What Did You Expect?

Monday Morning Match is a quick post - maybe a quote, inspirational story or idea - intended to spark some motivation inside each of you so your week gets off to a fantastic start on Monday morning.

It's finally football season and we're a few weeks into the season in both the professional and college game. Not everyone is a football fan but there probably aren't many people that don't have at least a passing interest in a team somewhere. It may be a local organization or perhaps a team from your childhood days or a former city where you used to live. Many of us are passionate fans of our alma mater or a team with ties to a family member.

Most of the college teams are one quarter of the way through their schedule while the NFL will complete Week 2 tonight. So let me ask you football fans...How's your team doing?

• Are they undefeated and creating some excitement about what might happen this season? 
• Are you pleasantly encouraged by what you have seen so far?
• Or are you utterly disgusted with the effort displayed by the players and coaching staff?

While there is still a lot of season to be played, there is something to be said about expectations and how quickly they can be surpassed or squashed.

It's almost time for the 4th quarter in our business. Take a peek at the scoreboard.

Have you lived up to your expectations?

If you answered yes, keep it up. It's time to run up the score and build some momentum for the new year ahead.

If you can't say with confidence that you're on track to reach your goals, remember that the game isn't over yet. Don't give up. Keep executing the game plan, rely on the basics and focus on what is ahead of you.

Here's a cool video to kick off your week. Isn't it time you get in the game?

Expect success!


(Click here if you don't see the video below)




Have a great week building relationships, solving problems and having fun.

Swing for the Fences

Monday Morning Match is a quick post - maybe a quote, inspirational story or idea - intended to spark some motivation inside each of you so your week gets off to a fantastic start on Monday morning.

"Every strike brings me closer to the next home run."

Babe Ruth

The smell of football is in the air with college starting up in a few weeks. The professionals have finally resolved their labor issues and are in the midst of training camps and will kick off their season in a little under a month.
 
In competition to the cheers soon to be heard around your local gridiron, the "boys of summer" have started heating things up and the pennant races across America's baseball diamonds are keeping at least one of the true sport's fan's two eyes on their game.
 

With just under 40 games left to play before the playoffs, the games will begin to get a little bit more contentious. The managers will think through every lineup change, the pitchers will throw a little bit harder and the hitters will become just a little more focused in hopes of  leading their team, city and loyal fan base into the coveted month of October where a World Series Champion will be crowned. 



80 years ago today (August 21st, 1931), the great Babe Ruth hit his 600th home run. As most sports fans know, Ruth went on to hit 714 home runs in his career and held that record until Henry "Hank" Aaron broke it in 1974. There are only 8 players in history that have knocked it out of the park 600 or more times (with Minnesota's Jim Thome joining the club just last week) so needless to say, Ruth, Thome and the other six had to swing at a lot of pitches. In fact, all 8 members of the 600 Home Run Club are among the Top 100 in strikeouts in the history of baseball.

 

 
From the Baseball Field to the Field of Real Estate
 
It's a new week. Let's think of it as the top of the inning and guess who's up to bat? Yep, it's you.
 
Are you ready to get up there and swing for the fences? Here comes the pitch... 
 

• Will you call that former client of yours who you ran into this weekend?
• Could you stop by the expired listing that just showed up in the MLS Search of your target area?
• How about calling on that For Sale By Owner who has been trying to sell for the last several months in your neighborhood?
• Should you try out the new dialogue that you've been practicing in the office on your next Open House visitor?
• Don't let fear stop you from showing up at your next coaching session.
• Reach out to some of your "less vocal" connections on your social media channels and get engaged.

 
The market isn't going to toss you any easy pitches so you better dig your feet in, focus on the ball and start swinging for the fences.
 
Get out there and start building relationships, solving problems and having fun.
 
There's no way you can swing and miss at all three of those.
 
 

Flickr photo credit - Meadowsa

 
 
 
 
 

 

Are You Ready for Some Football?

I am a big believer in people setting a schedule and then following it. Plan ahead and then prepare for the next thing on that schedule each day, week and month. One of my favorite days each year is when my friend and former classmate at The University of Florida Pete Blank from Birmingham, Alabama, sends me the newest College Football Helmet Schedule. (Pete writes a great blog on leadership in case you're interested)

Now that the 2010 college football season is finally upon us, you need to get your College Football Helmet Schedule.

