Why we are successful!

Why we are successful.

It is my opinion that the reason we share success is that many of us share the law of attraction. It is extremely important in my opinion to have this quality. What constitutes the law of attraction? First, you must be likable. People want to be around you. They seek you out to “pick” them up mentally. You make them feel better about themselves and therefore want to spend more time with and around you. Mother Theresa once said, “Never let anyone leave you without making them feel better and happier because they were with you”. To keep in line with this you must be kind, and caring as well. Don’t just get to know people and what interests them but why. Dig a little deeper and it will pay dividends if you are sincere. By being sincere and listening, you will bond with others and take those relationships to deeper levels.

You must also have a positive attitude and outlook on life so that it carries into your business. There is so much to be said about this topic and how it relates to success but we will only briefly touch upon this subject. People want to hang around people who are optimistic. You wake up everyday and have a choice of whether to be happy, positive and eager to take on the day or negative, pissed off waiting for the day to end because of what is “probably” going to happen to you - what do you choose? A positive attitude and outlook are also better for you in many ways and they also help create opportunities in all areas of your life. You catch more flies with honey than you do vinegar. It is important what you say and how you say it, think about it.

Another characteristic in the law of attraction is to have a servant mentality. You must put others first. Walk a mile in their shoes to see what is important to them and try to solve their problems with empathy and compassion. By helping others achieve their goals and solve their problems, you will in turn achieve your goals. Being solution oriented for those you encounter will get you where you want to go faster and further than you would expect. By giving it your all in every situation, you can expect success to follow.

Being appreciative and thankful are also qualities of a person with law of attraction. People like to know that they are appreciated for what they do for you. If you always take and don’t say thank you or don’t give back, you won’t receive as much or as often as you could. Be the one to show your appreciation through words, notes and actions and others will want to be with and around you and will be willing help you more. It is easy to do – just try! Treat people in every situation with dignity and respect and you will get it in return!

Another key area of our topic is to be outgoing and approachable. People in this category make eye contact and smile a lot when encountering others. When looking away, down or wearing an I-pod, people won’t seek you out. When talking down to others, appearing too busy, rushing through conversations result in lost opportunities. Take an active interest in others and they will want to take an interest in you. When asking questions, be focused on them and their answers. Greet people with a genuine, sincere smile and open arms when you see them and you will get it back in spades! While we are on this subject, give praise publicly and often to show your appreciation for others have done for you – it will make their day! Being humble is also a strong attribute to mention. This quality characteristic can help take you places you want to go. Use the phrase, we and us not me and I when conveying your messages. Give credit where credit is due – shine the spotlight don’t bask in it!

In addition to these extremely important attributes, projecting a professional image help you get to the level of success you desire. Your appearance, the office appearance, the technology you use, obtaining the training you need so you can educate clients contributes the law of attraction as well. People want to be with successful people. You must build upon this foundation with being competent. Basically, you gotta know your stuff. Know the contracts (listing agreements, regional sales contract, addendums, leases, etc), know market trends and numbers. Read and research publications, trade magazines, reports, blogs, etc. to help you learn what you have to know! It has been said over and over and over but it is true. You don’t know your stuff and it shows – know your stuff and people will follow, refer and recommend!

Remember, to have the law of attraction work for you, good enough, is never enough. Get it? Got it? Good!

Now, go sell something!

Success is not an accident, it happens on purpose.

As some agents are experiencing, today’s market can be a little challenging. Some buyers want to continue making low ball offers on properties until they can steal one. In some areas, there isn’t enough inventory to choose from for our buyers which leaves them many times, in competitive situations with multiple offers and they still want make low offers. There are some sellers who are not realistic when it comes to price or condition thinking someone will buy it regardless of what you tell them – not every house will sell. Be careful not to get yourself into either of these situations as all they will be doing is stealing your time!

