See Why Savvy Business Are Creating Their Own Stimulus Package!
By Julie Escobar, Director of Corporate Marketing

In uneasy economies, many business owners put themselves on the “waiting out the market” fence by slashing expenses, cutting all marketing and going into an indefinite holding pattern. In a world full of fence-sitters, know this: the business and the revenue will always go to the entrepreneur who jumped off early, or never got on the fence in the first place. That said; where are YOU sitting these days?

Savvy business owners are going against the grain and doing everything their competition is not. Instead of waiting for the economic winds to change, they are putting every system and tool possible in place to makes sure they are in front of their customer base (and potential customer base) each and every month. They are seeking out every new opportunity to make an impression and in doing so, they are maintaining their professional presence, protecting and growing their brand awareness and engaging in smart relationship-building practices. After all, in the wise words of H. Jackson Brown, Jr., “Nothing is more expensive than a missed opportunity.”

Where do you start? Well, where most change must start – take a look in the mirror. Know your business, your unique selling proposition and your customers so well that you can predict what they need and want almost before they do. Then, put the systems in place to connect, reconnect and stay connected!

Step One: Know your business. What makes you unique? What is it that YOU do differently than any of your competitors? Why should customers do business with you as opposed to any of your competitors? The answer to that question, in its clearest, most concise format becomes your USP or Unique Selling Proposition. The best USP is defined as a clearly written sentence that perfectly describes the benefits that are unique to your company or product.

Let’s look at some famous examples:

• Dominos Pizza: “Fresh hot pizza delivered to your door in thirty minutes or less, guaranteed”
• Federal Express: “When it absolutely, positively has to be there overnight”
• M&Ms: “The milk chocolate melts in your mouth, not in your hand”
• Hallmark: When you care enough to send the very best
• Subway: Subs with under six grams of fat

Step Two: Define your demographic. Knowing your customer better than your competition is the kind of leverage that can make or break a business. Take a look at your best customers. Use the old 80/20 rule. Find the 20% of your customer base who equate to 80% of your sales. Are they male or female? Where do they live? What do they look like, act like, need most? What’s most important to them? Once you’ve clearly defined who you are marketing to, then you can develop how you speak to them most effectively in your marketing, on the phone and in person! Another bonus: Once defined, you can use that demographic snapshot to find more great customers with powerful data aggregation services!

Step Three: Start connecting and reconnecting. In today’s economy you have to become an expert at relationship marketing and a master prospector. Building that relationship and trust is critical to your longevity and your bottom line. After all, consider that sales and marketing experts say it takes $10 of new business to replace $1 of lost business! So, building that long term trust and keeping your current customers happy has got to be on the top of your “to-do” list.

How do you connect? Direct response mail is a great way to protect and promote your brand while delivering special offers or incentives to your customer base which make follow up calls a much “warmer” experience. Not only does mail get your message out, but studies show that it more often than not, it puts it in the hands of the decision maker in each household. Mary Carlington, writer for Deliver Magazine, says, “Mail is an ideal medium. It is a fundamental, familiar, easy and safe communications pipeline into homes. Mail brings your brand to the customer.” She goes on to define the “influencer” in the household as the “CEO of the Mail,” which is the person who opens the mail, pays the bills and makes roughly 85% of the buying decisions.

One USPS® study even shows that 98% of consumers bring in their mail daily, and 77% sort and organize their mail immediately making it still one of the most effective means of communication a company can have. Add to that studies done by the Xerox Corporation that confirm a dramatic increase in response rates when direct mail also incorporates variable data, and relevant messaging and you’ve got a real winning combination.

Next, follow up on your direct mail campaigns by “warm” calling those top 20% customers described earlier. Open a conversation and ask if they received your special offer. Tell them how much you appreciate their business and your relationship and ask if there is anything at all you can do for them. With today’s consumers, that personal, “extra-mile” effort will get your noticed and help you reap the rewards you’re looking for.

“It’s never been more important to consistently stay in touch with relevant, timely information and offers,” shared Jim Schimpf, Executive Director for Opportunity Knocks, Inc. “Our economy has created a perfect storm for consumers today. They want over-the-top service, extraordinary value and resources they can trust today, tomorrow and down the road. They really have a low tolerance for anything less. That’s why we work hard to make our direct mail solutions so effective for our customers. We set up the systems that make consistency and communication automatic, which is a vital component to creating that trust consumers need and expect. Systemizing your marketing is the best possible way to maintain that ‘top-of-mind’ awareness that’s so essential.”

