I think an exciting practice, that you and I can exercise, is to pick something to read every day that has mind power and a spiritual lesson in it. That might help develop the capacity each one of us requires to meet each day, on fire

Does this sound familiar?  

Mr Jones gave you a poor rating on the follow up customer service closing report to your Manager.  He said you didn’t respond to his needs in a timely manner.

First thing that goes across your mind is, “I can hardly wait to hear from my Manager on this!”  Second thing might be, “Man that guy was so hard to please, he complained about everything!”

You will always have failures with clients but use those opportunities as blessings. They are gifts to you.  Gifts from one client so you can fix the problem so the next one won’t experience it.  Opportunities to get better and make your team better.  Your manager will respect you more for fixing the hole in the process and admitting there was one, then pushing off responsibility or pointing blame.

I take the failure and use it to fix something in my process.  For instance if I have a client say, you didn’t return my call.  I will look at my system and see where the hole is,. And patch it, so it never happens again.  That is what Top Sellers do.  They use failure as opportunity.  They are the people who thrive all the time, in any market.  We have to be focused on thriving, not just surviving.  Seeing the bigger picture and the future is a trait I look for when coaching Rain Makers.

Making excuses for failures protects our egos. We have all done it and it seems to help, temporarily. But, making excuses has proved costly in the long run because excuses keep us from facing the truth about ourselves. It keeps us from going to work and correcting our mistakes, eliminating our weaknesses, developing our talents, and improving our character.  Usually the problem or failure will just pop up again at a later date.  Eventually it will ruin your performance.

How have you reacted to past failures? Did you point blame others and circumstances beyond your control, avoid facing the circumstances, and live in fear that something worse might happen? Did you chalk them up to bad luck or worse blame your prospect? Did you develop resentment against those who complained? Did you come to believe that you could never overcome difficult obstacles?

If this is how you reacted, you have missed some HUGE opportunity to grow. HUGE Lessons.  HUGE Gifts.

If you are going to point the finger of blame, point it at yourself. Face failures and missed opportunities analyze them, and commit yourself to develop a way to achieve better outcomes. Once you make the fix the problem goes away forever and you are a better Sales Person because of it.

Happy Sales

So with that said, we must always change as well.  We must always look at what we are doing and see if we can do it better. I like to remember things by daily events that I do, to remind myself.  So some of you know that when you shower, I like to think of that process as washing off all of the “stuff” you might get that adds up over time in your mindset.  Washing it off each day and starting fresh with clean thought and positive goals for the day.

Well another great tip is to do the same while changing your clothes and dressing for the day.  As you put on your outfit for work, think about ONE thing, you can do to change it up today.  One more thing you can do better than your competition.

Here is something simple and easy to focus:

Really learning to listen, paying full attention to who you have standing in front of you.  Paying attention is the best spend of your time with a prospect.

When you listen well to needs and deliver those needs, what you find is people feel heard by you. Very important. Many times you don’t feel HEARD, by the Sales Person. Personally, it drives me crazy. I believe it’s because many Sales People are busy thinking about what they are going to ask next.  We see it all the time when doing shops.  The shopper will give numerous buying signals while in the models and time and time again they are totally missed because the Sales Person is “doing their routine” and not REALLY listening.

So today I encourage you to think of some ways that a Sales Person has stood out to you in the past and pick a few of those things and put them into your routine.  Shop your Competion and be better than them…a lot better than them. Be different from them, very different.  Be willing to do what they don’t do.  Be willing to change it up today…in some way!

By Shirleen von Hoffmann Business Development Coach Home for Builders Edge and Vortex Sales Solutions Copyright 2012

It’s important that we don’t just look at how we’re doing as a sales team, but that we also compare ourselves to other teams. If we want to be excellent, we have to be willing to do things that other people are not willing to do. In other words we have to come up with newer, better, smarter ways to sell that leave an impression with our buyers.  We want them to walk away and say, “No one gave us their time like ______ did or she was the only one who seemed interested in us.  Sometimes it’s that one or two little things you might do, that  make you better than the rest.

