In any sales game you have to develop thick skin.  It is a necessary skill for those who want to weather the storms and achieve success.  But there is another side that those who are masters of their craft have developed.  Yes, you do need to develop thick skin, but you need to couple it with a soft heart.  We need to care about others and engage.  Real Estate is, more than anything, a relationship business. 

Far too many wounded salespeople develop the reverse, soft skin and a hard heart.  They are distrustful critics that take everything personally.  They tend to complain and criticize.  They are life-suckers versus life-givers and everyone around them knows it.

Today, choose to develop the balance of thick skin and a soft heart.  Choose to master it – and you will never have to look for business again.

Carpe diem,

“In life, you are either moving in the direction you want to go or someone is moving you in a direction they want you to go.”

Who do you let make or influence your decisions?  Really, who has access to that area of your life?  Is it a spouse, a manager, a coach, or do you regulate that all important responsibility to the other agents in your office that spend more time making coffee than doing business?  I don’t want to be too harsh, but I can’t express how important it is to protect your core vision and motivation.

The “why” you do is far more important than any other factor.  The “what” you do can be formulated, changed and is in constant flux.  But “what” you do only make sense in the context of “why” you do.  If you aren’t designing your business with the end in mind, you’ll end up with a job in real estate that you hate instead of a business that you love because it provides for you and protects your core values.

Do you struggle with names?  This has personally plagued me for years and is a constant struggle in a people business where we meet new potential clients on a daily basis.  However, I also know that there is no quicker way to impress someone than to remember their name, especially after a long time has gone by.

Here’s a tip from a memory master (and yes, I paid dearly for a seminar that I am boiling down to a 30 second email because I am all about, say it with me, helping you make more money, make it faster, and with less cost).  Here you go with the tip -

Use the SAVE method:

S – Say name 3 times when first talking to them

A – Ask a question about the name

V – Visualize a memory hook.  If their name is Lake, visualize them swimming in a lake

E – End the conversation with their name

You won’t believe how well this little tip works when we put it into play. 

Carpe diem,

Every once and a while I get something that is just too good not to share. Dean is a fellow Master’s Program Graduate and is the CEO of one of the finest Ad agencies I’ve ever been exposed to. I received this article last week from him and thought it dovetailed into the branding series I wrapped up this last week. I hope you enjoy Dean as much as I do -

In today’s economy, the mindset of spending money on marketing seems to be like the mindset of going to Las Vegas. Pretty risky. The only difference is that going to Vegas means there’s a good chance of having a great time.

On the marketing front, however, there is hope. Lots of it if you market smart. Here are a few tips.

First, realize that during a down economy, people typically clam up their advertising dollars. The result is less ad saturation in your marketplace. The opportunity is that your advertising now has a stronger chance of being seen. Also, the perception of those companies advertising in a down economy is of a strong, confident company. On top of that, customers typically experience bad customer care because most companies are downsizing, causing inefficiencies. Hence, those who are mistreated may be looking for a new provider during the down times and lo and behold, there’s your ad. The time to pick up market share is not when the economy is thriving, it’s when it’s choking.

In your initial ad planning stage, take an honest assessment of the advertising vehicles you’ve used in the past. Often, there are a couple of advertising methods that worked pretty well. For some strange reason, every client we talk to has one or two of those tactics they stopped doing because they got too busy from the inquiries generated by advertising. Whoops!

Next, if you are planning any new advertising methods, evaluate them diligently. Your advertising rep should give you an advertising/cost rationale, and you should be able to talk to a couple of their non-competing customers to see if the advertising is pulling. If they say you can’t have testimonials, run, don’t walk, away from the pseudo-opportunity.

During the down times, the phone is your friend. While people are spending horrific amounts of cash on untried tactics, others are getting on the phone and making those cold calls. FACT: 100% of those clients we told to increase their phone work reaped tremendous success. And the phone is cheap by comparison.

If you’re using direct mail in these lean times, make sure your database is up-to-date with current names and current addresses. This will minimize the waste and maximize the penetration of the campaign. And don’t forget to mail to your existing customers.

Public Relations is another under-utilized tactic. Press releases about news relating to your industry, in essence, are free advertising. The right story in the right publication can help reel in new business. Remember though, it must be newsworthy and relevant. Editors get inundated every day with hundreds of press releases, so don’t send in junk press. Also, use the media to get published, like I am. I’ve gotten a few calls, and plus, it makes me feel famous, like Tom Cruise.