The bottom line is, as a business owner, you can’t afford to sit on the fence or wait out the economy. Some of the most powerful brands in the world were born in tough financial times. With less competition and more opportunity, it really is the best time to advance your business. So mail, call and connect. Take care of your customers and they will surely take care of you!

Visit www.oppknockspostcards.com to learn more about the best practices and systems necessary to ensure that you are building the strongest customer base possible. Real estate professionals, join us at www.prospectsplus.com for a host of valuable resources to build YOUR customer base.  You also can call our marketing team or me today at 866.405.3638; we are ready, willing and passionate about bringing the best resources in the industry to your organization.

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By Roberta Ross, National Speaker and Julie Escobar, Director of Corporate Marketing, ProspectsPLUS!In challenging economies, our sense of net worth and emotional stability very often rises and falls with the stock market ticker on our television screens.  Finding that much-desired feeling of empowerment and security may seem tougher to come by, but by shifting your view to what is possible, you find enormous opportunity.  The value of your stock is not based on what is, but upon your response to what is.  Top agents rely on action, tenacity and good old fashioned people skills to keep their stock high and their stress to a minimum.   

Building your “stock” in today’s market has much more to do with your daily activities than your investment portfolio.  A great number of successful businesses and extraordinary entrepreneurs are born from tough markets.  The question is, will you be one of them?  In this economy it’s important for serious real estate professionals to tap into what can be done NOW – that means, investing in yourself, your business, and your future.  Here are four key strategies to ensure that your “stock” is on the rise. 

Build your inventory.  It is listings that drive this business.  Your income is determined by your inventory.  For example, if you only have a handful of listings, you can’t with any certainty “bank” on closing transactions this month.  However, if you maintain an inventory of 15-20 or more listings, and they are PRICED right, you can trust that you’ll have a steady flow of income.  According to a seasonally adjusted index of sales contracts kept by the National Association of Realtors®, pending home sales in April of this year were up 6.7% from March, the biggest monthly increase since October 2001.  That means buyers are on the move.  By keeping your inventory in place, you are positioned to capitalize on these market shifts.  Whose listings they purchase is entirely up to you! 

Price them right.  We’ve touched on it already, but pricing has never been more critical.  I’ve heard agents say, “Any listing is better than no listing,” and that couldn’t be further from the truth.  We are currently in a market saturated with fence-sitters – buyers who people who are waiting out the market to buy and sellers who are waiting to sell at their price.  It seems to be a perpetual game of “how low—or how high—can we go?” Overpriced listings that sit only compound the problem of an over-glutted market and damage your reputation. 

Real estate guru Darryl Davis offers some great dialogue for competitive pricing:  “Mr. and Mrs. Seller, if the market is going down in price, we can’t price it at what the market IS; we have to price it at where the market is GOING to get it sold.”  ProspectsPLUS! users are getting a lot of mileage from the Merchandising Review and Price Pyramid found in their agent marketing software.  Why?  They help the agent convey to sellers how critical it is to price at or below market value in today’s economy if they wish to get their home sold sooner rather than later. 

Get organized!  There are signs across the nation that our markets are picking up.  If you don’t get organized, systemized and prioritized now – when will you EVER have a better opportunity?  When business is at a full-court-press agents tend to ignore all those “little things” like staying in touch with their current book of business.  Trust us when we tell you that if you don’t know who your customers are and have a system in place to remind them that you are there for them consistently; they will most definitely return the favor.  Build your systems now, and they will serve you for years to come.

Build relationships.  Sales skills and negotiations aside, this is and always will be a people business and people do business with those they trust.  Our trying times have made consumers all the more anxious to ensure they have the best possible advocate and resources on their side.  Gone are the days of just “getting by” in terms of customer service and relationship building.  People expect more than they ever have and certainly have more exposure than ever to your competition because of the internet.  In Gary Keller’s book, The Millionaire Real Estate Agent, he shares that statistically, one in every twelve people in your sphere of influence will result in a transaction per year if you’ve stayed in touch with them.  Top that with the studies conducted by the National Association of Realtors which tell us that top producers credit their sphere of influence for more than 74% of their business.  Marketing analysts tell us that it takes roughly $10.00 of new business to replace $1.00 of lost business.  What does that tell you about where YOUR marketing dollars should be spent? If you haven’t already – start putting your database together TODAY.  Visit the resource section at www.prospectsplus.com and download a free BusinessBASE™ for a great “getting started” foundation.   

