With Thanksgiving upon us, there seems to be no better time to reflect on the year, on what you have, and on how to be a better you in 2017. It’s also a great time to express thanks and gratitude, not only for what we have but also for those that support us and who have helped us to be successful this year. It’s always a little bit funny when you hear people (myself included) say such ... Continue Reading
4 Ways to Beat the Real Estate Bullies
A few weeks ago at a local Women’s Council of Realtors® meeting, I was asked to give a little talk about How to Beat the Real Estate Bullies: Smart Strategies for Surviving in a Shark-Eat-Shark Industry. While the talk was extremely informal, the topic is actually a pretty serious one. In an industry where there are now likely over 1.2M Realtors®, when you work on a transaction, it ... Continue Reading
The 5 Biggest Mistakes Agents Make in Emails
If you are a regular reader of my blog, then you already know how I feel about email. Simply put, it’s a super effective marketing tool and a great way to send quick informational messages. However, it is generally not a great way to negotiate and it is definitely not a place to tell people how you really feel. It may sound old school, but so much more can be accomplished by picking ... Continue Reading
Why the Silent Treatment Helps to Make a Sale
As a real estate professional, it is important for you to connect with clients, prospects, and affiliates. Meaningful connections usually mean more transactions in your sales pipeline. So, when you are in the moment, you don’t want anyone to feel as if anything is more important than the person in front of you. When you demonstrate that you are listening, it helps to cement these ... Continue Reading
My wish for you…
I've set out this morning to create a heartfelt message in which I express thanks for all of the real estate professionals in my life and to wish all of my friends and readers a very Merry Christmas. I also wanted to post some gorgeous card or inspirational message in order to send my good vibes out through the Internet. Yet, somehow I was uninspired. While I am very thankful to ... Continue Reading
Danger: Why You’re Probably Not Increasing Your Sales Pipeline
Do you ever get to the end of your business day, look at the clock, and wonder where the day has gone? Today, as I write this, it is high noon, and I had planned to get down to business about three hours ago. Where has the time gone? Between taking a few calls, paying a few bills, and solving a few problems, three hours has elapsed. Does this ever happen to you? Working “On” and “In” ... Continue Reading
Tidying Your Desk May Lead to More Closings
Have you read The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up? Currently number #1 on The New York Times Bestseller List (How-To Category), it’s a tiny little book that talking about ways to remove clutter from your home. While we would all like our property listings to appear less cluttered, the larger message in the book is how an uncluttered and tidy home directly corresponds to an ... Continue Reading
Why You Need a Strong System
One of the biggest problems a busy agent may face is the problem of control. When you have a number of transactions underway, it’s like juggling with a significant number of balls? How many balls can you actually juggle at once? Real estate agents are not jugglers, but the analogy stands. Creating a good, strong, easy-to-use system is key to the success, longevity, and preservation of ... Continue Reading
How to Make Your Real Estate Business Matter
On a recent trip to New York City, I became enthralled with a food cart that was located next to our hotel. I know that food trucks and food carts are en vogue right now, but this one was something to see. No matter what time I left the hotel and no matter what time I returned, there was always a line. At one point, I counted 58 people in line. This particular food cart sold Halal ... Continue Reading
7 Ways to Control Armchair Experts
In the wacky world of real estate, you may meet from time-to-time a homebuyer or home seller who believes that he is an expert in the field of real estate despite the fact that he has little to no experience. You’ve probably already dealt with one or two of these wise guys; they’re the ones who tell you that their uncle’s sister-in-law (who is not in the field of real estate) advised ... Continue Reading