I Can See Clearly Now?

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.

As I just returned from vacation, I'm going to keep today's post simple. I received a wonderful email while I was away from a good friend who also happens to be an excellent Realtor and branch manager, Kate Koplinka. Kate is with Coldwell Banker M and D Good Life in Long Island, New York. We met several years ago at a Coldwell Banker convention in San Antonio and have stayed in touch since then via social media as well as in person at some incredible company events. She's one of those people in our industry who just "gets it" and you want to see her and others like her succeed.

The Power of Words

I use a lot of videos in my presentations if I feel they have a pertinent message or emphasize a point I am trying to convey. I know Kate (along with other managers who read this blog) use some of these videos in branch meetings, either for humor or inspiration, depending on what might be needed.

I always appreciate when people share powerful videos with me as well because you just never know when one will strike you in a powerful way. The video below that Kate sent me last week is a perfect example of one of those videos. It comes from the folks at PurpleFeather, a team of freelance copyright specialists who provide online contents in the UK.

Watch this and tell me it doesn't help you "see" what's ahead of you this week, just a little bit clearer. If you can't see a video below, click here




The good news? As people of integrity, determination and a genuine work ethic, Kate and many of  you, my loyal readers of The Realtor's Toolbox will succeed.

Thanks again for sharing the video. I hope if you see something that would be a good fit for The Realtor'sToolbox, I invite you to share it with me, either here or on any of the social networks where we might be connected.

Until next time, spend your week building relationships, solving problems and having fun.

Five Reasons for a Buyer Counseling Session - Part 5 of 5

It's been said that in the absence of value, price will always be a factor. How are you demonstrating to your clients that you bring value to their real estate search? Do you lay out a step-by-step plan to find the right house, negotiate the sale and help them manage through the transaction? Is your explanation of fiduciary duty clear and understandable so they know why it makes sense to become a loyal client?


In this last part of our five part series on reasons to hold a Buyer Counseling Session, we discuss showing value. Click here if you don't see the video below.




Click here for Reason #1 - Identify Needs
Click here for Reason #2 - Gain Control
Click here for Reason #3 - Build Rapport
Click here for Reason #4 - Establish Expectations

Five Reasons for a Buyer Counseling Session - Part 4 of 5

When you're working with Buyers, it's always hard to anticipate how they will react to the houses you show them. What sounds good on paper and what looks intriguing on the web might be exactly the opposite of what the client (or you) were thinking you might see.

Buyers rarely have an idea of how long the search might take...or how quickly they could find the right house. It also might surprise some people how much an agent does for them from the start of the process through a successful closing.

In our five part series on reasons to hold a Buyer Counseling Session, today we discuss the importance of establishing expectations. Click here if you don't see the video below.



Click here for Reason #1 - Identify Needs
Click here for Reason #2 - Gain Control
Click here for Reason # 3 - Build Rapport 

Five Reasons for a Buyer Counseling Session - Part 3 of 5

As you continue to get in front of potential Buyers this summer, I hope you realize how important it is to begin to develop a detailed understanding of who the people are who you're helping to find a house that will be their new home.

Remember, it's not your clients job to have something in common with you and it's not a requirement to have something in common with them. I am sure that most of you reading this will agree that as soon as you can find out some common ground, the better the relationship will be between parties and the better the transaction will go thanks to the similarities that you may share.

Reason #3 in our 5-part series of why Realtors should hold a Buyer Counseling Session is all about Building Rapport. (Click here if you don't see the video below)



I hope you're starting to see the power of meeting face to face with prospects before you invest any time and efforts to sell them anything before you have sold them on working with a professional like you.

Click here to see Reason #1 - Identify Needs
Click here to see Reason #2 - Gain Control

Five Reasons for a Buyer Counseling Session - Part 2 of 5

In the last post, we explored the importance of identifying needs when meeting with potential Buyers so ytou can be better prepared to help them find the right house.

In this post, let's take a look at the second reason to hold a Buyer Counseling Session. (click here if you don't see a video below)



In tomorrow's post, we'll discuss reason #3 to hold a Buyer Counseling Sesison. I hope we'll see ya tomorrow.

Five Reasons for a Buyer Counseling Session - Part 1 of 5

Cabin fever is a few months old and the spring weather has hit most of the country. There's just a few more weeks left before the kids are out of school for the summer and inventory levels are starting to recede from their high levels in the last few years. 

Now before anyone thinks the hot market is coming back, hold your horses. It's very typical that the market will heat up a bit with new listings hitting the market so I thought I'd use the video blog to share some thoughts on how to approach the Buyer boom that will be happening in the next few months.

Let's take a look at five reasons you should be holding a Buyer Couseling Session (BCS) to pre-qualify and prepare to serve Buyers in today's market. The first reason to hold a BCS? Let's try to identify needs.

If you don't see a video below, click here.




In tomorrow's post, we'll discuss reason #2 to hold a Buyer Counseling Sesison. I hope we'll see ya tomorrow.

