Become a construction authority, internalizing and memorizing every construction definition and term.
Know everything there is to know about the uniqueness of their homes in the marketplace.
Know the complete needs, concerns and wants of their customers.
Have the skills to match their homes to the needs, wants and concerns of each customer.
Have a general understanding of business.
Have high self-esteem.
Possess the ability to manage the emotional issues of selling and rejection.
Believe in the company and homes they represent.

Roy H. Williams poses a penetrating question: “How about you? Do you have the patience, tenacity, and grit to bang the hammer of hard work against the anvil of your disadvantages until you have pounded your future into a shape that you like? Or do you plan to just sit there with your fingers crossed and wait for your ‘big break’ and then when it doesn’t come, whine about how you never had a chance?”

I love that quote. What is says to me is that, if you have a small business –and most new home salespeople are themselves a small business –you don’t have to be narrow minded. Instead of thinking within very tight, well-defined boundaries, you can choose to think outside the lines. Widen your view …expand your vision … diversify and multiply your options.

To grow your business, you want to think big; and by “big” I’m not suggesting that you need big money to succeed.

There is a myth out there that says it takes money to make money. This implies that you
must start with a lot of money to make a lot of money. If that were really true, how could
Steve Jobs, David Oreck, Bill Gates, Rachel Ray and countless others have
succeeded? They had very little seed money.

Jobs founded Apple with $1,300. Dell, a pre-med student, started his computer
company with $1,000 in his dorm room then dropped out of college at age 19 to build it.
Five years ago, he donated $50 million to his drop-out alma mater, the University of
Texas.

John Mackey and Renee Hardy borrowed money from friends and family to open a small
natural foods store in Austin, Texas, which became Whole Foods Market.

Ross Perot founded Electronic Data Systems with $1,000.

Newly-married Ruth & Elliot Handler started a business in their garage that expanded
into the top toymaker in the world, Mattel.

In 1995, in Pierre Omidyar’s living room, he wrote the technical code that would allow
him to start a web-based company called eBay. Within three years, it was ranked
number 326 on the Fortune-500 list of companies.

Two teachers and a writer invested $1,350 each in 1971 to open a Chicago coffee shop
that evolved into Starbucks.

Adolph Coors invested $2,000 to form Coors Brewing Company, one of the largest in the
world.

Each one of these small business owners proved that, to succeed, you don’t need
unlimited resources. You just need unlimited resourcefulness.

Big businesses are grown by people who prove they have the resourcefulness to grow
small companies.

Being resourceful means making the most of the time, energy, money, connections,
health, talents, passions, and other assets you have. Use them to overcome obstacles,
to find overlooked clients, to achieve over-the-top results and to overtake your
competition by envisioning success where others see failure.

Teddy Roosevelt summed it up this way: “Do what you can with what you have where
you are.”

Be a person of resourcefulness who thinks big.

Most people aren’t willing to leave the soothing comfort of familiarity. They fear the unknown, so they remain safely anchored in Humdrum Haven.

But if you have reached the point where you are ready to pay the price to change your life, how do you do it?

For real change to occur, two things must happen. First, you must alter your thinking. Second, you must endure the pain of self-discipline.

Change begins in the mind. It starts on the inside and works its way out. The Bible states it simply: As a man thinks in his heart, so is he.

All those scattered thoughts that skip across the landscape of your mind gradually crystallize into the person you are becoming. They control the actions you take and configure the lifestyle you’ve chosen.

The way you think determines your belief system, which evolves into the consequences and memories you have today.

To think differently, you need to put new information into your mind. The best way to do that is to read an hour every day. That’s what I’ve done for years. As a result, the new information I’ve absorbed has overcome my old … and sometimes self-destructive … thoughts.

When your thinking changes, so do your actions; and when your actions change, so do your outcomes.

Your brain is like a giant computer. It unloads what’s been been fed into it. When you watch TV shows, listen to radio and music, read books and magazines — all of the information you’re taking in from these different sources is fed into your brain. So, if you want to change the way your mind thinks and alter the way your life is going, change your brain food.

Input the positive. Overcome the negative.

The Bible tells us in Philippians 4:8, “Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”

Zig Ziglar says to “focus on the good, the clean and the positive.”

Hang out with uplifting people. Listen to informational CDs and podcasts. Read inspiring books. Absorb the right information and your life changes. Before you know it, you have become a product of that programming.

Then, once you start thinking differently, take action. Do what you know needs to be done, when you have to do it, whether you feel like it or not. That’s discipline.

Alexander Hamilton is quoted as saying, “Men give me some credit for genius.  All the genius I have lies in this: When I have a subject in hand, I study it profoundly.  Day and night it is before me.  I explore it in all its bearings.  My mind becomes pervaded with it. Then the effort which I make is what the people call the fruit of genius.  It is the fruit of labor and thought.”

There’s the key … labor and thought. Wishing won’t change your life. Working at it will. Believe differently.  Be disciplined. It’s that simple.

Join Myers Barnes and MetLife for the next big training event on November 15th

On-Line Sales Management Summit: MAXIMUM SALES!

November 15, 2011, 9:00-10:00am PDT
Speaker: Myers Barnes, MIRM

Description: This is your invitation to achieve unprecedented success in new home
sales management. Savvy sales managers know profitable sales and an inspired sales
force are the keys to success. Guaranteed: You’ll learn you how to race past your
goals, multiply the number of new homes sold, and increase your bottom line with
profitable sales. It’s a practical, yet powerful approach to sales management,
you can’t afford to miss.

Relevance To Attendees: Today’s company owner and sales manager must be a
leader, a coach, a confidant, a counselor and an efficient business executive—all at
the same time. The Pro-Active Sales Manager is a person who can mold a variety of
different personalities into an effective sales team that can deliver predictable results
month after month. Persistent application of the principles taught in this program will
enable such a sales manager to achieve better sales results-starting immediately.

Learning Outcomes:
• Develop the iron-clad confidence that top managers have at their command.
• Discover the proven way to devise sales strategies that create a profit.
• Raise expectations of all your staff and walk them through increased sales
• Lead, motivate and inspire a sales team to peak performance standards.
• How to vaccinate your sales team against “de-motivators” and ensure
continual success
• Overcome real world objections-with real world solutions
• Defeat and diffuse your competitors discounting and incentives

Register now Register early, limited to 200.

UPCOMING EVENTS!
January 10, 2012: “Owners Into Referral Generators!”
Speaker: Bob Mirman, CEO, Eliant, Inc.

Questions: Please contact Anthony Grasst at agrasst@metlife.com or 425-576-2272

This event is being hosted by MetLife Home Loans A Division of MetLife Bank, N.A.

1. Pretend the internet doesn’t exist. It isn’t going away, so why ignore it? Learn how to use it to boost your sales, expand your market, and attract and educate potential buyers about your homes and community.

2. Make promises you can’t keep. If you don’t deliver, you lose credibility. It’s not worth it.

3. Don’t respond to clients and potential buyers right away. Whether it’s complaints or inquiries that make your phone ring and your computer beep, respond to them as quickly as possible.

4. Don’t ask for referrals or stay in touch after the sale. It’s easy to breathe a sigh of relief and ride off into the sunset after closing papers have been signed, but don’t do it. Allow your buyers the luxury of lingering. They may have some questions or need reassurance before they experience a bad case of buyer’s remorse. Plus you have an opportunity to ask, “Do you have some friends you would like to have as neighbors in your new home?” Lingering after the sale and staying in contact show that you are committed to building a long-term relationship.

5. Allow frequent interruptions. Figure that every time you’re interrupted, you’ll lose 15 minutes of productive time. Is it really worth it?