The Power of Chocolate

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 amazing the inspiration you can get from a good piece of chocolate, isn't it?

I was sitting on the patio this weekend after a tasty grilled burger, just enjoying the cooler temperatures and sunshine. I had some tunes on the Sirius Satellite Radio and was sipping a cold beer when I decided to have a few pieces of chocolate for my dessert.

We have a package of the Dove Caramel Milk Chocolates and if you've ever had a Dove candy, they're good. They also have a simple little quote or thought on the inside of each wrapper. Sometimes it's a corny statement while other times it really hits you as a good thought, idea or concept. Tonight's wrapper inspired this blog post, not so much for me, but hopefully for you, the Realtor's Toolbox Reader.

"You should charge for your great advice."

That's it. That's all it said.

Pretty simple and straight-forward but so, so true when it comes to a commission sales business like real estate (or mortgage, title, insurance or many of the other occupations that read and follow this blog).

Are you charging what you're worth each time you have a chance to "agree to terms" with a client? You should be.

I've had some interesting comments with some of our newer sales associates who seem hesitant to charge a full commission to their clients, almost as if they haven't earned the right to ask for a full fee. I really believe it all starts with the salesperson believing in themselves. Believing that they are truly worth whatever the fee is that they are charging. If you don't think you're worth a full fee you can rest assured that no customer will think it.

You bring tremendous value to today's real estate transactions (which have become harder than ever to get from beginning to end) and that's what your fee should be based on - value. It's been said that "in the absence of value, price will always be a factor," so make sure you are constantly striving to show and deliver value to your clients. Otherwise, the lowest bidder will usually get the call.

New doctors don't charge less for their medical advice or procedures and new pilots don't charge less to transport you from one end of the country to the other. Neither should you.

Remember what the all-knowing candy bar wrapper said - "You should charge for your great advice."

Get out there this week and start building relationships, solving problems and having fun. Every time you do one or all of these with or for people you know or somebody new, you're laying the foundation of value you one day will be able to provide them.

Success, like chocolate, tastes great.

Unwrap your success today.