Remember, success occurs when preparation meets opportunity.  Building your stock will is the preparation that will position you for success.  More than anything else, your best investment strategy in ANY market is an open mind, a positive perspective, a willingness to continuously fine tune your skills and connect with people.  Keep growing, learning and taking action and you’ll find yourself pulling ahead of your competition and staying there. 

Roberta Ross is a national real estate speaker and trainer who has been in the real estate business for 15 years. She travels nationwide speaking to real estate professionals on marketing and prospecting. Her unique blend of business and public speaking experience enables her to educate, entertain and motivate real estate professionals to achieve their goals.

Julie Escobar is the Director of Corporate Marketing for ProspectsPLUS! and the author of a wide catalogue of industry articles and resources.  She has more than 20 years of sales and marketing experience in the real estate and speaking industries and is passionate about providing the tools, techniques and solutions brokers and agents need to build extraordinary careers. 

Need us?  Call us!  We look forward to helping YOU unlock your potential for greatness.  Discover just some of the valuable resources we provide at www.prospectspolus.com or call either one of us at 1.800.287.5710 today!

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By Julie Escobar, Director of Corporate Marketing, ProspectsPLUS! The American Geriatric Society calls it the “Silver Tsunami.” It’s the wave of citizens living into their eighth and ninth decade with few signs of slowing down. Today, real estate professionals in record numbers are calling it their specialty. This month we’ll unlock the reasons why and how choosing to work with today’s over-50 crowd could be just the niche market you’ve been looking for! It’s estimated that there are more than 78 million seniors across North America, so certainly choosing this niche is a great way to tap into the market’s supply and demand. It really goes much further than that for most agents though. For many who choose to become specialists in the senior market it is much more about building valuable long term, incredible relationships with a generation of people who both need us to teach them in terms of what they need to know to protect their interests and also who have so much to teach us in return. “It really is a niche where you become passionate and protective of your clients. There’s a lot more emotion and personal interaction than there is with other market segments,” said Debbie Rodgers, real estate coach and SRES instructor. “My kids and I would laugh at times when I took on a new senior client. I would call them my ‘five-pounders’ because ultimately, that’s how much weight I would gain with each one after meeting with them every week for cookies and coffee.” Debbie chose this niche back in the 90s when the market was actually very similar to what we are seeing today. As a single mom with two young children she very much wanted to stay in real estate and work during the day while her children were in school. She’s teaching agents all about how back then, and today, seniors are a great target market for doing just that and developing a powerful referral network who, when you do your best for them, are loyal in return. More than 16,000 REALTORS® have earned the Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES) designation from the National Association of REALTORS® and cooperating Canadian Association of Realtors®. They offer a powerful course designed to educate agents on everything from understanding and working with seniors, to government laws, programs and special services available to them. The course also teaches the subtle nuances and empathy needed to work best with this generation and their extended families as well. You are made critically aware of how to best protect their rights, preserve their trust and truly become an advocate they need. To learn more about earning this special designation visit them online at www.seniorsrealestate.com. Like many agents getting their start in this business, Debbie began by working with first time home buyers. Unafraid of standing in front of a crowd, she enjoyed the opportunity (and the time management) of hosting first time home buying workshops. “It’s a great way to get your message to 15-20 people at a time, as opposed to going door-to-door or calling people individually,” shared Ms. Rodgers. As she expanded her business to work with seniors she leveraged that talent and time to host workshops specifically targeted towards the needs of seniors. In fact, she became so passionate about senior advocacy, she actually ran for City Council and served from 1996-2000, and ensuring all the while that her area implemented senior benefits in their communities. Don’t miss that valuable lesson. Becoming part of something bigger, getting active in their communities and sharing what they knew with as many people as they could were all foundation builders for the best of the best. They are: Being passionate about what they do and who they work with Being an advocate Consistently, and without fail, staying in touch with their book of business Being in tune with market trends Willing to share information when and where people need it Take