Maybe in May?

Four Down...

Another month is behind us. There's just 8 months to go until 2012. It's the perfect time to pull over and check your progress so far.


Dig under the pile of papers on your desk and find your 2011 Business Plan. You did create a written business plan, right?


Are you on track? Have you achieved one-third of your goal for closed transactions? How


about your net income? Did you know that according to the National Association of Realtors Member Profile from 2010, the median number of transactions of all Realtors was just 7 closed units. The median income was $26,600.


You're not going to be satisfied to be in the bottom half of all Realtors are you? Don't tell me you kicked off 2011 with the idea that "being an average agent is all I have every dreamed of."


For Your May to Be Great, It's Be Great If Your Stopped Saying "Maybe"


Maybe I'll call some For Sale By Owners this week...


Maybe I'll contact some of my past clients....


Maybe I should update my data base....


Maybe if I stare at the phone long enough, someone will call me to buy a house.


Make May Your Time To Ship


Last month, I wrote about moving forward and not letting distractions get in your way. I said "don't let that stop you."


One of my favorite authors and thought leaders is Seth Godin. In Godin's best selling book Linchpin, he talks about the "lizard brain." Steven Pressfield speaks of "the resistance" in his book The War of Art. The lizard brain and the resistance are those voices in everyone's head that tries to stop you from "doing the work."


Godin's speaks about the concept of making things happen instead of just sitting back and fearing failure. In his newest book, Poke the Box, he talks about the concept of "shipping" things.

"What's the distinction between carrying around a great idea, being a barnstormer, tinkering - and starting something?


Starting means your going to finish. If it doesn't ship, you've failed. You haven't poked the box if the box doesn't realize it's been poked.


...I have no patience at all for people who believe they are doing their best work but are hiding it from the market. If you don't ship, you actually haven't started anything at all. At some point, your work has to intersect with the market. At some point, you need feedback as to whether or not it worked."

I guess what I am trying to say is stop thinking about what you're going to do and just do it. Stop sitting still when you have got to get moving. Start taking chances and quit playing it safe. Remember, the status quo is comfortable but that's not where the big money is made.

If you are an agent who needs more clients, it's time to focus on business development activities.

If you're a manager or broker, perhaps recruiting should elevate on your priority list today. Don't leave the office until you have an appointment scheduled with someone who could help your office sell more houses.

If you're a lender, schedule a time to meet with a Realtor you don't know and help them understand the changes that are taking place in today's market.

You've got eight months to achieve all of your goals. There's no sense in waiting.

Just think. When you purposely build relationships, go out of your way to solve problems and look for ways to have fun...Ship Happens.

Will This Be for Pick Up or Delivery?

As usual, another one of Seth Godin's blog posts hit me square in the face. It seems that almost every time Seth writes something, he makes you stop and think. (and that's usually a good thing)

Sometimes he helps you dream. Sometimes he helps you question. Sometimes his posts spur you to take action. This is one of those times.

In his post titled Date Certain, Seth talks about how businesses can establish some "good faith" by letting the customer know when they can expect the product the want or need.


What's Your Delivery Policy?


If there's is one simple mantra everyone in real estate should live by it should be "under promise and over deliver."

• Are you setting the proper expectations with your Buyers at the intial Buyer Counseling Session?

• Does your marketing presentation with Sellers establish an initial price position that will help create the proper "perception of value"? Will that price motivate a Buyer to make an acceptable offer?

• Do you return calls, emails and texts promptly?
  

When Domino's started delivering pizza, they were different because they said "At your door in 30 minutes or it's free." They weren't afraid to take risks and stand out. It helped them build a pizza empire.

What can you come up with that will make people see you as more than a plain ol' cheese pizza? And can you get it to their "door" while it's still hot?

It's really a simple question.

If the client calls for service, do you deliver?

Could Your Business Use a Little "Umph"?

Over the weekend I had my first opportunity to see the band Umphrey's McGee. According to their website, Umphrey's McGee was "founded in 1997 in the shadows of the Golden Dome of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana. Umphrey's McGee soon made Chicago home base and set their sights on becoming one of the premier live acts in today's touring circuit. Over the course of the last ten years, the band has performed at festivals such as Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza, and continues to sell out shows in the nation's premier venues coast to coast."

I attended their sold out show at The Madison Theatre in Covington, Kentucky with a fraternity brother from The University of Florida and his wife. It was his 11th show, her 5th. I'm pretty sure that many in the overflow audience have made "attend Umphrey's McGee concert" a high priority on their "To Do" lists based on their familiarity with each song and the all important dance grooves.

As I enjoyed the show and the festival-like atmosphere, I started to think of all the great lessons that Realtors can learn from Umphrey's McGee.

Build a Following

The band has created a legion of supporters that loyally follow the band on their mini tour swings (the Covington show was the fourth stop of the week with other shows in Syracuse, Buffalo and Columbus) in much the same way that The Grateful Dead had their Deadheads.