If you like to speak in public — the number one fear of human beings–have at it. It’s very effective. Relevant presentations in your area of expertise can be a tremendous method for generating more business and building your reputation, especially if you get in front of the right people.

Please don’t invest money into your Web site thinking that if you do, more business will come. Your Web is, in essence a store, and you have to drive people to it with advertising, just like a store. The most cost effective way to drive people to your Web site is through viral marketing and Search Engine Optimization.

Image ads and brand building agendas have to go by the wayside during tough times. Direct response ads, where you’re offering something substantial, must be the consistent discipline. Think about it. Would you respond to an ad that offers one piece of free dry cleaning for every 50 pieces cleaned? Or would your respond to an ad offering every third piece free? Make it compelling.

Always ask for referrals. This is the most commonly overlooked marketing vehicle in existence. It’s also a practice that thrives with those who have a system to remind them to do so. If you could get one new client per week by asking for referrals, that would be 50 per year, or 500 over the next 10 years. Not to mention the incoming referrals that just come with great service.

Finally, let’s not forget intestinal fortitude. During down times, people think that working at the usual pace will do. It won’t. Many stress out, check out, and think things will change by themselves. My dad use to say that in business, you have to grow just to stand still. Slow economies dictate that you not only work smart, but that you take your commitment disciplines and your attitude to a whole new level.

Carpe diem,

Building a PIPELINE of potential clients these days requires more than just post card that says “I’m Number One!” – you need to establish a personal brand to set yourself apart from the crowded marketplace of other REALTORS® who have the same or similar qualifications.

What is personal branding?  Personal branding is the way you clarify and communicate what is special about you, so that you don’t have to talk so hard (or hope for the right question) to explain exactly why you’re the best choice a buyer or seller could make in choosing a REALTOR®. With branding, you are communicating more information on more than simply a verbal level.

“A BRAND takes the place of an actual personal relationship by making it seem that there is a relationship when in fact, there is none!”  The BRAND is ‘what’ we are remembered for.

Your personal brand is communicated through all visual and verbal communication, voice mail greeting, letters, listing presentations, personal web site, wardrobe choices used in meetings, handshake, contact card, and even your personal interests and behavior.  If any of these are inconsistent with the image you wish to project, your brand is compromised or at least weakened.

When developing your personal brand, ask yourself these questions:

• What do you want people to understand, think, and know when they see you/your marketing/your email?
• What is the essence of your value to an organization?  
• What makes you stand out? Your accomplishments, strengths, personal qualities, or just your hair color, the hat you wear ‘glamour shot’?

There is the story of the character actor who was wrestling with his personal brand because his primary value to directors was that he had a forgettable face.  He is neither handsome nor ugly, tall nor short, and even his hair was a nondescript color.  Although his credits are impressive, new casting directors never remembered him enough to call him back, even when they have been very enthusiastic about his auditions. 

After we did some work with the questions listed above, we decided to brand him as the “red sweater guy.”  Why red?  Because red communicates passion, which is how he feels about acting, and the color stands out and is memorable, even though his face is not.

To every audition, he wore a red sweater.  On his resume attached to his black-and-white head shot, he wrote in red ink under his name, “the guy in the red sweater.”  He began introducing himself as “Chris, the guy in the red sweater,” as well as identifying himself on his phone messages and voice mail as “the guy in the red sweater.” 

The result? The guy with the forgettable face became memorable, and effectively communicated his passion for acting by building a brand around a red sweater.

Correctly branding yourself will make you easier to remember, and will communicate much more than you can ever say in a cover letter or even an interview.

Carpe diem,

Here’s 10 of My Best Questions to Ask:

When you ask a question, there are ways to determine whether or not you have a good shot at getting to yes which is by asking qualifying questions first.

Simply stated, you won’t get the business if you don’t ask (which is why I say that asking for the business is one of marketing’s “magic bullets”), but you will increase your chances of getting a positive response if you qualify first.

And frankly, asking for the sale without first determining need, interest, and inclination is rude, presumptive, and off-putting.  Why?  Because offering a solution without first assessing need is like a doctor writing a prescription before the diagnosis – not a good idea for anyone!

Here are some questions that might help you assess the need and get to yes:

1. What is the goal or outcome you want to achieve?  Or as an alternate: If you could wave a magic wand and this issue would be settled to your satisfaction, what would that look like?