The question is what are you going to do about it? In today’s market it is critical for you to be the professional in the transaction. Yes, the consumer has great access to a lot of information through the internet, by asking questions of relatives, friends, coworkers, reading articles in papers, but you are in the “trenches”. Nothing speaks to experience in our current environment. Now more than ever it is critical to communicate your value to your clients. Otherwise, they will seek other places to get their information or worse yet, another agent. The solution is you’ve got to get out and just do it. Preview properties – it is the number one way to learn the market. Research, speak with more people who are experts in our industry, attend mastermind sessions – in a word – learn! Seek out others willing to share their knowledge with you and you with them. Know trends and which ones to follow and how they affect the market. Know days on the market, average list to sales prices In areas you are working in, number of competing properties in the areas you are working in – in a nutshell, work. How do you do this? Research the MLS, attend seminars, network with industry leaders, read publications, newsletters, highly rated internet sites, books, and see houses – lots of houses.

Here is the multi-million dollar question, are you passionate about what you do? Are you up early, ready to take on the day? Are you ready to get new information about the market? Are you keeping an open mind about our market and what others are saying about it? Do you have a “professional” opinion on the market that can be substantiated by facts, numbers, and statistics? Are you just here for the ride hoping someone will call or are you being proactive and making it happen? Have you determined your passion in the business and how to pursue it to make you successful? Do you love what you are doing? If not, why are you doing it? As Gatorade asks, “Is it in you? “ If not, why are you in this business? If you are not furthering your career by striving to know and learn more to give yourself a competitive advantage over others in the business, why are you keeping your license active? What is your purpose?

You have a choice – make it happen – have the passion – be on purpose - be a success – just DO IT! Get it? Got it? Good!

Success is not an accident, it happens on purpose.

As some agents are experiencing, today’s market can be a little challenging. Some buyers want to continue making low ball offers on properties until they can steal one. In some areas, there isn’t enough inventory to choose from for our buyers which leaves them many times, in competitive situations with multiple offers and they still want make low offers. There are some sellers who are not realistic when it comes to price or condition thinking someone will buy it regardless of what you tell them – not every house will sell. Be careful not to get yourself into either of these situations as all they will be doing is stealing your time!

The question is what are you going to do about it? In today’s market it is critical for you to be the professional in the transaction. Yes, the consumer has great access to a lot of information through the internet, by asking questions of relatives, friends, coworkers, reading articles in papers, but you are in the “trenches”. Nothing speaks to experience in our current environment. Now more than ever it is critical to communicate your value to your clients. Otherwise, they will seek other places to get their information or worse yet, another agent. The solution is you’ve got to get out and just do it. Preview properties – it is the number one way to learn the market. Research, speak with more people who are experts in our industry, attend mastermind sessions – in a word – learn! Seek out others willing to share their knowledge with you and you with them. Know trends and which ones to follow and how they affect the market. Know days on the market, average list to sales prices In areas you are working in, number of competing properties in the areas you are working in – in a nutshell, work. How do you do this? Research the MLS, attend seminars, network with industry leaders, read publications, newsletters, highly rated internet sites, books, and see houses – lots of houses.

Here is the multi-million dollar question, are you passionate about what you do? Are you up early, ready to take on the day? Are you ready to get new information about the market? Are you keeping an open mind about our market and what others are saying about it? Do you have a “professional” opinion on the market that can be substantiated by facts, numbers, and statistics? Are you just here for the ride hoping someone will call or are you being proactive and making it happen? Have you determined your passion in the business and how to pursue it to make you successful? Do you love what you are doing? If not, why are you doing it? As Gatorade asks, “Is it in you? “ If not, why are you in this business? If you are not furthering your career by striving to know and learn more to give yourself a competitive advantage over others in the business, why are you keeping your license active? What is your purpose?

You have a choice – make it happen – have the passion – be on purpose - be a success – just DO IT! Get it? Got it? Good!

The 4 P's

The four P’s of success in real estate - professionalism, preparation, prospecting and persistence.

