in both business and our personal lives. But let’s examine the solution side of things. If there are detours, then rest assured there are also rules of the road to get you back on track. 

Stay on Track with These Rules of the Road 

1. Stay Accountable 

While it may not be natural to seek out accountability, let’s just have a look at what happens in its absence. Tiger Woods – the greatest golfer in the world – recently missed the cut at the British Open. Just so happens it was the first time in five years he didn’t bring his coach to a tournament. 

2. Brainstorm and Network with Others 

We humans do much better when we mastermind together, which is why we facilitate networking at our events, as well as in our Coaching programs and Small Groups. Surround yourself with positive, resourceful, successful people, because they’ll lift you up rather than drag you down. 

3. Plan Daily Doses of Motivation 

Just think of your daily motivation like an essential vitamin, with nothing but positive, good-for-you side effects. Plan daily doses by listening to affirming CDs in your car or by reading good books – just a few lines here or there will go a long way. 

4. Follow the System 

You know you’re in need of direction – everybody is. And we’ve developed a system that works. Now, I know that few people ever follow the system 100%, but what if that means you’re missing out on a 30% jump in your income?! Would that be worth increasing your commitment to the lead-generation activities by just 10%? The Referral Systems work; but only if you do! 

5. Work with a Coach 

A Coach has the expertise, tools and strategies to help you get your business cranking. That accountability and direction will help you avoid drift – the deadly killer. 

This much I do know…there’s a reason our Coaching Members averaged $192,000 in income in one of the worst markets we’ve seen… 

The fact that you’re still in business means you have weathered the storm and, as I’ve said before, a recession is a terrible thing to waste. Follow the rules of the road and you’ll be launching a great new year. Buffini & Company will be here to help. 

Brian Buffini is CEO and Founder of Buffini & Company. 

For more information, visit www.buffiniandcompany.com. 

RISMedia welcomes your questions and comments. Send your e-mail to: realestatemagazinefeedback@rismedia.com. 

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In ASTD’s most recent study, State of Sales Training 2009, Dr. Lambert took aim at answering some crucial questions about the state of sales training and the effectiveness of delivery methods being employed by companies today. (Full survey may be ordered at: http://store.astd.org or by calling 800.628.2783; ASTD Product Code: 190903.)

Those of us in the real estate industry have seen the number of classroom-delivered training sessions drop significantly over the past three years and be replaced by on-line programs and webinars. One need only speak with real estate Boards of Education directors to know that they struggle to fill seats in scheduled classes. It costs far less to deliver a sales training program on line than it does to hire skilled sales training professionals to conduct in classroom education.

What Dr. Lambert’s research concludes is that what we are losing by foregoing predominately hands-on classroom education far outweighs the nominal upfront savings realized by delivering primarily on-line programs. The old adage, you get what you pay for, has never been more apropos.

MBS: Dr. Lambert, I’ve read your study and found it to be very enlightening. As an educator, it was my contention that there were topics that could easily and effectively be delivered using on-line methodologies. However, there seemed to be no replacement for human interaction and learning where sales skills were concerned. Who were your respondents and how did you correlate what was learned?

Dr. Lambert: The study was comprised of responses from managers, field sales professionals, training and development experts and financial services workers. In order to break down what we learned, we realized that we had to compartmentalize the data into several ‘buckets’ of content mix. The five categories we created were: selling skills, product training, industry knowledge, company-specific knowledge and management issues. What we found, in a nutshell, is that knowledge transfer on the web was effective, skills transfer was not. Knowledge transfer is the practical problem of transferring knowledge from one part of an organization to another as well as transferring good ideas, research results and skills between organizations, businesses and the wider community in order to enable innovative and/or more effective products and services to be developed.

MBS: For example, one company creates a better ‘mousetrap.’ That information may be made available to other companies (patents and ownership issues appropriately dealt with), and said information may be shared through a clear step-by-step on line seminar/webinar. Unlike need-to-know knowledge which is immediate and necessary for doing one’s job well… the so called sales skills.

Dr. Lambert: Knowledge transfer, sometimes known as best practices should be learned first. Once the person understands the ins and outs of the organization, they are ready to absorb practical selling skills. It is difficult for sales persons to bring product to market (in the case of real estate, product is the property) without a clear understanding of the resources available to them to integrate throughout the sales process. In other words, what the broad overall services of the organization bring to bear on the entire sales cycle. Sales training becomes more effective when training content and delivery are fully integrated into a firm’s wider base of learning and development activities.

MBS: There is a good deal of discussion about the value of the so-called Sales 2.0 as a sales component of Web 2.0. Tell us what they are and what impact they are having on education.