What one thing can you do today to WOW your prospects that is simple and easy to fit in?

Here’s one idea to get your juices flowing…As you have prospects come in today and you spend time with them, really listen to their needs, wants and details they are giving you.  Write down all the details, address them right away and use them for follow up. So as an example if I tell you I don’t know if now is the time to buy, but I really like this home…I am saying I am scared and I need you to help me make my decision.

By being prepared and being able to show me some compelling third party articles that say now is the time to buy and spending time on addressing rates being an all time low, it will quell my fears, which will allow me to move forward as a buyer and make my buying decision.  People will be grateful that YOU were the one who spent the time with them, went the extra mile to pay attention to the need and provide what I needed to move me forward. It also makes you a sales pro in their eyes to be so well informed. That is the essence of sales! Is your competition doing this?

I will tell you the answer is most times, NO.

What one thing can you do today on your follow up that will WOW your propspects to make them remember you over all the rest?

Here’s one idea to get your juices flowing…Have a video of each one of your models on youtube.  When one of your prospects loves one of your homes and goes home to think about it, send them a link from you tube of your home as your follow up piece.  No better way for them to fall in love but to see it over and over again.  Is your competition doing this?  I will tell you that answer is NO.

I am doing some amazing fun things with my IPAD for sales teams.  It’s going to change how we sell and follow up.  It will really make you stand out from your competition.  I will be sharing these ideas in an upcoming summer IPAD series I will be doing.  So stay tuned if you really want to stand out from the pack!

Happy Selling this weekend!  Great sprint days for it!

But too often, people are locked into habits that prevent them from moving ahead or jobs they don’t like. They get stuck, they invent excuses, they procrastinate, and they doodle instead of seeking to write their signature boldly. They don’t give it their all and then wonder why they are not successful.

So, don’t give up on your dreams, but instead, pursue them with passion.  Because whatever you do, you should be passionate about it!  What is it that makes you come alive?  What do you Love? What is it that fills you with joy?  Whatever it is, do it passionately, give it your all and you WILL be successful.

Let me know if I can help!  Now go have a great Sales Weekend!

As I went for my walk today, I noticed my grass had grown double this week than last.  With our recent rain and then the spring sunshine, it just shot up!  Which got me thinking about growth and how everything is meant to grow OR it dies.  Once anything in nature stops growing, it dies.  As babies, then children, then teens we were growing by leaps and bounds.  We must remind ourselves as Adults to continuing growing ourselves in many different ways.  Because when we grow, we are revitalizing and rebirthing ourselves. We are born to aspire ourselves upward and be ever changing and growing.

So the first argument I get on this is time…I don’t have time to start something new…blah, blah, blah…

Here are 15 ways to help you to grow…at work…doing what you do, that won’t take any time at all. It’s fun to grow so make it fun!

1. Give up 15 minutes of TV for 15 minutes of attitude adjustment, read something inspiring.
2. Make it a challenge to find out more about your customer than your own product.
3. Make it a goal to get 100% visitor card capture and have lots of client personal facts on them.
4. Connect through networking, social media and social networking-go where your customer goes…arrive first and leave last and take lots of business cards.
5. What is your value proposition?  Do you know?  Do you make sure to let others know?
6. Engage so people want to buy- Think about questions.  Ask engaging questions.  Definition of engaging question? A question that makes them stop and think, consider new information and respond to you.  Have a dozen or so.
7. Objections-What stands behind you and the sale?  Build your objections into your presentation.
8. Buying motive is key to a sale. What is your prospects motive for buying?  Do you know?
9. Manipulation is out relationships are in…you can’t manipulate your way to a relationship…you must create value.  How are you creating value to your prospects?
10. Stay in Touch-Communicate a value message, consistently or you will lose them.
11. Follow Through & great customer service – 365 24/7
12. Raise the Bar – Be Great- Set the Standard
13. No one wants to be closed, people want to be helped…Today people do their research before they walk in the door.  You have to help them find what they need and give it to them.
14. What are your buyers specific goals, plans and objectives? Did you find that out during the visit and write it down?
15. When the prospects leaves, ask yourself; ”Did I maximize my time with this prospect?  What could I have done better?”