these traits to heart and start putting them into practice today! If this is the niche for you, get passionate about working with seniors! There is so much to learn from them, and you’ll find so many of them vibrant, strong and eager to share. While it may take a little extra time to earn their trust, once you do, you’ll be rewarded with a lifetime of referrals. From their children, grandchildren, friends and extended networks, consider one “Silver Client” is truly worth their weight in gold in far more ways than just income. “My clients really built my business for me,” shared Debbie. “Their biggest compliment they would give was when they’d call to ask me to please do for their friend what I was able to do for them.” Become their advocate! There are a lot of less than reputable people in this world ready to prey on the ill-informed and less-advantaged. Help consumers stand up! Champion their cause. Talk to many experienced top agents and they’ll tell you that providing the best service for their client base really is their driving force. They understand, better than most, that if your focus is on the money, the dollars are often few and far between. Focus on the people and you’ll always have more than you need. Stay in touch! Not just when working with seniors, but in terms of your entire customer base. When I think of how many agents have left this business in the past few years with not much to show for it, it really is disheartening. By building and maintaining a real “book of business,” and reaching out to clients month after month in little ways and big ways over the years, you’ll end up with a salable client base that any number of brokers, team leaders and top agents would gladly pay top dollar for. If you’re looking for a simple, free tool to help you do just that, download our BusinessBASE™ today! Know your stuff! Believe it or not, this niche is actually less likely in many ways to be affected by some of our world changes. They are much more likely to buy and sell for personal reasons such as the need to downsize, upsize, live closer to family or sell to move into an assisted living facility. So dig in! Gather all the tools, information and resources you can muster to share with these fine people. Both Debbie and I recommend hosting Senior Workshops at your local libraries. They are inexpensive if they cost you anything at all, almost all are handicap-accessible and it is the perfect setting for a learning experience! So, if you’re ready to take on the “tsunami” and own the senior market in your area, then I truly hope you picked up a tip or tool to help you in your journey. It’s a wonderful niche for agents who are passionate about people, love to learn new things, and are willing to commit to maintaining long-term customer relationships. I love watching the amazing results that agents achieve when they really develop a market segment that means a lot to them both personally and professionally. It’s a wonderful way to really make work seem a whole lot less like work and establish relationships and friendships that can and will last a lifetime. Need to find a list of seniors in your market? We’ve got you covered! Visit www.prospectsplus.com/data today and click on the red “Search Prospect Data” button. In the “Build List” section, you can pull a list as a radial search (surrounding a specific street address) by choosing “Residential Radial” and entering the address, or search by city, state or zip by choosing “Residential Neighborhood.” Next, you can select “Resident’s Age” from the criteria search and put in the age range you are looking for (55-75 for example). Click on “Count Records,” then adjust your search by how many records you wish to obtain! Special note: For all our ProspectsPLUS! customers who’ve joined the ranks of Senior Real Estate Specialists and have been asking me for more senior-specific marketing materials, look to this month’s SupportPLUS! update for four new pieces with more to come in the next few months. I’d love to hear your input or suggestions for future pieces so call or email me today! My sincerest thanks to Debbie Rodgers from www.coachingtoexcellence.com for her contribution to our article and valuable insights! If you would like to learn more about the courses she offers, visit her online today! To learn about more ways to capture this or other markets, call me directly at 1.866.405.3641 or simply email me at julie.escobar@prospectsplus.com. If you’d like to download a free copy of our BusinessBASE™, tap into the many additional resources our ProspectsPLUS! team has assembled, or sign up for our free e-newsletter, visit us at www.prospectsplus.com! We’re always here to help! SPECIAL OFFER: Make branding yourself with local seniors point and click easy with ProspectsPLUS! Personal Marketing Software! With more than 600 marketing pieces to choose from in 27 niche and specialty categories, it’s never been easier to take your career to the next level! Get your copy of ProspectsPLUS! Personal Marketing Software now for JUST $295! Click www.prospectsplus.com to order now and enter PRIORITY CODE: PMC09 when you get to the checkout to save more than $300 today! Questions? Call us at 1.866.405.3641!

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Exploring the Connection:  One-on-One with Matthew Ferry
By Julie Escobar, Director of Corporate Marketing, ProspectsPLUS!

