I had a student come up to me the other day and ask how I was doing. I said "I AM FANTASTIC" and with irritation he looked at me and asked, "Why are you always fantastic?". I said "Because I just am!" You could tell that was not the answer he wanted to hear and as I thought about it I wondered why I was always FANTASTIC. Then I remembered the time I was at a trainer meeting with Floyd and he asked me how I was doing. I thought he really wanted to know the truth so I said "I'm okay". With a stern look in his eye he said "Gary you are one of God's creatures and being one of God's creatures you are never just okay you are FANTASTIC!" He suggested that I read As A Man Thinketh by James Allen (click the link and download the book FREE) everyday for 30 days (the whole book everyday). I did and ever since then I created a habit of reading, watching, or listening to something motivational daily. I think that since developing that habit I have a hightened awareness and now spot positive material all over the place. It's kind of like never noticing a certain car until you get a new one. Then suddenly you notice the car you bought everywhere!
Now, when anyone asks me how I am doing I always reply with the same answer "I AM FANTASTIC"! That tends to irritate a certain type of person I'll call the "Monday Moaner" but that's their problem not mine! I feel that when you wake up in the morning you have a choice to either be a Monday moaner (Tuesday, Wednesday, etc... doesn't matter the day) or you can be FANTASTIC! I choose FANTASTIC! Everyone knows the term "fake if till you make it" and thanks to Floyd I don't have to fake a positive attitude anymore - I always choose to look at the positive!
That leads me to something I'll call Motivational Monday and it's aimed squarely at the "Monday Moaners" and anyone else looking for resources to stay in a positive state of mind. Each Monday I'll share something from my library of motivational material and give you my spin on it and maybe some insight into how I used it personally. This week, it's obviously the book Floyd recommended to me, "As a Man Thinketh". What do you do to stay positive? Please leave your comments in the comments section and share this link with anyone around you who may need a pick-me-up!
We had a great March All Partners Meeting! Thanks to all that came and participated. We are currently 75 days into the year and 40 out of 79 agents are knocking it out of the park(take a look at the attached power point presentation)! We watched the state of the company video from KW CEO Mark Willis and got excited about the 2010 company Goals! We also watchedKeynote Speaker Kevin Carroll!
For the past few days my youngest son, Ben, has been watching the modern day Dr. Seuss classic Cat In The Hat with Mike Myers. The way that he has been able to get his mom and dad to let him watch it night after night reminded me of the other Dr. Seuss classic, Green Eggs and Ham which teaches us a huge lesson about asking. As kids, we intrinsically ask and ask and ask. Most kids like my Ben do eventually get more than they would if it was up to us parents. As adults, we tend to forget that the best sales people ask for the business, and follow up many times.
In the book, Sam asks for the “sale” at least 14 times! The sale, in this case, is getting him to eat green eggs and ham. Unlike our clients who actually WANT to buy a house, this client HATES the product so its the toughest of sales. But Sam believes in his product, and just knows that if he will try it, he will like it. How often do we get a call from a client, call back once, maybe twice, leaving messages and then forget about the client because we did not get immediate gratification? Follow up is key to success. The funniest part of the book to me is that after asking 11 times, and being told emphatically “NO” 11 times, Sam asks quizzically, “You do not like green eggs and ham?” as if this is news to him. It is as if he does not even hear the objections but keeps on with the sale. In the end, the individual tries it just to get Sam off his back, and discovers that he likes it and will eat them anywhere.
Now I am not suggesting we harass people to the point of annoyance. But if you do not get the occasional “Leave me alone” then you are missing out on a lot of business. 80% of people need to hear something 5 times before they buy. 10% will never buy, and 10% will get annoyed at you by the 5th time. So if you do not hear the occasional person complain, you miss out on 80% of your business because you did not take it out to 5 times. This may be uncomfortable for you, but you need to break through this comfort zone or delegate the task of following up to someone that will do it for you. I can help you in the pursuit of being able to break through the mindset of thinking you are bothering someone. Remember that you are a "Sales Person" and if your intent is to offer them something that you know in your heart will benefit them then you owe it to them to be persistent Sam I am! And when people start wondering why you are closing twice as many deals as last year, just wink at them and tell them you learned the secret of Green Eggs and Ham…..
-To all 4 of our precious children
The best selling children's book written by Dr. Suess was published in 1960. We have heard and read the story, many, many times...
I would not, could not, in a box. I could not, would not, with a fox. I will not eat them in a house. I will not eat them with a mouse. I will not eat them here or there. I will not eat them anywhere. I do not eat green eggs and ham. I do not like them, Sam-I-am.
All of us... you, me, our clients,
the entire country...have certain things we long for. You can even
say, we crave. It is easy in the business world to stop thinking of people as
human beings and just look at them as a potential sale. But the truth is,
it is more profitable to go beyond the sale and touch the heart.
Listen, our clients are important
to us, and you are important to me. That is why I am taking the time to send
this.
Do you want more from this business?
From your
life?
My goal is to help you get more from your time spent applying this
wonderful trade. That is right, I think it is wonderful. I think it
is incredible that we can create a strategy around our strengths and then apply
it and make a great living regardless of the economy. Wow! How
cool. I don’t need to search the classifieds, I don’t need to worry about
a job-I have a career.
If you are not getting all you
want out of this business, give me a call. I can show you some great
marketing tools, some ways I can help grow your business and help you make this
year great. Hey listen, two are better than one. Together, we can
make an awesome future for YOU in this business. That is my focus...is your current Leadership doing that? If not, give me a call today at (402) 680-7000. Let’s get together and see how high is high!
How great is this? I am splashing into the blogging world and how appropriate that my first post is about social networking. I've included a re-blog from my best friend and mentor Jason Edwards who has been poking and prodding me to create a blog. Until now I did not feel I had a voice in the blogging world. Be nice.
Facebook has been the most fun form of FREE marketing there is and you can do it at home while in your pajamas! If I'm on an hour a day, I consider it lead generating- even if just "liking" or commenting on a status update (with no mention of Real Estate at all). I have had AWESOME success! Last year new business generated from Facebook totaled 13K in GCI! Today, over $1.2 million of my listing inventory is from Facebook.