These are just a few small steps to making you grow towards being the best you can be!

Happy Sales and Happy Spring!

A kitchen is the heart of a home. This is true in every nation. Kitchens are where we spend much of our time and with our families. It’s the room where we nourish our families and our spirits.

Kitchens today are different from resale kitchens.  They are important to entertaining with their open floor plans, they can be a focal point and the focus of your prospects.  It’s because of this that kitchens play such an important role in the buying process and when a prospects is comparing resale to new.

This one room is the showpiece of the house. You’ll see it every day and your guests will see it during most visits. This means buyers want homes with beautiful, up-to-date kitchens.

In Resale however, kitchens, can be one of the most expensive rooms to renovate. These projects can also be the most labor and time intensive of all home renovations. It’s not just a new layer of paint.  It can be a complicated and expensive including granite, countertops, flooring,  cabinets, fixtures, appliances, tile…

Are you reminding your new home buyers who are comparing you to resale of this?

Do you know how much a typical kitchen remodel is so you can easily quote it?

Scope out the competition.

Use open houses in your area

Take pictures of the kitchens on your IPad or I phone put your pictures of your models next to it and show your buyer swiping back and forth, from old to new.  It’s a very effective visual that gets the point of old vs new across quickly and effectively.

Do older homes have new solid wood cabinets and granite counters in today’s designer colors? Do they have floorplans that are modern and utilize the space to include family and friends?  Are they including new stainless steel appliances and dishwashers? I doubt it?

The bottom line is a kitchen can sell a home. Do a little research and find out how your kitchens compare with your competition and resale and talk up those benefits.

And finally, don’t forget to ask if a kitchen is important to them and dig deeper to find out the why’s…then it’s easy to show them the kitchen that fits their particular needs!

Have a great weekend and Happy Sales!

I don’t know about you, but Spring is my favorite season.  I get excited seeing the new blossoms and the warmer temperatures  of spring.   My thoughts on Spring are, it’s a wonderful time to renew, just as nature is renewing.  To check in with one’s self.  Are you on a good path to having a great year or have you let yourself get off track?

Since this is time of renewal, it is a good time to take this a step further, and reflect on everything we are doing;

• Are we going in the right direction?
• Do we have a direction?
• How are we getting there?
• Have we mapped it out?
• Are we happy doing what we do?
• Do we let that happiness lead us each day?
• How can we can do what we do better, be happy and GROW?

I hope you enjoy a wonderful Easter with your family, even if it’s a work day.  I also hope you take some time this spring to check in with yourself and your direction to make sure you are on track for a great year!  Happy Sales!

If you are not using an I Pad for your presentations, you would be amazed at how it will change your life!  It  can:

• Help you be more efficient with your customer
• Stand out from the competition
• Perform follow up with little or no effort
• Increase your sales, making you a Top Producing Agent

As one of my Agents said, it also offers up a third party view of the world which makes my case more relevant!  With the internet at your fingertips, when you are in action with your client you will have access to any article you may need to make your case more relevant to a client.  Whether it be a first time homebuyer article or the tax advantages of homeownership article.  With the swipe of a finger, if you have already preloaded the article you can have it up and ready for your client to view or ready to email to them.

I have spent some time loading up my IPad with apps and playing with them so I can share with you, my favorites, so far.  This one article will save you a ton of time when it comes to research and help you to be the best you can be!  So enjoy, compliments of The Queen!

Google Earth – Your Map – Cost Free

Plug in your community address and google earth will always open up to it with one touch. Then you can use it as a live, in color, rich, 3D, map to show them with a swipe where the shopping is, where the schools are, where the theatre is…Far different from the map that might be on the wall in the sales office.

Drop Box  – Your Brochure – Cost Free

You can upload your brochure or any PDF documents that you want to show your clients while you are in the field.  One press of the button and your plans, elevations, builder story…comes up for review. It’s also great for sharing documents.