It seems people all over the world are trying to unlock the secrets to a better life, better career, and more happiness.  What do the really successful people have that others don’t?  Why do they seem to effortlessly “attract” all that they need and want?  Why do they rise to the top and stay there, and more importantly, how can the rest of us capture that same lightning in a bottle and use it to propel our own lives and careers?  To gain a little insight on the topic, I sat down with mindset expert and talented speaker Matthew Ferry.  Below is an excerpt from that interview: 

Julie Escobar:  Hi Matthew, thanks for taking the time to be a part of this!  I knew that when it came to exploring the connection between finding the right niche — that magic that comes from doing what you love and working with people you like –  and what we know and don’t know about the law of attraction, you were just the guy to turn to for “enlightenment!”  

Matthew Ferry:  Thanks Julie! I think there most definitely is a connection.  While niche marketing and the Law of Attraction are distinctly different – they are related. 

First, I don’t think the law of attraction is the kind of thing you should focus on. That would be a little like studying gravity when learning to hang glide—right?  While gravity plays a part, it’s certainly not the big picture!  Let’s look at the bigger picture of how top producers in this business actually tap into that powerful combination of “laws” that I refer to as the “Laws of Momentum.” 

The Law of Attraction:  In its most simple format, the law of attraction boils down to “like attracts like,” or in other words, “what you put into the world the most will come back to you.”  That said, to get the most from this law, you really need to begin by truly knowing what you want.  Fall in love with the idea of what you want, be thrilled by it and develop a deep connection to that future.  

I’ll give you an example.  I have a client who did 1,996 transactions in a single year with just two assistants.  How?  He immersed himself in his passion.  Deeply tied to his immigrant roots he began working with lower Hispanic communities and those people who couldn’t afford to buy a home on their own.  He knew he wanted to help the people in these communities experience the American dream of homeownership.  His affinity for them and passion to help allowed him to make the right connections and unlock the possibilities to make home buying possible.  It grew to a point where he literally was taking seven listings a day!  With the combination of knowing what he wanted, feeling deeply rooted to that cause, and possessing the willingness to do for others, he created that kind of momentum. 

Julie Escobar:  What a great example, Matthew.  You’re absolutely right to say that it starts with really knowing what you want.  I’ve seen so many agents and salespeople in all industries who try too hard to be “all things to all people,” and all they have to show for it at the end of the day, or the end of their careers, are a lot of man hours, frustration and limited success.  Life’s too short to dislike what you do or who you work with!  How much smarter and more effective it is to work with a group of people who share your interests, your passions and your vision.  It sure makes work less like work, and goes a very long way towards building and maintaining long term relationships.

Matthew Ferry:  Absolutely, but the law of attraction doesn’t work alone!  Next, let’s consider: The Law of Reciprocity:   This law follows the “golden rule.” In other words, whatever you do will be returned back to you.  So if you help other people be successful, you’ll be successful.  If you show kindness, you’ll receive kindness.  If you champion the cause of another, they will, in turn, champion the cause for you. 

This law is amplified when you are grateful, thankful, appreciative, and service-oriented.  Take a look at the people who are succeeding rapidly – those salespeople who make seven, ten and twelve million.  Note that they have advocates, supporters, believers and followers.  It’s not by accident; it is because they, too, are advocates, supporters, believers and followers.  They are champions for their customers and work selflessly for them.  The success they appreciate in return is simply a “bonus.”

Julie Escobar:  That reminds me of Zig Ziglar’s quote, “You’ll get everything in life that you want if you help enough other people get what they want.” They are certainly words to live – and work by. What’s next? 

Matthew Ferry:  The last law most people are already familiar with, which is The Law of Averages:  It states the more you put in, the more you get out.  It’s really that simple. 

All in all, it really does boil down to: success comes to people who are absolutely clear about what they want and really love it.  They have a great affinity for their niche and a desire to serve and this ignites the law of attraction in their favor and takes away any resistance to success.
 
Next, using the law of reciprocity they focus on what they want, but more importantly, they focus on helping everyone else get it.  Without an agenda, they selflessly want more for the people they work with.  They are advocates and supporters, and in return, they find that others become advocates and supporters for them. 