Dr. Lambert: Web 2.0, referred to as ‘on-demand’ technologies integrates technology with proven sales learning techniques in order to increase sales effectiveness and velocity. The sales team and the consumer are linked through the Internet, thus allowing the sales professional to react immediately to clients’ interests and needs. Sales 2.0 is seen by many as enhancing the quality of communication and collaboration between sellers and buyers and members of the selling team and stimulating a more proactive and visible integration of sales knowledge and the customer’s buying cycle. Of great interest is the finding that Sales 2.0 and Web 2.0 paradigms have, as yet, had little or no impact on generalized sales training approaches. Our research suggests that individuals are actually better able to learn selling skills by sharing knowledge within formal or informal mentoring/coaching/training relationships, engaging in “trial and error” learning and observing other highly skilled sales professionals as well as their peers.

MBS: Many organizations employ some level of Internet based initiatives to assist their sales teams. What do the sales teams think of this approach? Is it well-used within the organization?

Dr. Lambert: People don’t want it. Further, when available, the take up rate (how often it is used) is terrible. By far, people prefer informal to formal learning coupled with trial and error. Think of it this way. Would you want your doctor trained this way? Good trainers/coaches understand that there are three crucial components necessary to facilitate sales training. The team needs feedback, motivation and observation. Learning isn’t learning unless behavior changes. There must be verifiable transfer of knowledge. When an organization replicates what happens in live training with a good on-line reinforcement program, the organization can fully correlate sales performance with the desired outcomes.

MBS: What skills should be measured when analyzing the effectiveness of a sales training initiative?

Dr. Lambert: Listening, adapting the sales process to the buying process, problem solving, creativity in the process, empathy and ethical decision making. As you can see, these are tried and true skills that can only be inculcated through experiential learning combined with hands-on training. There was a disconnect between what was assumed to be what sales professionals needed and what they actually wanted. A key reason for undertaking the research was to separate supposition from reality. Our biggest ‘ah ha’ was the need for re-defining sales training and placing the components into the aforementioned ‘buckets.’

MBS: Do new sales professionals have different needs from experienced ones?

Dr. Lambert: Years of experience do not equal expertise. Buyer trends and decision making processes morph over time. Are you operating in the 80’s while the buyer is shopping in the 21st century? The sales person who is keen on enhancing skills and staying current with trends is the one likely to succeed. It is time to start putting the ‘people’ back into sales people. Create better systems, processes and tools is all we hear. Technology does not help place the focus on the customer. Building relationships requires tools and company support, but it is the interpersonal skills of the sales pro that ultimately differentiates success and failure. The competitive advantage is not about pay scales and commissions. While money needs to be there, without the right kinds of support systems that couple hands-on training and peer-to-peer learning, people become dissatisfied and will not perform at optimum levels.

MBS: I am delighted to know that in most sales fields, instructor-lead classroom training leads as the most popular method for delivery. That coupled with on-the-job-training, coaching and mentoring makes for success. Let’s hope that those in the real estate industry take to heart the need to continue face-to-face interventions if we want to improve the state of the industry and skills of its practitioners. I never met a sales person who could learn how to handle a tough client or a difficult objection from a webinar. Your research supports that observation.

Dr. Lambert: While technology moves rapidly forward, the changes in effective training methodologies have not, as some might have anticipated, kept pace. The tried and true of people-to-people interactions still provides the best approach to effective learning and behavioral change.

MBS: Thank you, Dr. Lambert, for your enlightening research and all the great work done by ASTD over so many years. As a long-time member of the organization, I encourage our readers who are concerned about quality education to jump on board.

Marylyn B. Schwartz, CSP, is an expert in real estate and corporate sales training/management and team development. She is president of Teamweavers and a trainer for Leader?s Choice?. Contact her at: www.marylynbschwartz.com or e-mail: Teamweaver@aol.com.

RISMedia welcomes your questions and comments. Send your e-mail to: realestatemagazinefeedback@rismedia.com.

Conversely, government loan programs, both state and federal, have become the lower cost option for many homebuyers. The fact remains that many real estate agents and prospective homebuyers are unaware of these programs. “Homes, Buyers and Mortgages” is a compilation and interpretation of information that homebuyers, existing homeowners and investors will find invaluable.

“Homes, Buyers and Mortgages” is a solutions oriented book that provides not only information on how things have changed but serves as a resource guide to homebuyers of where to go to avail themselves of these programs. The book is supplemented by a “Homes, Buyers and Mortgages” website that the reader can access for updated information on these programs.