Eye Jot – Amazing Follow Up Possibilities – Cost 99.00 per year

Eye Jot lets you send video emails.  My friend Mike Lyon turned me on to this app and I love it. I have actually discovered some new ways to use it other than video email.  Not only does it give you the opportunity to send video emails to your clients, easy to follow up but can you imagine being on site with your IPad and their flooring is going in and you are saying Hi via an video email and you turn the Ipad to show them the flooring guys laying their new floor!  Can you imagine how excited they might be to get an email from you like that?  Who else would do that?  Or you could send them a video of you standing on the lot they are going to buy and as they drive away you have sent them a video ( memory) of their lot and you are congratulating them on their purchase and giving them something to share with family and friends, thus giving you more exposure to new clients!

Smilebox & Picsicle – Your Personal Follow Up – Cost Free

Smilebox let’s you take pictures and enhance them with different icons and images and send in an email with a message. Smile box is great for follow up.  Again, if you took a picture of your clients standing in front of the home they are buying or on the lot, it allows you to place cute hearts…borders…and a personal message and email to them.  Once again making a memory and giving them a souvenir to share with their family and friends.

Google Calendar  – Your Day Planner – Cost: Free

This app will allow you to make changes on my smartphone that then reflect on my Mac or iPad.

Evernote, Sound Note and Notability –  A Note Pad/Audio Recorder – Cost: Free

It’s a great tool for real estate agents to use with clients, especially when working with buyers and showing homes or doing a final walk-through. It’s a great way to jot down notes as you are out and about and see something that inspires a new blog post.Having all of your active contracts here is extremely helpful when a question comes up, such as an approaching deadline, etc. I also use the file-sharing capabilities to share things with both my agents and the clients I am currently working with.

Postagram – Post Card Follow Up- Cost $1.00

Allows you to take a picture, add some cute borders, clip art, a message and will send an automatic color picture postcard to your client for $1.00

Snap Seed – Your Photo Editor -  Cost Free

Allows you to take a photo and enhance it in many ways.  Useful for any type of property photo where you would like to change the tones or image.

Path Cost: Free

This App shares content to your different social channels.  You don’t really use it as a stand-alone social network (while it is that); You really use it for the ease of posting to, say, Twitter, Facebook and Foursquare all at once.

IDoc Expert – Your Binder – Cost Free

If you are used to carrying a binder around for anything, this will take the place of a binder allowing you to upload documents, pictures…

360 Pan Cam – Cost Free

Allows you to take a picture of the entire room, or the entire sight in panoramic and send it to your clients as a picture.  Think about all the possibilities you can use for your clients!

CamCard – Your Business Cards Contact List – Cost Free

This allows you to take a picture of a business card and it files it in your database.  You will never need to take another business card again.

PDF Expert – Cost Free

Allows you to load and email your contracts for signings or any PDF documents.

Zillow Mortgages – Your HP12C – Cost Free

Calculates payments so easily it’s amazing!  One of my favorite apps.  Also does quick prequals. One swipe and you can realize many different payment options for your clients.

Mail chimp – Your Database Manager – Cost Free

Allows you to contact your database for free.  Send large quantity emails.

Houzz – Your Model Home & Option Pricing – Cost Free

This app allows you to add your model home pics and tag the various options throughout the home with price tags of costs.

Face Time, Skype – Your Face Phone – Cost Free

Allows you to call, see and talk to your clients via computer screen.

Spectra – Translation Tool – Cost Free

Will translate the spoken or written word in many different languages, so you can communicate with your foreign buyers, better.

REALTOR.com Cost: Free

This app is better and different from realtor.com on your PC.  You can see what’s available around you. Being able to share things like the average price per square foot in the area, or what comparable homes are selling for, or what a used homes look like and the repairs that might be involved verses a new home.

Google Currents & Zite- Your Social Media Time Savers - Cost: Free

Zite learns what you like to read and indexes what your friends are talking about most in social networks. Google Currents makes it easy to keep track of new content posted to my favorite site. Both of these help you stay up to date with what’s going on in real estate, social media, finance.