Re/Max Ontario Realtors had the opportunity at Fall Connect to hear Craig Alexander, SVP and Chief Economist of the TD Bank Financial Group address the Ontario Housing Outlook.
The predictions are obviously dependent on interest rates, but his forecast for the next couple of years is definitely positive.
Craig Alexander, addressing Re/Max Fall Connect
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Books by Seth Godin
Realtors are constantly juggling their time. There just never seems to be enough hours in the day. We are in a fast paced society. Constantly having to work on something else and balancing life and work. I am a big fan of Seth Godin and just came upon a recent post of his entiteld NEXT! One word and it seems to describe our day.
Seth calls it “The assembly-line mindset” and I couldn’t agree more.
You attempt to be organized, Monday morning arrives and one things happens that sets the entire day off and there you go! It reminds me of a Scottish poem by Robbie Burns that my Grandmother used to recite;
18th-century poet, Robert Burns, he wrote: “The best laid plans o’mice an’ men/Gang aft a-gley.” Or as we would say today: “gone astray.”
Meaning that even the most thought out and well planned events or schemes can go wrong from time to time.Those sales calls you were supposed to make; the notes that were to be sent…
Next!
Do you really want to spend your days in that manner? Where is the satisfaction in constantly being behind.
Seth correctlly points out “The other problem is that you have competition. And for them, perhaps even this time, it’s not just another in a long line of tasks. It’s the one. The one that matters. The competition will bring more to the table than you do, and you suffer.
Perhaps the alternative is instead of thinking, “next!”, we can think, “last!”
This might be the last time I get to do this.
If I do it that way, it increases the chances that it won’t be.”
For more on Seth’s blog go to
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Went to see Secretariat last night and kept thinking how much I admire the owner of Secretariat, Penny Chenery, played by Diane Lane. This woman doesn’t give up and neither does her horse. Penny was originally regarded as a “Housewife” by the exclusive Men’s Club and that wasn’t going to stop her.
There were numerous leadership quotes and principles in the movie and I kept wishing that I had something to write them down. This morning I googled and sure enough Brian Dodd had picked up some great quotes.
1) Our Lives are One Phone Call Away From Changing
The phone call that Penny Chenery received telling her of her mother’s death was the start of the series of events. I know that personally when I reflect on some phone calls that I have received that have definitely resulted in some life changing circumstances for me. It is really all about how you handle them!
2) Always Trust a Woman’s Intuition
That is something, as a woman, that I fully believe in. Sometimes, we don’t listen to it!
3) Let him run his race.
That is a fantastic quote for all Leaders.
4) You never know how far you can go unless you run!
5) Talent is Often Uniquely Packaged
Don’t judge a book by its cover. Keep an open mind and treasure uniqueness.
7) Let him run Ronnie! Let Him Run
Recognize Talent and just let them go with it!
Check out Brian’s website for more inspirational quotes.
http://briandoddonleadership.com/2010/10/09/16-leadership-principles-and-quotes-from-secretariat/
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Whether it is a Real Estate Office, or any business for that matter, I firmly believe that the backbone of a company is strong staff. You can’t put a price tag on loyal, well-trained support staff.
I watched the televisions show Undercover Boss the other night. For anyone who hasn’t seen the show it features a senior executive of a company working undercover in their own firm to investigate how the company really works and identify how it can be improved, as well as rewarding the hard working staff. They are exposed to a series of predicaments with amusing results, and invariably spend time getting to know the people who work in the company, learning about their professional and personal challenges. At the end of their week undercover, the executives return to their true identity and request the employees they worked with individually to corporate headquarters. The bosses reveals their identity, and reward hard-working employees through campaign, promotion, or financial rewards, while other employees are given training or better working conditions.
It made me really sit back and wonder if we truly understand what is happening in our work environment. Do we really give the support and appreciation to our staff that they deserve?
As a Real Estate Manager, I watch our unbelievable support staff and can’t thank them enough for all that they do. They are on the front line, assisting the Realtors and the Public. Many times in our company, as in most Real Estate Offices, they are the first impression that someone has of the office. They are constantly facing predicaments that require a cool head and a big smile. A picture of their day could be eight lines going at once; someone standing over their desk needing assistance; one of the machines not working and on it goes. Stand back and watch them once in awhile and see what they do. Processing offers; ensuring that the right information and legal paperwork has been submitted. What would we do with them!