The author, Jason Kotar is a Florida certified educator who has developed and teaches courses to real estate agents throughout Florida. Jason has received approval from the state to teach a continuing education course on Homes, Buyers and Mortgages. Jason has also published numerous articles in a national real estate magazine covering appraisals, government actions affecting the housing market and changes in the mortgage industry.

For more information, visit www.homesbuyersandmortgages.com for further information on the book and reference material. If you are interested, a copy of the book can be sent to you for your review. Please email your address to Jason Kotar at Jason@Kotarassociates.com. You can reach him at Kotar Associates, 954-734-3504

RISMedia welcomes your questions and comments. Send your e-mail to: realestatemagazinefeedback@rismedia.com.

Why is it that so many successful real estate agents have used coaching to get to the top?

There’s a saying that “7% of all the agents do 93% of all the business… and the rest don’t have coaches.” What do the top 7% know that the 93% don’t know? This article will answer this question and many more about why even the very best receive coaching.

What is coaching?

When coaching first became a profession about 15 years ago, people didn’t know what it meant to have a coach. If you told them you had a coach, they would ask, “What sport are you in?”

In 1995, Newsweek ran an article that predicted that coaching would become the fastest-growing profession. Not only that, but instead of people asking, “What’s coaching?” they would be asking, “Who is your coach?”

That prediction has come true. Coaching has become the fastest growing profession.
Why do real estate agents often work with business coaches?

Having been a real estate business coach for over 12 years, I have noticed the profound need that real estate agents have for a business coach. Why is this?

• Real estate agents, always need to be “on,” they are always selling to the public. If you are real estate agent, you know this to be true. Your level of confidence needs to be continually high to attract clients.

• You are aware of how easy it is to get distracted. There are always multiple demands on your time. Many agents come to me complaining that they are feeling scattered and they want my help to get focused and stay focused.

• Prospecting is a big part of your work, and unless you are a natural extrovert, it takes a lot to pick up the phone and start calling people. I am amazed at how many agents, when they first come to me, are even scared to call up their former clients or their sphere of influence.

• Using the right marketing strategies is imperative. If you are spending a lot of time and money on the wrong ones, you’re in big trouble and a coach can spot that mistake right away and help you make the right decisions.

• With the changing market, mindset has become more important than ever. A negative view of today’s current market will lower your confidence significantly, reducing your sales and overall income. Now more than ever, real estate agents need coaches to help them see the opportunities in every market.

• If you are a seasoned agent, you know how easy it is to fall into a slump or “hit the wall” as someone was telling me today. When you hit the wall, it’s somewhat like being in quicksand. Try as you might, you can’t pull yourself out.

• Last but not least, there is the issue of support. As a real estate agent, think of how many people you support on a daily basis. You are the support for all of your clients, all of your former clients, all of your prospects, and if you have kids, you are their support as well.

Who supports you? Who can you count on to lean on for yourself? This is where coaching fills a big need. When you have a coach, you have a committed ally, someone who is in your corner from week to week and is rooting for your success. How supportive do you think that feels? In addition, the coach can help you to see your “blind spots” and move past them.

Why do some people “resist” receiving coaching?

A reason that people often give is “I can’t afford it.” This actually turns out to be bogus, for the simple reason that coaching pays for itself. I ask my clients to think of how many transactions they need to close to pay for coaching. The answer is always the same. “The coaching pays for itself.” Why? Because one transaction will cover the cost of coaching many times over.

So if money is not the real reason, then why do people resist something that would help them?

In my 12 years of coaching, plus my 20 years before that of being a psychologist, I have noticed that the real reasons people resist coaching are issues that they are unaware of. Here’s what I have discovered:

• Most people have a hidden belief that goes like this, “I have to do it alone.” The idea of having someone help them does not fit in with their mindset. They think it means that they are not as good as they should be. I always remind these people that even Tiger Woods has a coach. Why? Because he has blind spots and we all have blind spots.

• Many people unknowingly have a block about “receiving.” Have you noticed that some people cannot even receive a compliment? These same people pride themselves in being givers. There’s nothing wrong with being a giver, but unless you can also receive, you are not in balance. Stephen Covey advises us, “Make sure that every interaction is a win/win.” In other words, you should be giving and receiving and being open to receiving guidance.

If your business is growing steadily, year after year, you probably don’t need a business Coach, unless you feel unbalanced between your personal and professional life.

On the other hand, if you’ve been struggling with getting more clients, getting more listings, and having a balanced lifestyle, then it’s time to let go of the belief that you can do it alone. It’s time to receive help from a coach or a mentor.

