In my work, I travel around the country and meet countless people. Those who attend my seminars are in search of something better. Here are the most common wishes expressed to me:

“I want to be wealthy.”
“I wish I had the ambition to get to the next level.”
“I just want to experience happiness and serenity in my life.”
“I’d like to be smarter.”
“I wish I weren’t so bored.”
“I’d love to rediscover my health, energy, and vitality.”

And, whether spoken or unspoken, the end statement is “but I can’t.”

There is no mystery to achieving goals, but most people don’t take the necessary steps. And the first one is this: Plan.

A coach does not lead his team into a big game without a strategy, a plan to maximize his players’ skills and strengths and the weaknesses of the other team.

A builder does not walk onto a job site and start constructing a house without a blueprint.

So why would you tackle your future without first establishing a plan to make the most of your time, talents, and opportunities? If you want to become wealthy, create a wealth plan. If you want more joy in your life, craft a happiness plan. Determine those things that will make you wealthier or happier and determine a strategy and schedule to incorporate them into your life.

It’s time to embark on a “can do” plan, to ignite those sparks that once fueled your achievements. As trite as it might sound, it’s not that you planned to fail, but that you failed to plan. Start right now. Look at those goals that have eluded you. Build a plan with specific tasks for actively pursuing the end result you desire.

Then take step 2: Act on your plan. But that’s another post for another day.…

Posted In: Blogroll, Customer Service, Marketing, New Home Sales, New Home Sales Management Training, New Home Sales Training, New home sales marketing, Personal Development, Real estate courses, Recommended Blogs, Sales Management, Uncategorized, new home sales management

There are, depending on the size of your business, somewhere between 10 and 1,000 people who care enough about your company to offer free advice, insight, and the unfiltered truth directly to you. Each month you can ask these people anything about your business that you’d like to and get back a response rate of around 70%. Get ideas for new products, feedback on new ad concepts, or simply ask for their solution to your biggest problem. It sure beats talking to the mirror where all you get are predictable answers to your questions. Wait. There is a catch though – the cost. It’s anywhere between free and $599 a year.

This is what I call a customer advisory board, and you can have one in four easy steps.

1. Invite your customers to join
- For my home builder, I simply added one statement to the end of the survey that is filled out at the end of closing. It states “I would like to participate in the customer advisory board to give critical feedback on a variety of issues. I understand that I will only receive one survey per month, and that there will be rewards for involvement.” Over the past year and a half about 40% of those surveyed have opted-in.

2. Choose your survey tool
- I recommend either www.SurveyMonkey.com or www.Zoomerang.com. Survey Monkey offers a $200 per year unlimited use plan that is perfect for medium to large companies and remains light on the budget.

3. Create your survey
- Both sites mentioned offer What You See Is What You Get survey creation. If you can create a word document, then you’ll be creating surveys like a pro in no time. Get creative and ask questions that help you solve problems for yourself and others in your company! You won’t believe the looks you’ll get when in the meeting of a meeting you offer “hey, why don’t we just ask 200 of our current customers what they think?” Try and keep it under 5 questions – show them you value their time.

4. Send the survey, and reward someone
- No more than once a month, send out the survey to everyone on your list. Then from those that respond select a winner at random. Be sure to announce the winner at the beginning of your next survey. It makes the winner feel good about being recognized, and it shows everyone else that you really do reward good behavior.

There you have it. Why not tap into this powerful form of research starting today? Stop talking to the mirror and break out of the corporate bubble. They may not say exactly what you want to hear, but aren’t you getting sick of listening to your own echo?

A couple of quick hits to keep you out of trouble:

- This is NOT quantitative research. Do not make the mistake of using this as THE decision making tool (keep flipping a coin for that). It only offers insights, and sometimes can raise as many questions as it answers. That is not a bad thing.

- Sometimes the customer isn’t right. Apple computer knows this – they don’t ask people what they want. Instead, they create something that people will want before they know they want it. If you ask the group to give input on something that’s never been done before, expect some puzzled responses. A more concrete example is this – don’t ask your advisory board how much profit you should make on a home. They will probably not give you a “right” answer (However, their perceptions may surprise you!)

- Remember that these people have already done business with you before! That’s good because they know how you operate, but it sometimes means you have to be creative with your questions so you don’t offend or alienate them.

- Two or three times a year let everyone on the board know how their feedback has caused change at the company. This helps them feel connected and keeps them excited, even if they aren’t winning the monthly prize.