Professionalism is simple – it’s a lot of little things with a few big ones as well and when you think of professionalism, you can apply the “Golden Rule” to you daily routine. To be professional in our business you need to portray the right image – start by dressing for success. You don’t need to wear custom made suits but dress appropriately for the business. Another simple task is to return other agent phone calls, emails and texts. A little communication is better than no communication and many times it will take you very little time to take the effort. Have an “elevator” speech of what you do and how you do it in the business to get more business. Attend trainings – once a week for one hour to learn more about the business. Be on time for appointments – it requires you to be organized and have a schedule but it is so important in portraying a professional image. When networking on social media outlets – only post items that you want your clients to see – not things your mother would be ashamed of seeing. More eyes than you know see what you post – make it professional. Be courteous, say please and thank you. This one is the easiest of all; leave a business card when you show a house – vacant or occupied. Now, for the bigger ones, professionalism also requires you know the contracts, the processes, trends and the market. These take time but are requirements for success. Every minute you put into these areas of the business, you will reap huge rewards. Your clients expect and demand that you know these integral details of our business. Many times they research and test you to see what you know or don’t know. Show you‘re the best by excelling in professionalism.

The next p – preparation is very important to success. Areas to prepare for in our business include buyer and seller presentations, handling objections, knowing your numbers, the market’s numbers and your competition’s numbers. Prepare yourself for your presentations by researching your clients on social networks, Google and by asking your referral source for more details. By learning more about who you are working with sets you apart from others in the business. As we mentioned, have an elevator speech of what you do for people and why. You need to be prepared to speak with people at your next cocktail party, the bus stop, and kids’ games or at the grocery store. People love to talk about real estate so be prepared to speak about your service, your neighborhood, the market or your niche. Lastly, it is important to know who you are competing with when you give a presentation – learn their numbers and use them to your advantage when you get in front of your customers.

Everything previously mentioned is a mute point if you don’t have clients. Therefore, it is critical to prospect. Prospecting includes business to business networking, joint advertising, expanding your database, marketing and meeting with your past clients, and by being involved in associations, schools, kid’s sports and so much more. It has been said in the past, sales is a contact sport. You need to make the time to get face to face, and belly to belly with people if you are going to be successful in real estate. You have to have a plan of action and follow it to generate leads and therefore, build your business. Develop a niche and pursue clients to fill that niche – first time buyers, foreclosures, short sales, referral based – whatever works for you – just do it – prospect.

You must be persistent in your efforts to get results. Don’t become a master of one and done – go and get it done with persistent efforts. Be persistent in your education, research, marketing, planning, business development, and networking. Persistence pays. Don’t give up, don’t ever give up!

The four P’s will take you far in our business. Keep your professionalism, preparation, prospecting and persistence top of mind to build your business success. Get it? Got it? Good!

Appreciation

This is an area that agents often overlook in their daily schedule. Areas for appreciation in our business lives include, where we are located, the job market and unemployment rates, our client base, the opportunities for success, the office environment and in the end, the real estate market.
As we all know, this is one of the most sought after areas for businesses to relocate. As an example, Hilton Hotels is moving its headquarters to Mclean. We have a highly educated population base, we have the most counties in the top 20 counties in the country for average salaries, we have the allure of Washington DC and all of its culture and history, the mountains and ocean are close by and we have a diverse population. We should appreciate the area in which we live and help educate others on the benefits.

Northern Virginia created a net of 12,000 jobs last year. When listening to the news, you hear how unemployment is on the rise nationally – we are lucky to have created jobs locally. Additionally, our unemployment rate is half of what the rest of the country is experiencing. We have a base of over 300,000 government employees whom are never going to go on strike, won’t get laid off, get raises every year and need a place to live after work. The base of government employment has spurred so many other opportunities in the support and service industries to aid the government and military in their agendas as well. This is definitely something to appreciate and spread the word about when speaking with others.
The population of Northern Virginia is in excess of 1 million people. This affords us the opportunity to build a great database of clients. We have the ability to participate in Chambers, Rotary Clubs, Kiwanis clubs, Masons and similar community service organizations. There are churches of all denominations, car clubs, adult sport groups, alumni associations as well as countless volunteer opportunities. There is availability to help in youth coaching, participate in PTA’s and other school and children’s activities to build your database. It is time to participate and appreciate what is available to us.