It resides on your computer's desktop (or wherever you might want to store it) and has all of the Division I college teams schedules, by team and by conference. Ever need to know who Akron plays? Click on the MAC tab and you'll know they battle Gardner Webb on September 11th. Unsure whether TCU is at home or on the road against Colorado State? Just visit the WAC tab and you'll know the Horned Frogs go to Ft. Collins for that game.

If you're like me and you need your college football fix at your fingertips, email me at sean.carpenter@cboki.com and I'll send you the excel schedule so you can start following your 'home' teams immediately.

Enjoy the season! Good luck to your alma mater or favorite team.

What Realtors Can Learn from College Football

Are You Ready to "Tackle" Your Way to the Top?

Thankfully, the college football season kicked off this past week. As a huge sports fan, this just may be my favorite time of year. Between college football, professional football (kicking off this week), baseball pennant races, the PGA and NASCAR playoffs and hockey training camps, the Fall is a great time to be a sports fan. It's also a great time to be a Realtor.

In the same tradition of my November 2008 blog post about What Realtor's Can Learn from Black Friday, let's take a look at What Realtors Can Learn from College Football:

Proper Expectations are Created During the Recruiting Process

When you became a Realtor, what were your expectations? My guess is no one gets started hoping to be "just average." Maybe you didn't necessarily want to be the superstar but you certainly wanted to be on a great team and have a chance to earn playing time.

College programs look for players with the right skills, work ethic and personalities that they can combine with the players they already have and the systems they run to continue to work towards a championship season. It also helps to understand a team's "system" so they can make sure the players that are recruited will fit in nicely. They promise to train, coach, provide maximum exposure to the best tools available and welcome you to their school and family of alumni, fans and supporters.

Real estate brokers should be doing the same thing, especially in today's ever-changing landscape. If you're with a full service company like Coldwell Banker, you probably met with a Branch Manager or Recruiting Coordinator who discussed how the company can help you get to where you want to be with substantial training, coaching, maximum Internet exposure and national branding.

Training Camp - Turning "Role Play" into "Game Play"

I have never heard of many players who look forward to the grueling days of pre-season training camp. Sure, they are excited to be back with their teammates, back on campus (their "home away from home") and just weeks away from starting another season. In August, everyone starts with an equal chance of hoisting the National Championship trophy at the end of the season. But unless they love pain, they're never looking forward to two-a-day practices, wind sprints and coaches in their faces for three weeks.

It is clearly evident once the season kicks off that the players (and teams) who give 100% effort in this phase of their season will earn the biggest payoff once the games begin. As the old saying "practice the way you play" infers, the more you can put yourself in "game situations," the more prepared you'll be.

Does your company offer a thorough training program? Do you take advantage of training opportunities such as scripting sessions, skill building workshops and on-line educational opportunities? Do you have a written business plan showing how your "season" is going to play out? Are you "lifting weights" by practicing scripts, learning about contractual changes and studying market inventory so when you're in a game situation, you'll react accordingly?

Just like most football players don't like the sweat equity required in August, they know it will help them in the trenches of a close battle with a equally prepared conference foe late in the season.

Will you be ready when face-to-face with a Seller who has a tough objection? Will you be confident when a co-op agent send you a counter offer and tells you you're in "multiple offers"? Will your training help you "act" like a skilled professional instead of "react" like a Rookie when it counts?

Preseason Rankings Matter...But That's Why They Play the Games

Do you ever wonder how people who are part of those pre-season rankings determine who gets their votes? Do they base it on the number of players returning each season? Do they look at the schedules of each team and try to determine the number of wins and losses each team will have? Do they vote for their favorites or perhaps their alma mater?

It certainly helps to start the season towards the top of the rankings because if you do what you're supposed to do (i.e. win games), you'll be at the top when the season ends. If you lose however, you'll need to climb back over people...sometimes with victory and sometimes with a little pizazz and P.R. for good measure.

Much of a team's pre-season rankings can be attributed to their reputation. Can the media (or those voting) count on you handle the pressures of a big game or will they assume you'll choke in a pressure situation? Many people didn't think BYU could beat Oklahoma during opening week but a untimely injury to Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford and a determined effort by Max Hall and his underdog BYU Cougars led to the first big upset of this season.