Author Bio:
Kevin Oakley is a branding and marketing expert specializing in real estate. He is currently the Director of Marketing & Sales Training at Heartland Homes— a top 100 builder. You can interact with him on his blog at www.brandpossible.com.

Posted In: Blogroll, Customer Service, Marketing, New Home Sales, New Home Sales Management Training, New Home Sales Training, New home sales marketing, Personal Development, Real estate courses, Recommended Blogs, Sales Management, Uncategorized, new home sales management

Bill is a construction worker who has just started a new job. His foreman has advised him that the crew members bring their own lunches, rather than taking an off-site lunch hour. With a shorter midday break, the reward is ending the day a half-hour earlier.

So, on his first day’s lunch break, Bill opens his cooler, unwraps the sandwich, and complains, “Sardine sandwich? I hate sardine sandwiches.”

He throws out the undesirable meal and goes back to work, angry and still hungry.

The next day, he discovers not one, but two sardine sandwiches in his lunch box. He groans and tosses them in the trash.

On the third day, when he again discovers sardine sandwiches in his lunch box, his foreman suggests that he asks his wife to pack something else. He looks at the man and replies, “Nah, I pack my own lunch.”

Every day, we pack our own “lunches”, meaning we make our own choices. We decide how to dress, what actions to take, and how focused we will be on achieving our goals. Yet, so many people complain about their lives and their work. Albert Einstein once said the definition of insanity is repeating the same action over and over and expecting a different result. So, if you are conducting each day with the same mindset, the same energy (or lack thereof), and the same actions, you should not complain that your life is not meeting your expectations. In truth, you are not meeting your own expectations. You are failing yourself.

Is it time to pack a new lunch so you can savor a more flavorful life?

Posted In: New Home Sales Management Training, New Home Sales Training, New home sales marketing, Personal Development, Real estate courses, Recommended Blogs, Sales Management, Uncategorized, new home sales management

Motivation makes things happen. Motivation is driven by the motive to do, act, or change. Break down the word:

Motive + Action = Motivation.

Motivation is the compelling "Why" statement. “Why change?" "Why act?" "Why react?".

I’m not concerned with what you want, but rather why you want it. What is the compelling reason that lies beneath that desire? It’s not the "what" the gets you up in the morning, ready to tackle challenges and surge ahead. No, the motivation is the "why" statement. The desire to close a sale is the "What", but the "Why" reflects your ambition, the driving force that pushes you to reach a sales goal. Your "Why" statement is the reason you stay late, arrive early, overcome objection, swat away rejection, and keep moving forward, day after day.

When I work with clients, I tell them, "If I know why you want something, then I can help you get it." What is your motivation? Financial success? Personal gratification? The ability to take a nice vacation twice a year? Expansion? Exit strategy?

It’s fine to know what you want, but if you haven’t yet invested the time to determine why, then you might discover that there’s just not enough motive to trigger the action you need to achieve. Giving up on a goal means you didn’t have a strong enough "Why" statement. Before you give up, revisit the "Why".

Posted In: Blogroll, New Home Sales, New Home Sales Management Training, Personal Development, Recommended Blogs, Sales Management

MYOB. Mind Your Own Business. These words can be an admonition to keep your opinions to yourself or you can take them at face value: Mind. Your. Own. Business.

Are you minding your business? As an entrepreneurial guru and the author of the E-Myth series Michael Gerber espouses, you can get so wrapped up with working in your business that you forget to work on your business.

Success is a mindset. To succeed, you have to be in the right mind. And that mind needs to be focused on the big picture of your business success. Look down the road. Where do you want to lead your company and its employees? What does your vision look like? Now, break it down and ask yourself what you need to do in order to navigate your business to reach that spot on the horizon. Create the plan to achieve your goals. Read books with ideas, strategy, and motivation. Take a class to expand your skills and knowledge. Stay focused. Ignore the bright, shiny objects that twinkle and shine. They are mere distractions that guide you farther away from your achievements. Stop looking back at what has happened and look ahead at what can be.

When your mind improves, your business will undoubtedly follow suit. Use "MYOB" as a constant reminder to stay focused on your goals.

 

Posted In: Blogroll, Customer Service, New Home Sales, Recommended Blogs, Sales Management, new home sales management

I recently arrived home after traveling around to various cities and presenting motivational workshops. I had my mind set on unwinding in my most comfortable chair and putting my work aside for awhile. As I walked up to the door, I waved at the landscaper riding his tractor across my lawn.