There are so many businesses in our area – I can’t even venture a guess at how many. This opens us up to building relationships and to help build a referral base for our business. There are joint marketing opportunities, referral directories to create for your clients, the ability to educate their employees on home buying and selling, and so much more. Develop a game plan to take advantage of the business base in our area to build your sphere.

We believe we have created a unique office to help you succeed by providing you with a positive, upbeat office environment, extensive and relevant training schedule to educate you on today’s market, send you inspirational emails to keep you focused on success, and provide you with lead generation opportunities. Our agent advisory board allows you to voice your concerns to management confidentially through a fellow agent. And we offer quality support systems and staff to help you build a successful real estate business. Our leadership team is dedicated to your success – appreciate that we are here for you and take advantage of what we offer you.

We also need to appreciate the fact that we have one of the best real estate markets in the country. Houses are selling. There are opportunities for
first time buyers, move up buyers, and investors with locations to serve their lifestyles. There are different house styles to accommodate their taste. We also boast various price points to accommodate their budgets. Plus with the stimulus package and great rates we have even more opportunities for success.

Take the time to appreciate all that you have and take advantage of what is available to you! Get it? Got it? Good!

Myths about our Market

It is amazing what you hear on the news, around the water cooler at work, at the school bus stop, at neighborhood parties, at cocktail parties or any place else you hear people discussing real estate. The myths about now being a bad time to sell a house, wait to buy because prices are going to drop further, rates are going to get lower, and the market is slow are over exaggerated and incorrect.

As long as you didn’t buy from late 2004 to 2007 and you didn’t obtain a “cash out” refinance and over leverage yourself, now is a great time to shift your equity and move up. Sure, prices are down in your neighborhood but so are prices in the neighborhoods you would most likely move. There has never been a better time than now to negotiate with builders, take advantage of foreclosures and short sales or make the move to the home of your dreams. Also, if you can “qualify” to carry the mortgage on your current home and new home – our advice is to keep your current house, rent it out (the rental market is hot!) and sell when the prices are higher again. The prices in our area will rebound, we just need to look at the fundamentals within our market and analyze the stats to know it will happen!

When people say that prices and rates are going to drop further – ask to see their crystal ball and all of their bank accounts with the commas in them to make sure they know what they are talking about. Let’s be honest, no one knows where prices are headed – for sure - but we can make very educated guesses based upon statistical data and the theory of supply and demand. We have the data to show that prices have stabilized in many areas and have increased in others over last year by analyzing our recent sold information through our MLS and availability to research tax records. Additionally, there are people looking to buy. In conversations with agents, they are seeing agents leaving houses with buyers when they are on their way in to show them to their clients, and agents coming in with their own clients when they are leaving. We also continue to see multiple contracts on homes that are priced right, show well and are in the right condition. Another critical stat to look at is inventory levels. Last year, inventory levels of resale homes in Northern Virginia were in excess of 16,000 and we had a 6.6 month supply of houses. This year, inventory levels are just above 9,450 and we have a 2.8 month supply of houses.

When analyzing interest rates – they dropped into the high 4’s then promptly increased into the mid 5’s. There are too many factors to consider when looking at rates dropping lower – unemployment rates, inflation, bond prices, the stock market, International economies, demand, etc. Again, ask to see the crystal ball and bank accounts of the people saying rates are coming down further. What we do know is that historically, mortgage rates are near all time lows. Don’t wait for what might not happen – buy now!

All in all, it looks like there is improvement in our market and things don’t appear to be slowing down – at all!

Analyze now and regularly to ensure success…

Analysis is a key to growth both personally and professionally. For our purposes, let’s just look at your business. In your business, analysis of your team, your systems, your presentations, your market, and your results are areas to focus on to move you towards success. Begin by asking yourself, how do I want the team to be better? When analyzing this, take into consideration, what is working well and what isn’t. How can “it” be improved? Is “it” worth improving? Should “it” be replaced? How will you implement your change? How quickly should you implement the changes and most importantly, why?