Be sure that whoever you choose, has plenty of experience, and specializes in the particular issues that are currently a challenge for you.

Dr. Maya Bailey, author of, Law of Attraction for Real Estate Professionals, integrates 20 years of experience as a psychologist and 12 years as a business coach with her expertise in the Law of Attraction. Her powerful work creates a success formula for real estate professionals ready to double and triple their incomes. Get Dr. Maya’s free report, 7 Simple Strategies For More Clients in 90 Days, by visiting www.90DaystoMoreClients.com.

RISMedia welcomes your questions and comments. Send your e-mail to: realestatemagazinefeedback@rismedia.com

The answer is, “none of the above.” Rather, it is the presence of self limiting beliefs.

Having been a business coach for the past 12 years, I’ve noticed that everyone has an abundance of self limiting beliefs. Sometimes these lie dormant for years, but when you are building a business, they often stop you dead in your tracks.

I’ve noticed that there are categories in which most people have self limiting beliefs:

Beliefs about themselves
Beliefs about money
Beliefs about work

Let’s take these categories one at a time and discover the self limiting beliefs that live within each of us.

Beliefs about yourself. Do any of these sound familiar?

“I’m not educated enough”
“I’m not good enough”
“It’s selfish for me to want more”

Beliefs about work

“Work needs to be hard”
“Work requires struggle and sacrifice”
“To be successful I have to give up my personal life”

Beliefs about money

“There is never enough money”
“Nice people don’t have money”
“People who have money are cut-throat”
“Money will create a problem in my relationships”

If you recognize any of these self limiting beliefs in yourself, keep in mind that:

- It doesn’t help to judge yourself for these beliefs, so be compassionate with yourself.

- These beliefs are not facts, just beliefs.

- These beliefs can be changed, you’re not stuck with them.

At this point, you’re probably wondering, “How do I get rid of these beliefs?”

Step 1

Make a T diagram by drawing a horizontal line on your paper and a vertical line. This will create two columns. Label the heading of the left-hand column, “self limiting beliefs”. Then label the right-hand column, “empowered beliefs”.

After you’ve written down all of your self limiting beliefs in your left-hand column, find the belief that would cancel out the old belief. Then write that in your right-hand column.

For example, if your self limiting belief about yourself is, “I don’t have what it takes to succeed”, then cancel that out by writing the opposite of that statement in your right-hand column, such as,” I have more than I need to succeed.”

Step 2

Make a list of your inner and outer resources. At the top of the page write, “I have all I need to succeed.” Then began to write down all of your inner resources, such as intelligence, determination, people skills and so forth.

Next, determine your outer resources, such as: a supportive office, a supportive spouse, years of experience, an excellent mentor and so forth.

Step 3

Become highly aware of your thoughts and feelings. If you’re feeling anything less than wonderful, then you’re probably focusing on what you don’t want, rather than what you do want. When you notice that, ask yourself, “So…what do I want?”

Step 4

Once you are aware of what you want, begin to visualize it and feel what it feels like to have it. For example, if you want to make $400,000 a year, work 30 hours or less a week and take several vacations within the next 12 months, visualize that. Close your eyes and capture the feeling.

Take a few moments each day to be in that feeling. Be sure to bring all of your senses into it.

For example, if you visualize yourself vacationing in Hawaii, feel the balmy ocean air, the feeling of the sand beneath you, the warmth of the sun on your body and so forth.

Step 5

If any self limiting belief opposes your intention to make $400,000 a year, work 30 hours a week or less, and have several vacations within the next 12 months, become a “loving detective” in yourself and find out what self limiting belief is opposing that.

In other words, what is your counter intention? For most people, it is the belief that “I’m not worthy of abundance.”

Ask your old belief this question, “What are you trying to do for me, by having me hold on to the belief that I’m not worthy of abundance?”

Most of the time, the answer will be, “I’m trying to keep you safe.”

When I coach my clients, I help them see the origin of that belief so they are able to realize the connection in their subconscious mind between perceived “safety”
and stopping themselves from abundance.

Usually what we discover is that this belief was installed as a survival strategy in childhood. Once the awareness of that is available, we can reprogram or release that self limiting belief. I have my clients thank that self limiting belief for trying to be of service, and then release it to its highest good.

If you have been feeling stuck and unable to reach your goals, I would highly recommend that you practice the five steps described above. Once you’ve released your self limiting beliefs, you will have unleashed your “unstoppable energy.” Success is created from the inside out. By doing this inner work, you are building a solid blueprint for success within yourself.

