Dave Robison
By Dave Robison
It was a beautiful day and I was excited to get working. One of my agents, Debbie, came into the office all ready to start her day, too. She had a buyer who, though she had seen around 15 homes, couldn’t come to a conclusion about what she wanted to buy. I had shown the same buyer homes, and I knew about her difficulty with decision making as well.
Debbie said to me, “I don’t know what to do. The buyer isn’t a fun buyer; she’s kinda grumpy. She doesn’t care about me, and is wasting my time. She’s really becoming a pain in my butt.” I noticed how Debbie didn’t have any energy to help this buyer, and she was just talking negatively about the client.
I said, “You know what? The client told me just yesterday how she liked you and thought highly of you.”
Debbie’s face seemed to glow. “Really?’ she said.
“Yes, and you can’t let someone down who likes you. Help her out.”
The next thing you know, her energy level picked up. The buyer bought a home, and Debbie and the buyer started going to lunches together. Debbie and the buyer’s relationship changed not because of something the buyer did. It changed because Debbie’s perception changed. She treated the buyer differently because she couldn’t let down someone who liked her. She stopped talking negatively about the client and treated the buyer like royalty.
Talking negatively about other people is like taking cocaine. It becomes addicting, and before you know it, your business suffers. Continue reading »
Lynn Minnick
By Lynn Minnick
I recently found myself thinking about how the changing market has forced us to change, to adapt, to constantly improve on the skills necessary to survive and succeed in this business. Then I realized that as the years have gone by, the cast of characters in my real estate career has also changed. Sure, there were some I was happy to distance myself from, but there are others I’ve been sorry to see go, and other people new to the scene who are influencing the way I view and run my business.
Do you think about how the people you choose to surround yourself with affect your work, your success, your attitude? I believe those people can motivate you, support and help you, slow you down, or suck up your time and energy, among other things.
Since the changes in the mortgage industry and the consequent onslaught of short sales and foreclosures came upon us, I’ve found certain key people (lately it’s been other REALTORS® and attorneys) have been instrumental in helping me navigate my way. Just like knowing the better home inspectors and lenders, septic guys and termite guys, I’m stacking my deck with winning cards and they’re my aces.
It’s in your best interest to cultivate relationships with those who can have a positive influence in your career, but I also believe in give and take…that you get back what you put out there. (Are you the kind of agent who supports other agents in your community by attending their events or broker’s opens and follow up with feedback after showing their listings? Do you serve on committees or volunteer in your community? Believe me, those good relationships you’re building will help you!) Reputation goes a long way in real estate.
If you’re reading this, you’re probably building your social media village too. Are the rules the same? Probably. Are you working with those people in your day to day business? Generally speaking, I’m not, but they are there inspiring me, sharing new ideas and positive attitudes, and for that they are an important part of my village as well.
Lynn Minnick is a REALTOR® in Connecticut known for her love of all things international, organic, travel and design. Connect with her at thegreenctrealtor.blogspot.com or @LynnMinnick.
Brooke Wolford
By Brooke Wolford
If you are reading this post and are still active in real estate, congratulations! You have survived a year of many challenges. You can pat yourself on the back remember how hard your worked. Feel a sense of accomplishment and embrace every challenge that was put in front of you.
We faced many challenges. We had good times and bad times. From all of it, I hoped you’ve learned something!
Now, let’s look ahead. Here are some things you should be doing in 2011:
Send out quarterly/yearly market updates to your clients. Market updates allow you to share accurate information based on factual data within your local area. I do this in an e-mail to my clients. Thank goodness for 10K Marketing’s “The Thing.” It’s one of my favorite tools to use to share local real estate information with clients.
If you read an article or hear a news story, share and comment on it. Post on Facebook, Twitter, or your blog. Use your expertise to expand or argue the story. It’s also a great way to combat negative media attention.
Share your own success stories. I came across a blog that had pictures of their clients in front of their new home they just closed on. I thought it was a pretty neat idea. Continue reading »
Toby Boyce
By Toby Boyce
Football season is on us and in Ohio that means a lot of cheering on Friday and Saturday and praying for our NFL teams on Sunday. Football is a passion and as I’ve matured and grown older and – hopefully – wiser, I see the wisdom in those screams and rants from my childhood coaches.
“Football is the game of life,” I remember Mike Billow screaming as we worked over-and-over to perfect a task. And the older I get, the more I realize that his statement was right on the mark – and it can even double when taken into application with a real estate career.
I thought I’d share a few of Coach Billow’s favorite “sayings.” I know many of them weren’t original to him, however, on those hot-August days in Danville, Ohio, he made them his.
- Look Down, You Go Down. How often do we see it in this market? The “naysayers” start talking about how the sky is falling and it isn’t going to last. Well, they are exactly right. For as soon as they put their head down to avoid the falling sky, their business fell. Doesn’t matter how beaten, weathered, or challenged you feel – keep those eyes up and looking at the prize.
- Did you get better today? You never stay the same. We practice our craft, hopefully every single day, to improve those listing presentations, get more buyers, convert more short sales, etc. The reason is simple. If you don’t practice it and make a conscience effort to get better, you will by default be getting worse – because you never will stay the same. Life – and real estate – is about eternalizing responses (i.e. scripts) so that they become a spontaneous response. If you aren’t role playing and practicing, is that possible? Continue reading »
Jeremy Williams
By Jeremy Williams
I heard the song “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” by Bobby McFerrin played over the radio on the way home from the office. How relevant could this song be as the theme song for the thousands of real estate business owners across the United States?
Running your own real estate business can at times be stressful and create worry. Like the lyrics from the song say, “In every life we have some trouble, when you worry you make it double. Don’t worry, be happy…”. How often do we let the little things in our business get under our skin to the point it becomes an agitation? The agitation festers and bitterness can follow. We know that it is inevitable that troubles will come, but it is how we deal with the troubles we face that will determine the outcome. So don’t worry because we know that challenges will come; instead be happy that we can prepare ourselves to deal with them.
Here are a few steps to prepare how to deal with challenges that may evoke worry:
1. When faced with worry, know that in the grand scheme of life the challenge you are facing is more than likely minimal though it may not be pleasant while you are in the situation.
2. Always know that someone has more than likely been through what you are going through in your business. Seek the advice of seasoned REALTORS concerning your business situation.
3. Avoid becoming a rain cloud to those around you.
4. Don’t forget the past, but don’t remain in the past.
5. Remember that it takes more muscles to frown than to smile. A smile can change the attitude about the situation you are in, and a smile can also positively impact those around you.
So don’t worry, be happy as you set out in your business today. What are your thoughts on this?
Jeremy Williams of Keller Williams Realty NE in Kingwood, Texas specializes in the residential real estate market of Kingwood, Atascocita, and Humble, Texas. Visit his Web site at www.williams4yourhome.com.
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