As we have discussed previously, for your team to perform optimally, everyone needs to be in the right position to be able to utilize their strengths as well as compliment each other’s weaknesses to have success for your team. Proper execution with everyone in the right position will smooth the pathway to your team’s achievement. Questions to consider here are who is handling what tasks. What are their responsibilities? What do they expect to do for the team? Why are they on the team? Are they committed? Ask these questions of every team member.

You must review, revise and update your systems and processes to keep your leads and referrals coming in to the office. These pieces of the puzzle also need to be analyzed to ensure your clients are communicated with on a consistent basis and that settlements are proceeding to closing smoothly and with no “surprises”. Think about what is in place now. Who is handling the details? Where are the glitches? What areas need to be improved or updated? Do you have the right technology in place? What is working for others? How can you change your process or system with little to no interruption?

You need to analyze your total performance in regards to your presentations. Are you prepared? How have you prepared? What more can you do to prepare? Are you professionally dressed? Are your materials appropriate and in the right order? Have you Googled your subject? Reviewed Linkedin, Facebook or any other social networking site to learn more about the people you are going to be meeting?

Preparation is the key to having a solid foundation for your presentation – don’t overlook this critical step. Conversely, do you review after the presentation and critique your performance? What questions did you ask? Were they asked in the right order? Did you “dig” deep enough to get the answers to your audience so they could make the decision to move forward? How was your delivery? Who spoke more? Who controlled the conversation? Did you get the results you were expecting?

In the process of giving your clients the right information about buying and selling houses today, you need to analyze the market as well. Based upon recent sales, where are prices headed? What are the average days on market in your neighborhood? What are current inventory levels? How many months supply of houses are available? What is the makeup of your typical buyer who is buying today? What are the driving forces that are controlling the market – foreclosures, short sales and relocations or are there more arms length transactions? Are the fundamentals of low unemployment rates, job growth, salaries, etc. in place to sustain your market? How are interest rates – historically? How are inventory levels? Are there purchasers out looking to buy? Your analysis of these areas show your clients your true professionalism – know your market!

Your results are also important to analyze. Are you achieving the results you are looking for in real estate? Where is your business coming from? What are your percentages? How many calls, notes and client visits does it take to obtain a referral? How many referrals become appointments? How many appointments become clients? How many clients become transactions? What advertising venues are reaping results? Are you converting sign calls? Are you tracking internet leads? What is your average list to net sales price ratio for buyers and sellers? What are your average days on market for sellers? It is extremely important for you to know your conversion rate. Another area to look at is your efforts and efficiency. Ask for feedback from peers, clients and other industry professionals and ask “how am I doing?” Analyze your results and success will follow. Utilization of the question –“how much for how many?” will serve you well in during this step.

Analysis, on a consistent, basis is critical to your success – start today and you will be on your way. Get it? Got it? Good!

Divide and conquer!

More and more I see teams that don’t effectively determine what the best place is for each team member to succeed and exceed! It is critical to recognize people’s strengths and allow them to work on tasks that highlight their strengths. When everyone is doing what they do best, exceptional results occur.

Let’s examine how you can get started. The first question to start with is, does everyone have a job description on the team? Do you have contracts that outline each person’s roles and responsibilities for helping the team achieve success? If not, you, as the team leader, need to tackle this task right away! What can be managed can be measured.

Next, do the team members know what the goals, objectives and desires the team leader has for the team? If people don’t know where the team is supposed to go, how will it get there? This statement is something Yogi Berra might say, but it’s true. The members of the team cannot operate at peak efficiency and effectiveness if they don’t know what the team’s focus is and why. This results in them not being able to use their strengths to everyone’s advantage. It is the team leader’s responsibility to write down their desire and share it with the team members – this area of communication is critical to the team’s success in utilizing its strengths and will help to get you on the road to success.