Dr. Maya Bailey, author of Law of Attraction for Real Estate Professionals, integrates 20 years of experience as a psychologist and 12 years as a business coach with her expertise in the Law of Attraction. Get Bailey’s free report, 7 Simple Strategies For More Clients in 90 Days, by visiting www.90DaystoMoreClients.com.

RISMedia welcomes your questions and comments. Send your e-mail to: realestatemagazinefeedback@rismedia.com.

Don’t miss these headlines on RISMedia.com:

When the Goin’ Gets Tough – Find Some Calm, Get Organized 
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The program will be held Aug. 4, the day before Inman’s Real Estate Connect in San Francisco at the Palace Hotel.

“This is a great opportunity for California Realtors to learn how to effectively support and educate consumers,” said C.A.R. President James Liptak. “The EDUTIZING concept takes the real estate marketing relationship in a new direction through a variety of different platforms. We’ve assembled a fantastic group of national real estate experts, including our own Leslie Appleton-Young, to share their ideas on this new method.”

Additional confirmed speakers include: Matthew Borland, ,managing broker and partner of Zephyr Realty in San Francisco; Chris Bartle, CEO of Green Key Real Estate in San Francisco; Allan Dalton, president of Top 5 in Real Estate Network®; Matt Dollinger, performance coach of @properties in Chicago; Peter Krause cofounder of Terradatum Inc.; Sean O’Toole, CEO of ForeclosureRadar.com^TM; Maria Marchetti, Realtor with Pacific Union/GMAC in San Francisco; Jeff Brooks, San Francisco Real Estate blogger; and Errol Samuelson, president of Realtor.com.

The purpose of “Gain the EDUTIZING Edge” is to give Realtors more effective ways to connect with today’s home buyers and at the same time, emphasize the value of their market expertise. Session topics include: Growing Your Business by Positioning Yourself as an Expert in Your Local Marketplace, Telling Your Online Story and Using Mobile to Position Yourself as an Expert. Attendees also can stay for the networking cocktail reception immediately following the classes.

Members of C.A.R. get a special registration rate of $59 for the EDUTIZING program only. A discounted $329 rate also is available for the entire Inman Conference. For more information and to register for “Gaining the EDUTIZING Edge” visit http://www.car.org/tools/330771/.

For more information, visit www.car.org.

RISMedia welcomes your questions and comments. Send your e-mail to: realestatemagazinefeedback@rismedia.com.

Bad Team – Bad Business
Average Team – Average Business
Great Team – Great Business

Isn’t it a little bit odd that this little secret is really the key to success in real estate, but nobody ever bothers to tell you? I didn’t learn this in my licensing or continuing education classes. I learned this the hard way. At first I recruited “bad” agents and my business suffered. Then I started to recruit “average” agents and things got a little bit better. Finally, I began to recruit “great” agents and my business exploded.

Bad Agents

Bad agents are people who suck a lot of your time without selling any homes. They actually make your business worse because you have to deal with all of their problems, complaints and/or issues. When you ask them why they didn’t sign a prospect to an exclusive agreement, they’ll almost always give you some sort of excuse.

You can easily attract bad agents to you by running, “Help Wanted” advertisements in your local newspaper or on Craigslist. You might not believe me, but it’s the truth. If you stop and think about it for a minute, you’ll quickly realize that a great salesperson wouldn’t be looking at the help wanted advertisements. Why? Because they would be too busy selling.

Average Agents

Average agents are agents who do all right. You can count on them for a sale or two every so often. An average sales person simply takes the cream off the top, meaning that they sell homes to the easiest prospects. They really don’t do a very good job following up with prospects. Sales simply fall in their lap and they go through business at this pace without much effort.

You can easily find average agents by recruiting agents from other companies. I can still remember a meeting I had with an agent from a different brokerage several years ago. This agent wanted to join my team, but couldn’t leave her brokerage because she owed them $7,000 in commissions that had been advanced to her. Would a great agent be negative $7,000 in commissions? Certainly not.

The problem with average agents is that we always hesitate in letting them go. We think about the sales they do bring in and calculate the commissions generated. We worry that if we let the average agent person go, we’ll lose out on the commissions they do generate. This thinking is incorrect because it comes from a scarcity mindset.

For some reason, we look at what we stand to lose instead of what we stand to gain. It is always better to replace average agents with great agents.

Great Team Members

Great agents are agents who turn dirt into gold. They rarely make excuses and consistently perform at high levels. They have the ability to really “hear” a prospect or client. They can “feel” what the prospect wants and they simply deliver. They adapt and adjust depending on who they are working with and they ALWAYS self correct. They are not afraid to close and typically have the highest conversion and sales numbers.