Once inside the house, I collapsed into the aforementioned chair, and was instantly met by my wife who told me I needed to talk to the landscaper because he needed some business advice. I can honestly say I felt like saying, "I’m fresh out," but anyone who knows me would just laugh at such a ludicrous thought.

I walked outside a few minutes (and sighs) later, and waved him down. He sheepishly said to me, "So, you’re the guy who teaches people how to make more money."

"That’s one way to put it," I replied. He waited for more so I turned the questioning to him. "How much are you charging me per hour for that tractor?"

"$75," he replied quickly.

"And how much for your time?"

$15 an hour," he said.

"So your equipment is worth more than you are. The answer to your challenge here is that you need to increase your value as a service provider or I will find that I have more need for the tractor than for you."

I then advised him that while he spent 8 hours a day riding a tractor, he could be listening to audio books that would give him numerous tips for increasing his business and his value. "Make your ultimate goal to become more valuable than your tractor," I said, and walked back to my comfy chair.

I was once sitting on the proverbial tractor. There I realized that my true value should be measured by what I bring to a client in terms of knowledge and skills, not replaceable equipment.

Posted In: New Home Sales, New Home Sales Training, Personal Development, Sales Management

When you start thinking about your professional life — whether you’re in school, training, or into your career — you think about how much money you want to earn. What are you worth and what do you need to do to earn that salary?

For some people, "just enough to get by" is sufficient — enough to pay the bills and enjoy life. Sounds pretty good, doesn’t it? Then you meet someone special and realize you have to raise that level because your needs are greater. You want a decent home and a reliable car, and maybe have some savings tucked away for later. When you think about starting a family, the dollar value of "just enough" becomes quite a bit more.

My question is, why not start out with higher standards? Why not think bigger earlier in your life? Why not use that youthful energy to drive harder, deliver greater results, and earn more than just enough to get by? I think the lower standard is selfish. It deprives you of reaching your potential, making a greater difference, and helping others who can benefit from your success. There are myriad charitable organizations that have suffered greatly from the depressed economy, because donors have been forced to be less generous.

Hard work is the road to wealth. And wealth gives you the opportunity to be generous. It’s about giving. Scripturally, the Bible says I should give away 10% of my wealth. When I lower my own standards, I deprive myself, my family, and my community of the resources they need that I could provide if I were to push myself to deliver greater results and the ensuing income.

I have committed myself to becoming wealthy, not so that I can spend freely, but so I can donate freely, as I wish. I want to be able to share my success with others who deserve a helping hand. That’s the social obligation of wealth. And the reward is far greater than you will ever imagine.

Posted In: New Home Sales, New Home Sales Training, Personal Development

“Wealth" is a word that elicits a wide variety of mental images. Living large, enjoying all the good things in life, and seemingly without a care in the world.

For some people, "wealth" is defined as freedom from the looming burden of debt. The car is owned free and clear and the credit cards aren’t carrying a balance. After years of putting money away, your kid gets a "full ride" college scholarship. Maybe you’ve been making extra mortgage payments to shorten the term and can see the payoff in sight. So, your earnings are your own. You’re not working simply to pay debts.

Others have a vision of wealth that simply translates to a dollar amount in the bank account: millions, tens of millions, or even the billion-dollar mark. For them, there is the hope of winning a lottery, inheriting a fortune, or coming up with the next brilliant invention that the world will line up to buy.

What wealth means to me is the financial substance that enables me to provide for my family and have enough left over to have options. With enough money, you can take the vacations you want, live in the home (or homes) of your dreams, and be free of the daily grind that wears away the joy of your life. You don’t have to be trapped in a job you hate because you can’t afford to give up the paycheck.

I don’t understand the reasoning of people who don’t want to set a goal to be wealthy. We all have an obligation to reach out and help people in need, but you can’t do that if you’re one of them. Remove yourself from the role of beneficiary and assume the role of benefactor for a change.

Posted In: New Home Sales, New Home Sales Training, New home sales marketing

There is never enough time in a day to accomplish everything you’d like, right? Even if you had a 48-hour day, you’d somehow still reach the waning hours of the evening and shake your head over all the tasks you didn’t get around to finishing (or possibly even starting). The trouble isn’t that there is not enough time in a day, but that you: (a) try to do too much; and/or (b) don’t organize your time well enough to make the most of it.