Do you need to become an Undercover Boss or do you full appreciate your support staff? I don’t need to be an Undercover Boss, I know how important they are. THANKS TO ALL OF YOU!!
Below is presetation at Re/Max Fall Connect
I am always pleased to say that I am associated with Re/Max, but even more so when I know how much we give back to the community. At the Re/Max Fall Connect we were pleased to have a presentation from the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation in recognition of Re/Max being the #1 Supporter in Ontario.
Over 900 RE/MAX agents across Ontario voluntarily participate in the RE/MAX “Sold on a Cure” program. Through Sold on a Cure, agents donate a portion of their commission from the sale of each home to primary prevention research projects funded by the Foundation. Three hundred Ontario RE/MAX Realtors also support the Foundation by participating in the annual Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation CIBC Run for the Cure and by hosting fundraising events in their communities.
Amazing, but THE two most important entries in Time Management when I am working with Realtors is Family Relationships and Rebuilding Energy by Working Out. This is followed closely by booking and spending quality time with Friends. On the surface it would appear that none of this has anything to do with being a Realtor, but in my estimation it has everything to do with being a Realtor. How important are they to you? If you don’t schedule, it just won’t happen on its own.
My favourite saying about Real Estate as a profession “The best thing about being a Realtor is that you can set your own schedule. The worst thing about being a Realtor is that you can set your own schedule.” I know that it is crazy business but I fail to understand why we can’t have some control over our time.
We often fail to prioritize; we fail to schedule in our important tasks. How do we expect to get referrals when we don’t schedule that time to contact and grow our data base! Real Estate is still a Contact Sport.
I mentioned in a previous post that when I am working with a Realtor the first things we schedule for the month are Family Time and Energy Rebuilding Time. These are the non-negotiable. They need to be the times when no matter what else happens you are available for the most important person “YOU’. The next schedule should be doing what you need to do to create business, not always reacting to what is going on around you.
Block out the times when you are going to be doing your phone calls and your notes; your business building times. Then keep that schedule. Take the phone off the hook. Use a recording or have an assistant say that you are busy and that you will return the call at a certain time. The major advantage is that when you return the call, you already can have the information you need ready…now that would be a time-safer wouldn’t it! Instead of answering the phone and telling someone you will get the information for them and returning the call at a later time, the proverbial ”running around like a chicken with your head cut off.” You are PREPARED, and as an added bonus, during that time when you have not been answering the phone you have been creating business.
Do you have a Marketing Plan? Use Social Networking? Create a Newsletter? Imagine scheduling in 45 minutes a day just to get these done and sticking to your plan.
The big secret here, is making the schedule and sticking to it. Returning your calls when you say that you are going to. It is as simple as putting on your message, for example, that you are in a meeting until 11:00 am and that you will be returning calls at that time. Please leave a detailed message and then DO WHAT YOU SAY, RETURN THAT CALL AT THAT TIME! I sometimes wonder why this isn’t done, might be that it is the commitment to do something at a certain time and being organized that gets in the way?
I love mentoring the Richard Robbins MASTERS EDGE program. The premise of the program is running your Real Estate Business like a Business. http://www.mastersedgeonline.com/ .
As you approach a new month or week, pull out your schedule and try it. It takes 28 days to create a new habit and this one will definitely help you in running your business.
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Realtors accept that one of the best ways of creating a strong data base is by building Relationships. It is strange than that little time is spent developing those relationships and making new ones.
Realtors tend to work long hours and in some cases let the job control them, they don’t control the job. One of the most common complaints, “I don’t have time.” That means no time for Energy Renewal, for building new Relationships and maintaining and nuturing the Relationships that we currently value.
”The pulse of a strong relationship involves a rhythmic movement between giving and taking, talking and listening, valuing the other person and feeling commuensurately valued in return. A relationship in which you do most of the giving and receive very little in return ultimately prompts a sense of deficit and emptiness. A self-absorbed relationship isn’t really much of a relationship at all.” The Power of Full Engagement
I vividly remember the inflationary 1980’s. It would be impossible for me to forget. During those crazy times of double- digit inflation and double-digit interest rates I started to sell Real Estate and became a Realtor. Now I say to myself, ”What was I thinking?” I was a single mother with two very young children and diving into an extremely challenging market.