Imagine if you had a loyal following of fans that supported your every move as a Realtor? They subscribed to your newsletters and blogs, they attended you Open Houses, they referred other people to you like my friend referred me to the band. It's gotta be cool when other people are singing your tune.

Screw the Status Quo

It seems that most stage shows these days come equipped with large viewing screens and a full blown choreography plan to amuse the paying customers. Not Umphrey's McGee. Just a very crowded stage complete with keyboards, two percussion sets and room for three guitarists. Sure they had awesome light displays and the necessary sound board equipment but there was no extra "stuff" in play just because that's what someone once said a concert should have.

How do you run your business? The way those around you run theirs? The way you've always done it because it's safe or simple? With over a million members of the National Association of Realtors, isn't now the time to open a big ol' can of creativity and be different?

Create a Community

Seth Godin talks about it in his incredible book Tribes and Umphrey's McGee has done just that. They've gathered people from all walks of life in various ages and built a loyal group of people who support the band and each other.

What are you doing in your local office, your company, your board and your larger community? Are you a visible member of the community where you work and live? Do you participate in charity events, school activities and church functions? Do you "lead by example" when it comes to doing the right thing?

Find Your Groove

Allow your groove to be just that...your groove. You shouldn't decide to dance based on whether you know the words or not. You should dance because you want to dance. Don't worry about what other people think of your dancing either. You'll be surprised at how many people want to dance as well if they can just get over "what others will think." Watch this video below to see what I mean by finding your groove. (Pay close attention to what happens after the third guy starts dancing)



Improvise When Needed

Umphrey's McGee has been labeled, fairly or unfairly, as a "Jam Band." This just means that sometimes they sing a song as it appears on one of their studio releases but usually they are using the original song as more of a guideline and then creating a blend of music, rhythm, melody and feeling. Some of their songs last minutes while others can go on for a while, oftentimes blending songs from one to the next.

If you're in real estate and you're not good at improvising, you might want to start updating that resume. It's not very often that a deal comes together without any snags, hold-ups or changes so you've got to be able to roll with those changes as they occur.

Leave Them Wanting More

As the band played their last note of the second set, no one left the packed floor because the whole room (band included) knew that there was still an encore to come. With anticipation and excitement the crowd buzzed in anticipation of what the band would play.

How can your service leave people wanting more? It should be your goal to accomplish all that your clients were expecting from the onset of your relationship but if you follow the four word rule of "under promise, over deliver" you're sure to leave your clients happy and satisfied that they received "truly remarkable service" and witnessed the best performance you were able to deliver.

If you're lucky, they do just what my friend did with me. They'll tell a friend about your performance and encourage you to "experience it for yourself."

Until next time...Build Relationships...Solve Problems...and Have Fun!

When Was the Last Time You Paid it Forward?

"I would like to start with something I have used in almost every speech, and this is, "paying forward." And that is the thing that you folks can do with your great education for the rest of your life.

Try to take that attitude toward life, that you're going to pay forward. So seldom can we pay back because those who helped most--your parents and other people--will be gone, but you'll find that you do want to pay. Emerson had something to say about that: "You can pay back only seldom." But he said, "You can always pay forward, and you must pay line for line, deed for deed, and cent for cent." He said, "Beware of too much good accumulating in your palm or it will fast corrupt." That was Emerson's attitude, and no one put it better than he did."

~ Excerpt from Woody Hayes' Commencement Speech at The Ohio State University,

March 14, 1986.

(To read the full speech, click here)

With the recent tragedy in Haiti still fresh in our minds, I want to ask you a simple question. When was the last time you "paid it forward"? It might have been a donation to a school fundraiser, assisting at a charity function or maybe taking in the mail for your vacationing neighbor. Perhaps it was covering for a co-worker who had a sick child at home or covering the tab of the person in front of you in line at lunch who left their wallet at home that day?

Regardless of when it was I am sure it touched you and the person who was receiving your "payment."

In a career like real estate, we work hard to bring our clients to the closing table because that is the way we keep score in this industry. Most businesses in the world are run based on profit...and that's okay. It's nothing to be ashamed of. But I also think that people want to have more of an impact on their world around them beyond the size of their bank accounts.

Clay Walker recorded a song that speaks of paying it forward. It was called Chain of Love and the chorus went like this...

"You don't owe me a thing; I've been there to

And someone once helped me out

Just the way I'm helping you

If you really want to pay me back, here's what you do

Don't let the chain of love end with you."

It's kind of amazing how far these "chains" can stretch, isn't it? I am a big fan of author, blogger and marketing guru extraordinaire, Seth Godin. I have enjoyed his books and his blogs and pretty much anything he puts out for public consumption. He doesn't tell you how to think, he just wants to get you to think.