What Am I Going to Do Today?

Monday Morning Match is a short 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.

Monday is Valentine's Day.

It's a day to celebrate being in love if you're lucky enough to be in it.

It's a day to celebrate with someone special, if you're lucky enough to have someone special.

It's a day for flowers.

It's a day for chocolate. (But then again, isn't every day?)

It's a day for dining out or cooking in. Will it be a steak or salmon? Pasta or prime rib?

It's a day for candy hearts with little messages on them. "You're Cute" or "Be Mine" or "Hug Me" or "Wanna Kiss?"

It could be a day for broken hearts?

It's a day to "bring sexy back" or perhaps a day for awkward first kisses.

It's day for first dates or fiftieth anniversaries.

It's a day to rent "Sleepless in Seattle" or "Pretty Woman."

It's a day for elementary school children to pass around cards to every other kid in their classroom, asking them to "Be My Valentine."

It's a day for L-O-V-E.

Need a REALITY CHECK?

It's also a Monday... so please, don't forget to focus on the important things you've got to get done before you go home early to chill the wine, turn on the Barry White and spread the rose petals on the floor.

One thing I know is that I love what I do. I try to be passionate about it and I hope it shows.

Thanks for being a loyal reader of The Realtor's Toolbox.

Now get out there and have a great week. Don't forget to build relationships, solve problems and have fun. Oh yeah...and tell somebody you love them.

A Christmas Story - Realtor's Toolbox Style

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, so that means that the new year will be here soon. There's not much that can be done to change your results for 2010, although a few of you may still be praying for some pending deals to stay together and make it to the closing table, huh?

In homage to A Visit from St. Nicholas by Clement C. Moore (or Henry Livingston, Jr. if you believe Wikipedia's version), here's my version of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas - a recap of the year in real estate and some friendly Toolbox suggestions for a successful 2011. Please enjoy the video below.



If you are reading this post in your email, there's a good chance you don't see any video. It's alright. You can either click on the title of the blog above or click here to watch it on YouTube.

I hope you enjoy the video but even more importantly, I hope you enjoy your holidays with family, friends and loved ones. May your friends become clients and your clients become friends.

I appreciate the continued support of the blog as well as my personal efforts to impact individuals in both their business and personal lives. I love what I do and I will continue to "teach with passion and enthusiasm, instilling confidence and excitement in my students."

Until my next post, keep building relationships, solving problems and having fun.

Merry Christmas!

Who Are These People Who Call Themselves "Bloggers"?

There are millions of different blogs out there. Blogs about politics, communities, local real estate, real estate companies, news and more. There's blogs about every topic under the sun. Heck, there's even blogs about bacon.

And obviously, you know about this blog - The Realtor's Toolbox - for real estate tools, tips and tricks to build a successful real estate business. Thanks for being a loyal reader and sharing the posts you like with others.

Reading blogs is one thing but it can kind of be like listening to the radio, especially your favorite local morning show. You get to know the voice at the other end but it's kind of hard to put a face with that voice. Have you ever been surprised to learn what a deejay or talk show host looks like in person?

I saw a great blog post today from the folks over at FlowTown. FlowTown "is a social media marketing platform that helps businesses transform email contacts into engaged customers." What they really are to me is a really cool blog that shares some incredible visual images and information.


Their post today was titled "The Evolution of The Blogger" and it really taught me more about the "blogging tree" as it were. Here's the visual they used. You might be able to left click (once) on the visual to see it in larger details or you can click here to see it on the FlowTown blog site.

Thanks for the great visual FlowTown. Pictures sure are worth a thousand words...and a fresh blog post.

Give Thanks

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

A Season for Thanks

Last year at this time of year, I wrote a blog post about my personal "thanks" and recognized some of the influential people in my life who helped me get to where I am today. You can find the first of the three-part post here.

This year, I turn the attention to you, my reader. Or should I say I challenge you to read this post to yourself and take it personally?

"As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them."

~ John F. Kennedy

What are you thankful for? It's been a challenging year for those of us involved in real estate but there have certainly been some wonderful opportunities. Have you taken advantage of them? Will you make more opportunities in the new year and overcome the obstacles in front of you?

Have you been lucky enough to make some mistakes in 2010 that you'll learn from and be better in 2011? Just think - some people never make any mistakes but that is not because they are perfect, it's because they never do anything. Be sure to be thankful for the learning experiences that life has provided.

Have you been lucky enough to assist some families with their real estate needs in 2010? Perhaps you helped some buyers find a new home or maybe you assisted some Sellers and helped them get on to their next chapter in life? Have you thanked them for their trust in you and also thanked them for the opportunity to help solve their problems?

Maybe you're a manager or broker? Have you been lucky enough to challenge, encourage or inspire any of your associates, staff members or peers? Be sure to give thanks for them allowing you to be a part of their careers.