2. Who else needs to be involved in this decision?

3. What will happen/what are the consequences if you don’t do this?

4. What are the obstacles in your way right now? 

5. What are the resources you have to draw on?

6. What is your timeline for reaching this goal or completing this project?

7. How will you measure success?  How will things be different?

8. Have you tried to solve this problem before, and if so, what happened?

9. Why is this important for you to solve right now?

10. How will you feel once this is complete?

Once these questions have been asked and answered, you can present your solution as an option, because then, ostensibly, you are in a position to make an informed recommendation.

Your prospect will feel more confident in your proposal because you spent the time to really understand the situation before you offered a solution, rather than throwing a one-size-fits-all solution at the problem.

Carpe diem,

Here are a few of my notes from a seminar by John Wooden on Leadership Legacy

• Leadership starts with self
• Never try to be better than anyone else – just focus on yourself
• Learn from others
• Never cease to be the best
• Peace of mind comes from knowing you did your best
• There is no substitute for work
• Don’t be afraid to fail
• It’s not about the trophies, it’s about the relationships
• Talent has to be committed to the team
• It’s we not me
• The more talent, the harder it is to get the team to gel
• Not everyone can win with a team, but no one can do it without it

Carpe diem,

One of the most powerful things in your life is your vision (or lack thereof) and your perceived mission. To help crystallize direction for your life and business develop a personal mission statement. Ask yourself what you alone you can do. Not what can you do, but what is it that won’t get done if you alone don’t or won’t do it.

Here’s a simple guide to developing your personal mission statement -

Definition of Mission - The special duty or function for which someone is sent as a messenger or representative; and the special task or purpose for which a person is apparently destined in life; a calling.

What is your personal mission statement? - Your personal mission statement focuses on the special purpose you want to achieve in your life and the special approach you will take to achieve it. It is the consequence of your mission being achieved. It is a description of how the world will be after you’ve traveled through it.

A clarifying question - “If we were meeting back here on ______________________, and you were looking back over the preceding ______________, what would have to have happened during those years for you to feel really good about yourself, your life, and the fulfillment of your personal vision?”

Answer this question to state your Personal Mission Statement- “My unique mission is…”

Once we have vision and mission clearly identified, it becomes very easy to make life changing decisions. Whenever I am faced with a fork in the road of life, The answers will simply fall into place when I simply weigh my options against my vision and mission and ask – “Is this in line with who I am?” and “Does this bring me closer to where I know I need to go?”

Carpe diem,

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Concepts to Embrace and Get

• You attract people who are one step behind or one step ahead of you.
• Responsibility is a privilege, not a duty or burden.
• Love is something you deserve, not earn.
• Having enough money is a responsibility of adulthood and essential to being irresistibly attractive-not because of how much you have, but because of how little it has you.
• Know what matters most to you.
• You have two parts-the ego and the self. It is the latter to whom other selves are attracted and the former to which other egos are attracted.
• Everyone needs energy and motivation from some place and will do anything to keep the energy flowing. Your job is to choose your source of supply as if your life depended on it.
• Struggling and suffering is for actors, not you.
• You are as big as the people with whom you associate.
• Attempting to change people is fruitless, but you can help them become more of who they are.
• When your needs are met, you can afford to be attractive.
• Attraction is when they come to you; seduction is when you get to them.
• When you’ve made the choice to be fully alive for the rest of your life, you attract others who have made a similar choice.
• When you are grateful for what you have, even if it seems like it’s not enough, you get a whole lot more.
• The more attractive you are, the fewer people will be really friends to you, but what a group they are.
• It is a skill to enjoy being fully engaged and participatory in life.
• You are attractive, but not to everyone.

Carpe diem,

We all know making warm “keep in touch” calls are the rocket fuel for our referral system.  The question I always get is – “When is the best time to make calls?”  Here’s what I would suggest:  Call in the mid morning to their home numbers if you would like to leave a voice mail.  You get points for thinking about them and it keeps calls to less then 20-30 seconds.  Remember, the point of the calls is to demonstrate your character (I care about you as a person).  You get full credit on that basis when leaving a message.  If you need or want to talk to someone live, give them a call mid to late afternoon on their cell phone.  They will almost always pick up and aren’t as rushed as they are in a typical morning.

Carpe diem,

You can also click on one of the following links to have the mastery coaching blog with helpful life and business tidbits geared to real estate’s elite delivered to your computer,

To subscribe to the mastery coaching blog via email

To subscribe to the mastery coaching blog via RSS reader