And lastly, they work hard.  They are excited about working with as many people as they can because they are having so much fun.  The more fun they have, the more time and energy they put in and the more people they work with, so the law of averages is hard at work for them as well! 

Julie Escobar:  Thanks Matthew!  I know our readers will appreciate all of your wonderful insight and information.  You always have so much positive to share and I invite everyone to bookmark Matthew’s site to stay connected!  Download free audio training from Matthew online at www.matthewferry.com. 

I would also like to invite all of our readers to join us online at www.prospectsplus.com.  There you can sign up for a free web account and tap into the many powerful marketing resources available to you for building your niche, managing your sphere of influence and growing your business!  If you would like to learn more contact me at 1.866.405.3641 or  email me at Julie.Escobar@prospectsplus.com. 

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Five Top Industry Experts Share How to Adopt the Mindset of a Winner

By Julie Escobar, Director of Corporate Marketing, ProspectsPLUS!

Hats off to the new agents!  You bring to our industry fresh faces, new enthusiasm, and “ready-to-make-things-happen” attitudes, and for that, you are appreciated!  Floyd Wickman once said with the right tools, training and focus – ANYONE can make it in this business.  In that spirit, I asked five top industry experts to help us explore what new agents need to do to adopt the right mindset or “focus” for success. Our esteemed guests are:  Real Estate Speaker, Coach and Author, Bernice Ross; President of Frogpond.com, Susie Hale; Speaker, Coach and Author, Darryl Davis; Speaker, Trends Expert and Author, Stefan Swanepoel, and Author, Coach and Speaker, Matt Ferry.   Let’s get started!

Q:  What do new agents need to do to create and keep the right mindset for success?

A:  Bernice Ross:  Mentally, I would tell new agents to ignore all the experienced people who tell you how bad it is.  Surround yourself with those people who are doing great things.  There are so many good online resources you can tap into such as www.inman.com or www.realtytimes.com.  Bookmark these power sites, track what’s going on in this industry and keep learning. 

I also believe that if you help enough people with what they need or want, they’ll help you back.  Dive into conversations and find out what’s important to the customers who make up your book of business.  Find out what they need and how you can help them, then keep helping them as you build that customer base to more than 200 people.  That’s a great foundation for success.  I often share Michael Russer’s great advice and that is to make “irresistible offers.”  For example, offer your customers the “how-to” information they need to lower their taxes at tax time and the forms and CMA they need to complete the job!  Make yourself an invaluable resource to them and they’ll refer you again and again.

A:  Susie Hale:   I guess my best advice to new agents would be to not be afraid to try new things.  Think of it a little like cutting your hair.  It will always grow back!  So, experiment a little!  Try new marketing ideas on for size, but just one at a time!  That way, if you stumble on something that doesn’t work, you simply try something else.  Next, of course, I encourage agents to embrace technology and social networking in such a way that you never lose your personal connectivity with your customers.  Most importantly, I would say define who you are and what you like to do.  Really take a look at what it is that is unique and special about you.  Are you a tennis player, music-lover, horse-enthusiast, theater-buff, or boater?  Whatever your passion, find the groups of people that are associated with it and make that niche your own.  Share common interests, engage in sincere, relevant, interesting conversations and consistently stay in touch to create long-term trust.  That trust eliminates all the question marks for clients and opens the door for you to develop a mutual respect which equals clients for life and a referral system you can count on throughout your career. 

A:  Darryl Davis:  I believe that you should look at your life and measure it in terms of different levels.  I think most people – most agents - just focus on goals.  How much money they want to make, for example, how many listings they want, etc.  I challenge them to look beyond that at what they want their “next level” to be.  In other words, ask yourself if you had a magic wand, where would you like your career and your life to take you?  After all, when you’re ninety, it won’t matter much how many listings you had – but what will matter is if you were on the playing field in life. 

Instead, commit to the next level, to getting everything you wanted from your life.  Then find the things or reasons that source that commitment for you.   For some it’s family, wealth or retirement and for others charity, community, or faith.  Those sources will give you the energy and enthusiasm to keep going no matter what.  I’ll give you a good example.  I recently ran in a marathon.  What gave me the strength to get past the feeling of wanting to quit?  By the way, sore muscles had nothing to do with being in a marathon.  It had everything to do with raising money for children’s leukemia research.  I was committed to helping save kids’ lives and it’s that kind of “source” that can help you get past those times when you want to say, “I can’t,” or “I don’t want to.”  Keep your eyes on the next level and go for it.