What does your personal marketing say about you? Will people have a preconceived belief about you before they meet you? Are you playing for one of the "big names" in town or will you need to have a few "upsets" to start becoming known as a challenger?

One thing is for sure - people love an underdog, so don't worry about your pre-season rankings. A skilled, confident and determined agent can deliver a quality presentation to any Buyer or Seller with the proper preparation. Just don't get caught reading your own press clippings and start believing how good you are. All it takes is one slip up to dramatically affect a season. Treat each client as if they are the only "game" on your schedule and deliver the services you know you can with enthusiasm, energy and service.

League championships and individual awards can't be won in week one but that can be lost. Titles aren't given out during the season just like commission checks won't be earned during a deal, so always be prepared for fourth quarter comebacks and pre-closing obstacles. Until the clock strikes zero or the HUD-1 statement has been signed, remember that the ball is still in play.

Your Schedule Plays a Big Role in Your Success

It's been said by many "experts" that Florida's schedule this season sets up well for the Gators to return to the National Championship game at the end of the season. As a Florida alum (Class of 1991) I am very proud and excited for our chances but will certainly reserve getting too excited until they arrive in Pasadena in January 2010.

In many cases, these schedules are determined years in advance, usually before any of the current players were even a candidate for recruitment. College players don't get to choose who they will play but once that first ball is kicked off in early September, play the games they must.

No questions asked, no excuses about "not being ready," and certainly a team would never just not show up.

A Realtor will be much more likely to succeed when they prepare and follow a consistent schedule. There are basically two sets of activities that should be on most Realtor's schedules: Business Development and Business Support.

What area do you think most agents spend their time on? That's right...business support. Where do you think they should be spending most of their time, effort and energy? You got it...business development.

You see, business support activities will never tell you "no!" Business support activities are easier and usually don't involve any self-esteem impacting events. But it won't take the business-saavy agent long to realize that without business development, there will be no "business" to support.

In addition to the weekly business meetings that will keep you updated with your office, company and industry, a schedule should involve prospecting activities (lead generation calls, follow up visits to FSBO's and Expired listings), listing appointments and buyer counseling sessions, showings and closings. It will also require time for coaching, training, script practice, follow up, inspections and computer research.

Just like a balanced team will need to practice offense, defense and special teams, a good Realtor should be sure to include personal activities into his or her schedule including things like church, children's activities and appointments.

Avoid the Big Injury

Just like Oklahoma will need to proceed without their Heisman Trophy winning QB Sam Bradford for an undetermined portion of their schedule, making sure you stay in "playing condition" throughout the season will be a huge key.

Be sure to find some time in your schedule for physical exercise, maintain a healthy diet and listen to your body. Until you've been in this business for a while, you never realize how exhausting the role of a Realtor can be. Don't succumb to the fast paced, fast food filled world of real estate. One sure way to avoid exhaustion is to drink plenty of fluids.

Buy In to What the Coaches Say...and Don't Believe What the Media Might Say

In football and in real estate, your coaches/managers are looking out for your best interests. Magazines, reporters and web sites are looking to sell papers or gain subscribers and readers.

Good coaches and managers will help hold you accountable to the activities needed to achieve the levels of success you desire or expect (see above). They will strive to show you how your actions can positively affect your future.

The media will usually provide detailed accounts of what wasn't done and who was negatively affected.

Only you can choose who you will listen to.

Play with Emotion...Play to Win

No matter how loud the crowd cheers or no matter how good the band sounds playing the fight song, the success of a team will be determined by how well it executes once the whistle blows. Don't winning teams play with passion and enthusiasm? Don't winning teams execute each and every play as if it determines the outcome of the game? Don't winning teams have leaders who step up and challenge their teammates, encouraging them to give it all they've got?

The same philosophy applies to Realtors. No mater how shiny your name tag, what type of car you drive or who designed your suit, it still boils down to how well you know how to deal with people. Are you excited to help people achieve their goals? Are you confident in your ability to help people solve their real estate problems? Do you believe you are the best person for the job?

It's Game Time

So there you have it...a few things that Realtors can learn from college football. As the cool temperatures of Fall arrive and people break out their college sweatshirts to cheer their schools on, think about the "big game" you're facing in your real estate career right now. We're just a few ticks away from the 4th quarter - where games are often won or lost. Will you be ready to execute when your number is called?

Good luck to you and your team as you move through the season.

Down...set...hike!