Here’s a tool that I have found to be successful: Time blocking. I build a schedule around my schedule. If the sales center is open from 10 to 6, I don’t necessarily see that time frame as my work schedule. That’s just the time that I’m committed to being available at this location. But, within that 10-6 window, how am I going to best utilize my time? Rather than let the day take control of me (like sitting and waiting for prospects to wander in), I plan a specific period of time to do my follow-up calls and emails. I schedule a block of time to wholly focus on prospecting. Then I allow myself one hour at the end of each day to wrap up the paperwork. In this way, I can tuck forms into a folder throughout the day, knowing that they will be completed before I leave. And I’m not distracted with the minute tasks associated with paperwork that distract me from the most important work ahead of me: Making sales.

If your office is open during specific hours, you are only on a schedule, but not working on a schedule. By taking the initiative to maximize your time by establishing priorities, you become the master. Without seizing such initiative, you are destined to spend your life taking orders from those people who do.

Posted In: New Home Sales Training

A positive attitude is an important ingredient in achieving your goals. Believing in your ability to accomplish great things is a powerful tool for success. But such optimism doesn’t mean you can do anything at all. I could step onto a basketball court armed with a positive attitude and I still could not outplay Kobe Bryant. In fact, I can tell you with all certainty that I would be no match for even a bench player in the NCAA. No matter what my mind tells me, I can’t play with their level of skill. But with the right way of thinking, I would play much better than I would with a defeatist perspective.

What positive thinking actually provides is the ability to do anything you want a little bit better. You can run faster, become a better artist or musician, improve your sales skills, or do better at your job, just by believing you can. When you approach a challenge with a successful mindset, you supercharge your confidence and energy. Yes, a positive attitude is an invaluable ingredient but you should not assume that you can get by with that ability alone. A positive attitude without a strategy to achieve what you desire is really just making a wish. Shift your brain into creating an actionable strategy, with a step-by-step plan for making things happen. Then sprinkle it with the magic power of positive thinking.

Posted In: New Home Sales, New Home Sales Training

Words have power, either consciously or subconsciously. You can elevate your spirit with uplifting words (e.g., can, will) or bring them crashing down with the wrong ones. The three most disempowering words in the English language, in my opinion, are:

1. Try
2. But
3. Hope

You can, for example, "give something a try" and the mere act of making even the most meager of attempts qualifies as success. By using "try" you minimize your goals and fail to achieve your potential because you’ve given yourself an "out."

In the words of the Jedi warrior-prophet Yoda, "Do or do not. There is no try."

Next on the list is "but" which is a psychological eraser. It negates a positive perspective. "I’d love to go to dinner, but I have to work." "I tried to quit smoking, but I gained weight." "I want to eat healthier, but it’s so difficult when I travel."

Quit showing me your big "but." Instead of making excuses, make an effort. Every time you hear yourself saying "but," just stop. Think of how you can empower yourself to overcome the obstacle.

Finally, we have "hope." From a faith-based perspective, hope is wonderful. Hope, as a noun, can be tremendously empowering, but "hope" as a verb is weak. "I hope the market will improve." "I hope to close more deals next month." Hope is not a strategy. It’s a permission slip for failure.

When all is said and done, there is more said than done. In order to accomplish a feat, you’ve got to beat feet.

Posted In: New Home Sales Training

Biologically speaking, humans are organisms — like plants, trees, and animals. Like all living things, we go through stages. We are born, we grow, and we die. For many, there is another stage: stagnation. You stop growing, going through life in one constant mode. Sure, we reach our adult height, but what about our emotional and professional growth? At what point do you accept where you are and stop driving yourself forward? When is "enough" going to be good enough for the rest of your life?

In the dormant stage, you make no conscious effort to improve. It’s purely status quo, ordinary, and usual. But growth is happiness. Think about the exhilaration when you have achieved a goal. That is the euphoric result of growth. In essence, you bloom. Do you want a garden filled with stems but no blossoms and with vegetable plants that bear no fruit? Of course not.

Stillness is stagnation. Look at the Dead Sea. This withering body of water lives up to its name. There are noinlets or outlets. It is a stagnant body of water that is receding, creating a minefield of sink holes as it retreats to a natural extinction.

I suggest that you examine your life and your work. Where are you in the growth cycle? Make a move toward growth. Movement creates motivation. Set one goal today, perhaps to do something you’ve put off for a long time. Get up and do it. Then let the satisfaction of achievement be your addictive motivator to keep going and growing.

Myers

Posted In: New Home Sales Training, Personal Development