Here is one way to help the team “get on track”. Start with this exercise: Take a sheet of paper out and down the middle draw a vertical line. Have everyone write down what they believe their strong points are on one side and what their areas for improvement are on the other. To help them clarify, ask them, when thinking of what they do, list their likes on one side – their dislikes on the other side. Next, have them explain why they “like” what they do and why they “dislike” what they don’t. Also, have them list what the teams strengths are and where there needs to be improvement and why. Have each person on the team list what the other team member’s strengths and areas for improvement are as well. Keep this information confidential. Respecting others and not sharing this type of information with every else is crucial to your success as a leader. Do, however meet with each team member privately to discuss the results of the exercise to ensure everyone is on the same page and is prepared to make the team concept work.

Take time to review each person’s answers carefully. Is there too much overlapping in any particular area? Are there areas that are lacking that need to be addressed? Do everyone’s areas mesh or are they all the same? This can be a real eye opener and help you determine if you need to reorganize or restructure and maybe even restart your team. It’s your team – do what is right for you! Be encouraging in your analysis of your team. If people aren’t utilizing their strengths, they probably aren’t happy and by reworking your structure may help them flourish somewhere else - either on your team or someone else’s. Remember, its business, not personal. Help others grow and you will grow as a result. Get it? Got it? Good

Responsibilities and results

Responsibility and Results

As we have experienced, heard and read – houses are selling. It is time for agents to stop making excuses and start taking responsibility for their thoughts, actions, activities, and in the end, their results. If anyone ever said the road to success was easy, they were wrong. It is a winding road, not a straight one and it is always under construction so be prepared to make turns, go over bumps and navigate your way around potholes to find your way to success.

As we have experienced – a positive, upbeat attitude gives you energy and enthusiasm to tackle challenges. When you have passion about what you do – it is reflective of your attitude. If you aren’t passionate about the real estate profession, perhaps it isn’t the right career for you. The key element here is you. You are responsible for how you think, act and what you are doing for a living. Ignite the fire inside of you – have a can do, problem solving attitude and generate a personality that attracts others and you will be on your way to success! If every phone call is an interruption, if your conversations are a hassle, if you have no time for training, if, if, if – it’s time to move on to something else. Get busy being excited – you are responsible for your attitude and how you respond to situations. Be optimistic, solution oriented and upbeat - just do it!

It is your responsibility to look at the housing market, see where there are challenges and develop solutions to help others and you will, in turn, become successful. Become the expert. Learn all you can about the market, your business, and your competition but most importantly, learn about your clients. The best way to learn about the market is to immerse yourself in it – read (books, magazines, publications, etc.), preview properties – new and existing, speak with industry experts (lenders, title companies, new home sales reps., & other Realtors), hold open houses and ask visitors what they are “seeing out there” – basically work. Know what is going to affect our industry – new loan programs, the stimulus package, proposed legislative changes, anything you can to give yourself an edge. Educate yourself on your competition to learn their strengths and weaknesses. What is their value proposition? How is it different from yours? What can you emulate in their practices that could be beneficial to you? Where are their deficiencies and how can you expose them – in a manner that reflects positively on you - when you go head to head with them? And perhaps, most importantly, know and understand your clients. Determine what, why, where, and when they have a need or want and how you can help them with their circumstances. It is your responsibility to take action – no one can help you in these areas but you.

Accomplishing the right activities = performance. Poor activities = poor performance = limited success. Diligent, focus, intentional activities = extreme success. You are responsible for the activities you do on a daily basis. Are you busy for the sake of being busy or are your activities driven to produce results. Determine what activities you need to do on a consistent basis to achieve your goals and get down the road of success. Rehearsing your presentations to improve upon them is one activity that many agents lack in our business. When you are prepared for presentations your performance is more polished, professional and produces better results – practice your presentations. Set a personal business standard of activities that includes writing personal notes, visiting with clients, calling your sphere, expanding your database, previewing houses, and setting appointments on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. Put these activities in your calendar and stick with them to achieve results. Be responsible for you activities and in turn, your success.