The challenge with great agents is that they aren’t easy to find. You can’t find them running “Help Wanted” advertisements. You also can’t find them working in other real estate companies. If they were already great agents, they wouldn’t be interested in working on your team. They would have their own team…

To find “great” agents you have to look outside of the existing pool of real estate agents. The trick is to look for great people, not great agents. Here is where I found the majority of my best team members:

Past Clients

As I would help someone with their real estate transaction, I would have the opportunity to get to know them really well. I always asked myself if this client would be a great real estate agent??? After the transaction completed, I would set an appointment with them and explain that I thought they would be excellent in real estate sales. I highlighted how my business operated and explained the opportunities available to them. I then suggested that they get their license and offered to help them through the licensing process.

This little strategy led to five great agents and one great office manager.

To make this strategy work for your business, you must always be looking for great people. Most agents wait until they need a new agent and then try and find someone for their team. This is a BIG mistake. You must do the exact opposite. If come across someone good in your day-to-day journey, figure out how to make a spot for them on your team.

Remember “great” team members build “great” businesses.

Rob Minton, who reinvented his real estate sales business to sell 269 homes to a limited number of clients in one year, has written a very practical book on how real estate agents can sell more homes. For a limited time, you can download this book for free by visiting www.renegadehomesales.com.

RISMedia welcomes your questions and comments. Send your e-mail to: realestatemagazinefeedback@rismedia.com.

For more real estate tips and topics, see:

What’s the Big Deal about Journaling Anyways? 
How to Unlock the Keys to Brand Leveraging 
Planet Facebook – Is Social-networking Site a Phenomenon or a Fad?

Top 5 President Allan Dalton will show agents the most effective solutions for working with Expireds, Short Sales, Price Reductions, Getting Buyers Off the Fence, Eliminating Your Listing Competition and Creating Your Own Real Estate Social Network. The program will also feature Networking, Membership, Participation and Implementation of the Top 5 in Real Estate Network(R).

When: Wednesday, July 15
Where: North San Diego Association of Realtors, 906 Sycamore Avenue, Suite 104, Vista, CA

And:

When: Thursday, July 16
Where: Ramada Inn & Conference Center, 5550 Kearny Mesa Road, San Diego, CA

Time for all events: Coffee: 9 a.m. Presentation 9:30-11 a.m.

Who should attend: Leading professional real estate agents with three or more years experience who are in the top 10% of production in their marketplace.

RSVP: The event is FREE, but seating is limited. To reserve your spot, visit http://events.top5inrealestate.com.

For more information contact events@Top5inRealEstate.com or call (203) 853-2167, ext. 140.

RISMedia welcomes your questions and comments. Send your e-mail to: realestatemagazinefeedback@rismedia.com.

RISMedia welcomes your questions and comments. Send your e-mail to: realestatemagazinefeedback@rismedia.com.

· July 16: Learning from the Best. Presented by Thomas and Mechelle Wilder. In this Webinar, you will look at key people from the Scriptures and explore the traits that made them winners in adverse circumstances. Other key points will be the profile of winners and the basic difference between winners and losers.

· July 21: Short Sales. Presented by Bob Lachance. Manage My Short Sale^TM allows you to manage your short sale office from any location, giving you total control over your short sale business. The system allows you to communicate with your clients, learn from other users and stay up to date with the latest changes to the preforeclosure industry.

· July 22: Are you getting at least two referrals during each transaction? – Group Coaching Call. Presented by Coach Ron Alpert. You should be getting two or more referrals from each one of your transactions before the closing. If you’re not or know that you could be doing more to build your referral business, then you need to attend this Webinar. Now is the time to begin managing toward success.

· July 25: Introduction to the NEW AddressGrabber Software, NEW to Leaders Elite. Presented by Ben Syzek of eGrabber. Building a database of fresh buyers and sellers is the first task of every real estate agent. Have you ever wondered how successful real estate agents continually refresh their database of prospects? This Webinar will show you how real estate top producers use freely available sources of lists on the Internet to build targeted prospect lists in their neighborhood.

· July 27: My FSBO Leads. Presented by Oyvind Ragnhildstveit. This Webinar, available only to Leaders Elite members, will reveal the exclusive components of activating your account, getting your FSBO leads and learning helpful hints.

Developed and led by Mark Leader, Leaders Elite’s virtual-based program offers monthly Webinars, coaching and communication templates as well as an effective activity planner developed by Leader.

Non-members may sign-up for a free 30-day membership to Leaders Elite. For more information, visit www.leaderselite.com.