A while back Seth blogged about one of his friends who had written a book about her journey to Africa to help bring financial education and support to women entrepreneurs throughout that continent. The book was called The Blue Sweater by Jacqueline Novogratz

who went on to start the Acumen Fund. The Acumen Fund "is a non-profit global venture fund that uses entrepreneurial approaches to solve the problems of global poverty. We seek to prove that small amounts of philanthropic capital, combined with large doses of business acumen, can build thriving enterprises that serve vast numbers of the poor. Our investments focus on delivering affordable, critical goods and services – like health, water, housing and energy – through innovative, market-oriented approaches."

(Preview the first few pages of the book)

Seth promoted the book on his blog and encouraged his readers to purchase the book, read the book, blog about the book and then perhaps even pass the book along to someone else. A portion of the price of the book was donated to The Acumen Fund.

I purchased the book, read the book and am now finally blogging about the book (sort of). I was finally able to pass the book along when one day, while sitting in church listening to the sermon delivered by a guest of our parish priest. Her name was Sister Pat Pieper, SND.

Sister Pat spoke about her missions and those of her organization, the Sisters of Notre Dame - an international congregation of Catholic women religious, committed, faith-filled, and joyful...witnessing to God’s loving care and goodness in our lives.

I listened to Sister Pat's story that day and thought about the similar challenges that were described by Novogratz in the same under-developed regions of Africa in her journey of The Blue Sweater.

After mass had ended, I drove home, grabbed the book off my shelf and returned to the church to catch Sister Pat before she left the sanctuary. I introduced myself, gave her the book, encouraged her to read it and then pass it on when she was done.

"You don't owe me a thing; I've been there to
And someone once helped me out
Just the way I'm helping you
If you really want to pay me back, here's what you do
Don't let the chain of love end with you."

Today I received an unexpected email from Sister Pat. This is what it said:

Good Morning, Sean,

Perhaps you don't remember me but I gave the mission talk at St. Andrew's last year and you gifted me with the wonderful book, "The Blue Sweater". I just wanted to thank you again. Not only did I enjoy it and was challenged by it but I passed it on to several friends, the last of which was a young girl, a graduate of Watterson last year who is now in South Africa on a six month mission experience.

I expect she will pass it on also. Thank you again for your thoughtfulness and generosity and I wish you and your family peace and joy in 2010 as we all join in prayer for our brothers and sisters in Haiti and the many intentions in our own country.

Gratefully, Sr. Pat Pieper,SND.

I'm not sure where the book will go next, but just like that "blue sweater" in the book, maybe we'll all be surprised how our lives intertwine.

I ask you again - "When was the last time you paid it forward?"

Maybe today is a great day for that.

Until next time, build relationships...solve problems...and have fun!

The More You Learn...

One of my favorite books is a small, stock-stuffer of a book called Complete Live and Learn and Pass It On: People Ages 5 to 95 Share What They've Discovered about Life, Love, and Other Good Stuff by H. Jackson Brown, Jr.

It's got funny thoughts from a number of people but it never tell you who said the quote, it just notes their age. Here's an example:

"I've learned that I shouldn't get out of the shower to answer the phone. It will stop ringing the minute I get to it." - Age 53

The book is a favorite of one of my mentors (and #75 in my 101 Most Influential People), Kim Daugherty. He shares many of the funnier "lessons learned" with his classes he teaches.



What Matters Now

Last week, master marketing guru and best selling author Seth Godin released a free e-Book to the masses called What Matters Now. I spent the last few days reading this collection of one-page essays by assorted authors, speakers, bloggers, doctors and average people.






Some of the topics in the eBook interested me, some of them bored me, some of them challenged me to think and others motivated me to act. All of them inspired me to share the project with you but not without adding my own essay of sorts.

Lessons Learned by Sean Carpenter

What Is the "meaning of life"? Does anyone ever figure it all out? Do you think there's somebody out there that has all the answers? When you reach the pearly gates of Heaven, do you think St. Peter asks you to sit down with a #2 pencil and take an entrance exam? If he did, do you really think anyone would ace the test?

A few years ago I was lucky enough to be certified to teach the Integrity Coaching and Selling Courses. The creator of those programs is a man named Ron Willingham. In one of his audio CD's that came with the courses he said "the more you learn, the more you learn there is to learn."

Ain't that the truth.

I've also learned...


* You can't put a price on a child's laughter
* I hate snow but I love to watch it fall
* I don't get as nervous, worried or stressed out watching a double overtime ball game if I don't care which team wins
* People will read a hand-written note more than once
* Diet Coke tastes better from McDonald's
* I have more energy after a strenuous morning run than days when I sleep in late
* You can't make people learn anything until they want to learn it
* The more I listen to other people's ideas, the clearer mine usually become
* One of the easiest ways to bring back childhood memories is to lick the bowl after making brownies
* I'll never "know it all" but that shouldn't stop me from learning more than I know today
* To stop writing when the blog post is feeling like it's getting too long

What have you learned in 2009?