A:  Stefan Swanepoel:  My advice would be to remain positive.  Know that our industry has been through tough times before.  In fact, every decade we can point to 30-50% drops in certain markets.  We’re at that same level as the mid 1990s, yet consider that according to the National Association of REALTORS®, we’ll still see 4-5 Million re-sales this year.  That doesn’t even count new home construction!  So, what that means to you is that there are going to be 9-10 million transaction opportunities for agents to earn commissions.  So, who’s going to earn them?  You could certainly be one of them – if you position yourself properly and stay positive!

A:  Matt Ferry:  I have to say that one of the greatest challenges new agents have is what I call the “drunk monkey,” or their mind.  Our minds are designed to keep us alive.  It steers clear of the obstacles, fear factors and “danger zones.”  So, if a new agent just listens to his or her mind, it would clearly conflict with the whole concept of real estate!  Their mind would equate their new career as “new” which, to it, means “unknown” which equals “scary.”  So, I tell agents they need to retrain their brains!

First, skip the news.  It’s often not accurate or truthful and absolutely can side-swipe you in terms of your optimism.  Remember sensationalism is what sells – and it’s also hooks the mind.  Our minds are already bombarded with fear messages and watching the news is basically a way of asking your brain, “What, are you not scared enough?  Take this!”  Your mind adopts the potential threats and shuts down. 

Next, I teach agents to play the “contribution game,” which means rather than being totally focused on making sales, instead focus on making a difference for everyone, everywhere, all the time.  Why?  You’ll find that when you are focused on that service, on giving, soon you’ll develop valuable reciprocal relationships and that will equal sales, and a long term referral base.

Lastly, I recommend you use what I call the 10/10 visualization.  That is make a list of ten things that you currently love about your life and ten top goals and dreams.  Before you go to sleep each night, review both lists, close your eyes and visualize each.  This is a great way to counteract the “scary” stuff our minds connect with each day with those things that are already good and helps give us the boost needed to succeed. 

And now, for my two cents:  I’ve always been a big fan of keeping things in perspective and very often, that’s where I start when giving advice to new agents.  If you miss something, make a mistake, or are unsure, it’s all right.  The great thing about this life is you get a clean slate every day to try again.  Do your best, with integrity and choose reliable sources for guidance.  Talk to your broker if you have a question, and keep the big picture in mind.  Next, find out what’s most important to you, where your interests lie and how you can start working with people who have those same interests until you make that niche your own.  It makes that “breaking the ice” portion of relationship building so much smoother.  Why?  It’s genuine, not forced and it allows you to speak with passion and confidence to like-minded people. 

Next, put systems in place that help automate the process of getting your name out and marketing your business.  This eases the number of things on your “mental checklist” each day and frees you up to feed your mind with all the great information, tools, techniques and resources that are available to you.  Then, connect with people who could, should and can be in your sphere of influence!  After all, when it all is said and done, this is a people business.  Consider the powerful words of Zig Ziglar, “You’ll get everything in life that you want if you help enough other people get what they want.”  Now, there’s perspective!    

A huge thank you to our panelists for their advice and expertise!  As new agents, arm yourself every day, every week with fundamental knowledge, powerful inspiration and results-producing skills and techniques.  I invite you to bookmark the sites of our guest experts to continuously learn from them.  They are extraordinary resources for agents new and experienced!  Here’s how to get in touch:

• Bernice Ross:  www.realestatecoach.com
• Susie Hale:  www.frogpond.com
• Darryl Davis:  www.darryldavis.com
• Stefan Swanepoel:  www.retrends.com
• Matthew Ferry:  www.matthewferry.com

If you missed Part I of this article series, please visit blog.prospectsplus.com to learn what every new agent needs to know in terms of strategies, systems, tools and techniques!  If you’re looking for new ways to grow your business and put some of those valuable systems in place that we talked about, visit www.prospectsplus.com and sign up for a free web account which will unlock a treasure chest of timely resources for you!  Need help navigating the waters of being a new agent or advice on what solutions top agents use to keep their career on track?  Call me directly at 1.866.405.3641.  Until then, I wish you every success! 
 

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