By taking responsibility for yourself, your attitude, your actions, and your activities, you will produce results that will result in your success. You control your destiny, start working it today! Get it? Got it? Good!

Now, go sell something!

Environment

Have you defined your ideal environment? What is the right atmosphere to help you grow? Who are the right people you need to be around to help you develop personally and professionally? Who are the people you need to surround yourself with for success? What do you need to hear to motivate you to do what it takes to lead a fulfilled and accomplished life? Is your environment a nurturing, positive energetic environment that stimulates your creativity? Are you in the right environment for your success? Are you around people who encourage you to be the best you can be in all areas of your life? Do you feel energized by going to the office? Do you believe that the leadership of you company is committed to your success? Do you feel included in what the company is doing to help you with your success? You are responsible for helping create, build and support the environment in which you operate your business. If you don’t believe it is right, stop blaming others around you and do something about it today. Help change it or move on but keep in mind that because the grass appears greener doesn’t mean isn’t green because of crabgrass and weeds.

We believe we have an enriching environment to you to build you success upon. Your environment and people within that environment are the ones that can make all the difference in your life both positively and negatively. Why not be around the place that makes a difference and wants you to be all that you can be? It seems like common sense – just do it. Take the steps necessary to improve where you are…maybe someplace new…maybe giving feedback to the company you are with to make a few changes that they don’t see to help them make it right for you…Perhaps buy into what your company offers to help you grow…Attend trainings…Attend our real estate information exchanges…Engage in what we are doing to help you…help us help you! Start with defining your ideal environment – if it ain’t ideal – change it for the better for you and those around you. Remember, we can only provide you the environment, training, motivation, market updates, opportunities to succeed, etc. it is what you do with it that matters. Get it? Got it? Good!

The 4 C's

These four C's will help you succeed in today's market. They are
commitment, care, communication and consistency.

Commitment is the price you pay to get the results you want. Commitment is
critical in all aspects of your life and business. Concentrate and focus on
your commitment to your business, your clients, your education and yourself.
Following up and following through on tasks you start show your commitment
and cause you accomplish so much. Decide what you need to be committed too
in order to attain the level of success you desire, and then do it!

As the saying goes, people don't care how much you know until you show them
how much you care. Do you take the time to actively listen? Are you fully
engaged with the people you serve? Do you show them your commitment to
them? When you are sincere, ask the right questions and dedicate the time
to do what it takes for those you encounter, you are displaying empathy and
they will believe you care. By reaching out to help, sharing your
experiences and by caring about others, your production and referrals will
follow.

People want to know what is going on with the market, with the sale of their
property, with the inventory of homes when they are buying. They want to
know the details of the sales process. They want to know what is happening
with the process of the sale as they progress through to settlement and it
is extremely important to let them know what is happening. In conjunction
with level communication you provide - you need to know how your client
wants receive your communication. Meeting their expectations in this area
shows you care - we discussed how important this is. Find out if they want
personal contact, phone calls, emails, text messages or some other form of
connecting with them and follow through with their desires.

The area of consistency is important as well. Be consistent in the messages
you convey to your sphere, your team, and those around you. Consistency in
your attitude is also imperative to success - be positive, upbeat and
optimistic. Your attitude about life and how you approach life determines
how far you will go in life. Consistency in your efforts will produce
results that lead to your success. As Jim Valvano said, "Don't give up,
don't ever give up". Our business isn't rocket science - do the things you
know you have to do, well, and you will reap your just rewards. Consistency
in your level of communication to your sphere, past clients and team members
on a continuous basis will get you the outcome you are looking for as well.
Monthly newsletters, delivering items of value, phone calls, personal notes,
and hosting client events are just a few ways of accomplishing this area of
your business.

So commit to your business today by committing to your clients by caring,
communication, consistency in your efforts to build the foundation for your
business. Get it? Got it? Good!