Those were the days of “Creative Financing” and it was definitely a large part of my training as a Realtor. When we found one of those “old” mortgages still existing on properties that we were wanting to sell it was like finding gold. The amount might have been small but the time remaining on those mortages could still be many years and they were valuable. Many of these mortgages had been on the property for numerous years. Imagine seeing a property with an exisitng 6% mortgage when interest rates were at 18% or higher.
Another Mortgage that was common during the 1980’s was the Vendor Take Back. I came upon an article in The National Post this weekend that referred to these Vendor Take Back Mortages.
Like everything there are pros and minuses to Vendor Take Back Mortgages but I know during my early days of being a Realtor there are many properties that I would not have sold without that possibility. Did you experience selling during those days and what are your thoughts on Vendor Take Back Mortages today?
As Albert Schweitzer said
In the same way as the tree bears the same fruit year after year, but each time new fruit, all lastingly valuable ideas in thinking must always be reborn.
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I am not sure if my attitude is shared my many, but personally, I love Monday mornings and the beginning of the week. Mentally, I prepare for the week ahead on Sunday night and I have my list prepared of what I want to accomplish. It is no problem for me to get up and into the office early on Monday mornings raring to go. By Friday morning, I am finding it more difficult to have the same attitude and it becomes more difficult for me to accomplish what I am wanting to achieve. I began to realize that on Friday I had the same number of hours to accomplish what I wanted to achieve, but there was definitely a difference. I had the same amount of time but not as much energy.
ENERGY not TIME is our most precious Resource. During the week, many of us are constantly racing through the days. We are picking up and answering messages; gulping down or missing our meals; coming home from work late at night, often irritated and then crawl into bed exhausted. The work day never seems to end and at the end of it we are burned out.
One of the books that I refer to when my energy level is sapped, The Power of Full Engagement. Jim Loehr and Tony Schwartz offer a lot of solid, common sense advice. The authors recommend going to bed and getting up at a consistent time – not exactly Ben Franklin’s “early to bed, early to rise,” but close. They recommend regular exercise. They say it’s good to work and to rest, and each has its place. They say to examine yourself and try to see yourself as others see you. In other words, they recommend many time-honored techniques of physical, mental and spiritual growth, combined with prioritizing how you use your energy and how you recharge your batteries. This attitude makes the book unique.
Jim Loehr is chairman, CEO, and co-founder of LGE Performance Systems. They are a training company specializing in helping business executives, professional athletes, and others to achieve full engagement in high stress environments. It is interesting to note that many of the professional athletes come to the Training Centre when they are struggling. They don’t get assistance in their skills at the Centre but how to manage their energy more effectively. As LGE Performance Centre branched out into the business world, they discovered that performance demands that most people face in their everyday work environment dwarf those of any professional athlete.
Why? Professional athletes train, they remain totally focused for set periods of time. While professional athletes typically enjoy an off-season of four to five months a year in order to rest and renew, business people usually have only a few weeks of vacation a year and seldom use that time for resting and recovering.
Listen to an excerpt from the book: http://hpinstitute.com/book_audio.html
Take time to read the book, and challenge yourself to manage your energy more effectively. I will do more about Energy Management Principles in another Post.
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The previous post listed three important rules to ensure that Realtors are providing outstanding CUSTOMer Service.
Let’s examine a few more and grade yourself on your level of Service.
4) KEEP YOUR PROMISES
Losers make promises they often break. Winners make commitments they always keep. ~Denis Waitley
When you keep your promises you build up trust with your CUSTOMers. Trust is hard to gain and easy to lose. It allows for the correction of honest mistakes, and we all make them. I am a strong believer in writing down what you are going to do and make sure that everyone understands and is in agreement. Put yourself in your CUSTOMer’s shoes. It is easier to understand the expectations from that angle.
5) UNDER PROMISE AND OVER DELIVER
Get the reputation as the Realtor that goes the extra mile, it is never crowded. Success is spelled H-A-R-D-W-O-R-K. Money can’t buy the marketing that you get when your CUSTOMers are raving about your service. Testimonials can be one of your best Marketing tools.
6) BE THE EXPERT
Know your Market! Read, Research, get a Mentor. Become the expert, the go-to-person in your area.
7) LOVE WHAT YOU DO
If you truly love what you do, your CUSTOMers will know. It will be apparent in everything you do.
And HAVE FUN!