For more information, visit www.leaderselite.com.

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Answer: When the to-do list gets long, take a breather, get focused and use some organizational tools to get things under control.

Start by calming down and easing the adrenaline rush. Try whatever works for you – a quiet timeout, a walk or lunch with a friend. The time away from work will be more than made up for by the focus you gain.

Once you’ve settled down, pay attention to the state of mind that you’d like to create. Rather than harried, calm. Rather than frantic, serene. You get the idea. Do some quiet breathing and anchor the positive emotion so you’ll be able to recover it when things feel out of control. Link the feeling with a visual image of a place you love to go.

Bringing that image to mind will help you relax later.

Think about the big picture. The type of role that you’re in may not fit as well as something that is more structured and less volatile, so think about whether the current path is working for you.

Focus on the work that’s facing you. When details are escaping you, it helps a lot to do an inventory. Start project by project, using sticky notes, to-do lists or even making stacks of project documents. Then put all of them on a calendar with milestones and deadlines to plan your time. Also, note where you’re depending on other people – either items they need from you or you need from them – so no one gets off track.

Once you’ve gotten organized, you’ll need to maintain order. Don’t follow someone else’s “shoulds.” Instead, develop a system that works for you. You might prefer to plan your tasks first thing in the morning, or to do so before going home at the end of the day. Perhaps you have a weekly master schedule that you update, or use your timeline.

Update it as projects evolve and also as you meet your milestones. One tip: A whiteboard can be a dynamic and visual way to keep track.

Observe your progress as you go, checking in with yourself regularly – as often as a couple of times a day at first. Notice whether you’re staying on task, whether items are slipping, and especially how you’re feeling. If you see patterns, such as spinning your wheels instead of taking action, procrastinating or letting distractions get in your way, examine and address the root causes.

You don’t have to do it all on your own. Get help from people around you to reinforce positive habits and remind you when you’re slipping. Seek out resources for organization and time management tips, and learn from others’ experiences.

Getting control of what you do (your tasks) and how you do it (your focus) will help you keep on top of your work.

Liz Reyer is a credentialed coach with more than 20 years of business experience. Her company, Reyer Coaching & Consulting, offers services for organizations of all sizes.

©2009, Star Tribune (Minneapolis)
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

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4 Easy Ways to Cultivate First-Time Home Buyers 
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Mapping, Google’s Local Business Center & Going Mobile

“We are excited to augment the already strong online educational offerings via REALTOR® University with quick, cutting-edge, affordable topics including sales, marketing, technology, listings, motivational training along with the proven skills that REALTORS® need.” says Sabine Steinbrecher, CEO Learning Library Inc., content and technology partner to the National Association.

“It was also extremely important to us all that the pricing fall in line with NAR’s Right Tools Right Now Program offering discounted resources to members.” says Ken Burlington, Vice President, Marketing and Sales, Product Management, and Education Services. “The Video Center Subscription has been specially discounted from $29.97 to just $9.97 per month! Webinars vary in price but again offer very affordable ‘live online’ training opportunities most in the range of $10 – $29 per webinar.”

“REALTOR® University’s Webinar and Video Centers create valuable new learning opportunities to help agents across North America. With exciting on-demand, short-format video tips from the nation’s leading speakers, downloadable proven checklists and forms, along with “live” and archived webinars, both agents and managers will find these tools extremely helpful in their business.” says Darlene Lyons, President of Broker Agent Speakers Bureau.

“Online webinar and video learning is what today’s REALTORS® want. Having access to the top real estate trainers, in one place, on demand and at extremely affordable pricing, is revolutionary,’ says Stephen Schweickart, Co-Founder of Realty Video USA.

NAR’s new Webinar and Video Centers launched officially on July 4th, 2009. The Webinar Center is launching with over 30 powerful webinars on topics from pricing to social media from leading industry trainers. The new Video Center is launching with 35 mini training videos, with a new video added every week. Visit today and try FREE video demos.

For more information, visit www.learninglibrary.com/ru/webinars and www.learninglibrary.com/ru/videos.

RISMedia welcomes your questions and comments. Send your e-mail to: realestatemagazinefeedback@rismedia.com.

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Here’s the key: Pick a goal that is manageable for you.

I was working with a client this morning named Steve who had been feeling stuck all week and unable to pick up the phone. We identified that he clearly had an avoidance pattern going on. I asked that part of him to tell us why it had been preventing my client from making his prospecting calls.

It very clearly answered, “30 contacts today seems like too much. Steve will fail, and then he will be criticizing himself. I don’t want him to go through that pain so I’m stopping him from making the calls altogether.”