You probably sat in a class, workshop or training event where the speaker, instructor or teacher made you see or hear things differently. Maybe something confusing became clear? Did your hearing advance to listening which became understanding inspiring you into action that will eventually lead to mastery? Be sure to thank that person (or those people) for giving you the key to opening your mind. Be sure not to close that open mind in the coming year.

Is there a group of friends and family who have stood beside you and behind you throughout 2010? Have you felt their hands helping you? Sometimes that hand has been pushing you squarely in the back and other times it's just been touching you on the shoulders, providing simple guidance to keep you on your path to your goals. They want nothing more for you than to see you achieve the levels of success you aspire to and deserve.

We can get occupied spending so much of our time looking over one fence, wishing we had the things others possess, yet never realize that the neighbor on the other side of the yard may be looking at us and admiring what it is that we have. As Sheryl Crow sings, "It's not having what you want. It's wanting what you've got."

Please take a moment this week to be thankful for all the things you have.

Thank you for being a loyal reader of The Realtor's Toolbox. I hope you've been able to build relationships, solve problems and have fun so far in 2010 and will continue the journey in 2011.

Happy Thanksgiving to All

Major League Appreciation

I had a wonderful opportunity last week to work with groups in three of America's best cities. Three cities that are as "major league" as you can get. I'm talking about Pittsburgh, Dallas and Denver.

These three cities have 13 Super Bowl Championships and 6 Stanley Cups between them. I just wanted to use this forum to show my appreciation to the fine people who not only brought me in to speak to their teams but also to continue to challenge those people who heard my presentations.

My week started in my hometown of Columbus before I headed east to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I was scheduled to meet with two groups of associates and managers from the Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage team in the Greater Pittsburgh area.

On my way over, I stopped to see a good buddy and fellow real estate instructor, John Hamilton on his family farm in Eighty Four, PA. John always has some great wisdom and captivating yarns that passed the time quickly. I appreciate the time he spent with me discussing ways to get better in my agent development and speaking careers. Hey John, please give a "shout out" to your lovely wife Ginny and her delicious homemade Black Raspberry pie.

The two groups in Pittsburgh were wonderful and very engaging. It's always nice when people show up early and claim seats in the front row. I think both morning and afternoon sessions enjoyed learning about the many tools, tips and techniques that they have in "The Realtor's Toolbox" and based on the great feedback I have received so far, it sounds like they are putting it into action.

Special thanks to Cheryl Stephan, John Wdowiak and CB Pittsburgh President, George Hackett for bringing me in to spend the day with your teams. Keep up the great work and leadership.

The middle of the week took me down to one of my favorite cities in the country - Dallas, Texas.

After landing at DFW and receiving the "dime store" tour of the North Dallas suburbs from my driver (thanks Dave), I arrived at the lovely Renaissance in Richardson, Texas. A relaxing afternoon led to a wonderful dinner with the leadership team of Coldwell Banker Apex and their broker/owner Lori Arnold. We enjoyed a wonderful discussion on the Greater Dallas real estate market, the challenges that they are facing and the positive outlook for 2010 they all shared for their agents and clients they work with.

Thursday was their big Mini IBC company event and saw over 300 agents start the day with a wonderful trade show featuring 30+ vendors. I was very proud to serve as the keynote speaker, delivering a presentation called "Get in the Game ~ Score Big in 2010...and Have a Ball Doing It." After lunch, the CB Apex leadership team did a wonderful job of securing 18 high energy breakout sessions with several star panels, technology sessions and great energy by all the speakers. They even had a big give away for a sales promotion where one agent won a $5,000 bonus.

Once again, big thanks to Lori Arnold, managers Melba Frye Davis, Debbie Karalla Holland, Sarah Lee Rose, Mickey Fletcher and my good buddy and Julie Gezella. I hope your agents were as pumped up as I was afterwards from the energy in that room Thursday morning.

My week wasn't over so after a flight from DFW to Denver, I travelled 60 miles west to Black Hawk, Colorado in anticipation of the Coldwell Banker Colorado Previews Top 100 event. A dark ride through the mountains ended at the brand new Ameristar Spa and Resort, a lovely casino/hotel in the new gaming area 45 minutes from the Mile High City. (Actually, Black Hawk is at 8043 elevation)

Friday's presentation was titled "2010: Taking Your Business to the Next Level." The audience was truly the "best of the best" in a very successful market, led by my good buddy and fellow Integrity Coaching student Chris Mygatt. Mygatt is the President of the Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Denver and the outskirt resort areas of central Colorado.

It was an honor to speak to this group of top producers and hope that I delivered some useful tools and inspiration to maintain their success and even reach new heights. (Hard to do when you're already a mile and a half above sea level).

A special thanks go out to CBRB Marketing Director Todd Moir for his hard work and efforts on this event.

To all the people who planned, coordinated and attended the sessions this week, I thank you for making these events special. I have just have two words for you to think about this week...

Become Better!

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