We did some negotiating with his “avoidance part” and it wasn’t long before a win-win agreement was reached.

The “avoidance part,” now called his ally, was very agreeable to Steve making the calls as long as he would lower the number to 20 contacts a day when he sat down to prospect.

Steve knew that he could do 20 contacts today. He had done it before and he felt very confident of his ability to do that.

Furthermore, a part of him that had been preventing him from picking up the phone was now agreeing to be his ally with a brand-new job description.

The deal was this: Steve’s part was to get on the phone and make 20 contacts a day. The ally’s part was to:

1. Nudge him to get on the phone

2. Praise him for his efforts

3. Protect him from self judgment and criticism

At the end of the session, Steve reported feeling energized and highly motivated. We worked out some action steps and accountability along with a set of empowered beliefs. With his new and more realistic goal of reaching 20 clients instead of 30, the procrastination stopped.

Here’s a Tip: Procrastination is just another word for fear.

Next time you are procrastinating ask yourself these questions:

· What am I afraid of?

· What self limiting belief is driving me?

· What is a manageable action step?

Pick something you know you can achieve, take action, feel successful, and use that as a springboard for your future action.

Dr. Maya Bailey, author of, Law of Attraction for Real Estate Professionals, integrates 20 years of experience as a psychologist and 12 years as a business coach with her expertise in the Law of Attraction. Her powerful work creates a success formula for real estate professionals ready to double and triple their incomes. Get Dr. Maya’s free report, 7 Simple Strategies For More Clients in 90 Days, by visiting www.90DaystoMoreClients.com.

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1. The best know what they truly want. At some point in their lives, the best have a “Eureka!” moment when their vision becomes clear. Suddenly they realize what they really, truly want to achieve. They find their passion. When that happens they are ready to strive for greatness. They are ready to pay the price.

2. The best want it more. We all want to be great. But only the best of the best are willing to do what it takes to be great. The best don’t just think about their desire for greatness; they act on it. They have a high capacity for work. They do the things that others won’t do, and they spend more time doing it. When everyone else is sleeping, the best are practicing and thinking and improving.

3. The best are always striving to get better. They are always looking for ways to learn, apply, improve, and grow. They stay humble and hungry. They are lifelong learners. They never think they have “arrived”-because they know that once they think that, they’ll start sliding back to the place from which they came.

4. The best do ordinary things better than everyone else. For all their greatness, the best aren’t that much better than the others. They are simply a little better at a lot of things. Everyone thinks that success is complicated, but it’s really simple. In fact, the best don’t do anything different. They just do the ordinary things better.

5. The best zoom focus. Success is all about the fundamentals, and the fundamentals are little and ordinary and often boring. It’s not just about practice, but focused practice. It’s not just about taking action, but taking zoom-focused action. It’s about practicing and perfecting the fundamentals.

6. The best are mentally stronger. Today’s world is no longer a sprint or a marathon. It’s a series of sprints combined with a boxing match. You’re not just running; you are getting hit along the way. The best are able to respond to and overcome all of this with mental and emotional toughness. They are able to tune out the distractions and stay calm, focused, and energized when it counts.

7. The best overcome their fear. Everyone has fears. The best of the best all have fear, but they overcome it. To beat your enemy, you must know your enemy. Average people shy away from their fears. They either ignore them or hide from them. However, the best seek them out and face them with the intent of conquering them.

8. The best seize the moment. When the best are in the middle of their performance, they are not thinking “What if I win?” or “What if I lose?” They are not thinking “What if I make a mistake or miss the shot?” They are not interested in what the moment produces but are concerned only with what they produce in the moment. When all eyes are watching, they rise to the occasion. As a result, the best define the moment rather than letting the moment define them.

9. The best tap into a power greater than themselves. The best are conductors, not resistors. They don’t generate their own power, but act as conduits for the greatest power source in the world. It’s not always politically correct, but you can’t talk about greatness without talking about God. It would be like talking about breathing without mentioning the importance of air.

10. The best leave a legacy. The best live and work with a bigger purpose. They leave a legacy by making their lives about more than them. This larger purpose is what inspires them to be the best and strive for greatness over the long term. It helps them move from success to significance.

11. The best make everyone around them better. They do this through their own pursuit of excellence and in the excellence they inspire in others. One person in pursuit of excellence raises the standards of everyone around them. And they do this in both their work and life. …The point is to strive to be your best and inspire others to be their best, because it’s in the striving where you find greatness, not in the outcome.

RISMedia welcomes your questions and comments. Send your e-mail to: realestatemagazinefeedback@rismedia.com.

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