Rich Levin's Real Estate Blog

The Most Valuable Lesson in Life

2010-03-11T13:24:00Z

Really, this is the most valuable lesson; how to control your mental and emotional state. One of my favorite books on motivation “You Can Heal You Life.” By Louise L. Hay reads, “The point of power is always in the present moment. What we think about ourselves becomes the truth for us. Your thoughts create what you believe about yourself. Change the thought. Change your life.”
One of the foundational teachings by Tony Robbins is a model called “The Triad” that describes the influence on our emotional responses. Here’s the bottom line.

What we focus on we feel. Focus on a horrible thought and a horrible emotion arises. Focus on a fabulous thought and you feel fabulously. Thousands of thoughts occur to us each day. We discard most of them at an unconscious level. We discard others at a conscious level. And some take hold. We focus on them and they create our life.

In the last couple of years many people were fascinated by the book and movie, “The Secret” that strongly presented “The Power of Attraction.” This is the power of putting things in your subconscious mind in ways that bring them into existence. Control of your mental and emotional state adds the power of your conscious mind. That is enormously powerful.
Many times, each of us notices a thought that we know we would be better off discarding instead of dwelling on. But, out of habit or carelessness we allow the thought to take our focus. I am reminded of arguments with loved ones. A thought occurs that we could or should stop… and too often we continue.

Imagine catching those thoughts early and replacing them. Imagine catching the thought that you know will deepen and lengthen the argument with the loved one and perhaps deepen the hurt feelings. Imagine replacing it, just in your mind, with, “I love you” purposely ending the argument for the sake of the relationship Imagine having that kind of control over you mental and emotional state.

It is a pursuit that I have worked hard to master. Of course I have not mastered it. It is a lifetime pursuit of continuous improvement. It is an ability that I have shared with my spouse, taught my children, and work to develop in my Clients (Real Estate Agents).
Winning or losing, rich or poor, busy or idle, the ability to create a great empowered feeling out of nothing or to shift from a bad feeling to a good one, at will. That ability is, without a doubt the most valuable lesson of life.

Manure and Your Judgement

2010-03-05T13:39:00Z

Agents are taught altogether too much manure. I just read a blog that addressed the horror and absence of value of holding open houses. It had a couple of facts. A tiny portion of open house visitors buy the house they saw at the open.

Here’s an interesting one of our own. Over 60% of the people visiting opens will buy a house within six months. So the majority of people that the Agent encounters at the open are serious, motivated Buyers.

When an open is chosen well and conducted correctly it is a one of the simplest and most effective ways to generate business.
All year long Agents ask me about things they read or heard that just didn’t seem right to them. In most cases their judgment and instincts are better than the advice they are receiving. So, I tell them. Trust your judgment. Something you hear may have worked for the person offering it. On the other hand the person offering it may just be repeating some error they heard rather than having first hand experience with it. Or the advice may work for the person offering it. It’s a match for their personal style and their approach to their business. But it is a mismatch for yours.

Trust your judgment. Learn to trust your judgment. You will discover it is your best guide.

Please Don't Say This. Instead...

2010-02-25T18:54:00Z

An Agent told me today that she has learned to call her past Clients and open with the statement, “This is a business call.” Please, don’t say that. Believe me, I understand the logic behind it and I’ll show you now, how to accomplish the same thing without that rapport breaking statement.

By the way, that’s the problem with, “This is a business call.” Right at the outset when every sales theory on earth tells you that you want to be establishing rapport, this statement breaks it. At least, it would for me, and probably for you.
So, please, instead check in on how the person is doing. If you have a headache, are in a fight with your spouse, have just lost a deal, your dog pooped on the rug or whatever else might be a distraction and you get that call, it’s a rude opening. Versus, how are you?

Remember that they don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. Once they sense that you care they will ask you about how your business is which is your opening to share a positive spin on the market. And there always is one (nearly always). And, if it is appropriate ask for business in the most comfortable and appropriate way. (Listen in to our Free Daily Coaching Webinars and your hear the way many times.)

How Many Calls to Make or How Few?

2010-02-15T16:45:00Z

An Agent asked me how many calls it takes to be successful.

I said it depends on who is making the calls and who they are calling.

He said, “You know Real Estate calls.” He said that he learned that if he made calls three hours a day it would make him successful and he wanted my opinion. How many calls does it take to be successful?

I said, “It’s the wrong question.”

Tony Robbins taught me a lot of things. One of the more important ones is that, “The quality of your life is in direct proportion to the quality of the questions you ask yourself.”

The same is true of your business. The quality of your business is in direct proportion to the quality of the questions you ask about it.

And, how many calls does it take to be successful is a poor quality question.

First, what is successful? Let’s pick an income level of $100,000 for the year, just to create a specific goal that defines success. And without elaborating on the math let’s say that will require twenty sales.

So, the question becomes, “How many calls do I have to make to sell twenty houses this year?” That’s a better question. Except that I asked it of a lot of Agents across the country and the answers were always discouraging. It was always a lot of calls and a lot of time. And it completely lacked insight and intelligence. So, I realized it was still a poor quality question.

Here is the high quality question. “How few calls does it take to make twenty sales?” I began asking that and the answers were amazing. In fact instead of answers, that question most often led to a bunch of other great questions.

Can you make some or all of those sales without making any calls by having people call you?

What are the calls that bring the best results? Could you make twenty sales with twenty calls? Ooh, if you could then forty calls would make forty sales. Can it be done?

This question makes you think. It leads you to greater insight and intelligence about your business, your skills, the market, the opportunities and more.

This question motivates you to begin to keep track of how many calls you make to get the sale, to notice who you call, what approach you use, and how well it all works.

This question leads you to continuously work to learn how to make sales with the fewest calls.

We do a webinar every day at 8:45 am eastern. Yes, every day. It motivates. It teaches. And it asks you to challenge yourself to achieve your goals in the most efficient and enjoyable way.

This great question arose out of that work. It is one of many that come up throughout the year on these free webinars. Our goal with this work is to make your business better as you make your life better. And it’s working for hundreds and a growing number of Agents. Please join us. It’s free. Register at www.1stFifteen.com.

Do Not Call Question

2010-02-09T17:32:00Z

A client on my daily free training webinar posed a question that I didn’t know how to answer so I thought I would ask in this forum.

Does anyone know of a good Do Not Call program that this Agent could subscribe too?

Please direct all responses to Rebecca@RichLevin.com or reply to this post. I look forward to any information you are willing to share. I love that I can reach out to the community to get the answers that will help many.

More Important than Your Goals?

2010-02-05T18:42:00Z

Huh? What? A coach who says there is something more important than your goals?

You bet. Hundreds of thousands of Agents a year set a goal and throughout the year it doesn’t mean a whole lot to them. But those Agents who work on their habits, their daily and weekly habits, those Agents get results.

In our Free Daily Coaching Webinars we break the week into four type of days, two prospecting days, a marketing day, a service day and a thinking strategy day. The Agents who make it a habit to spend just an hour on the priority for that day and make that a habit get results.

Goals are important too. On the thinking strategy day you look at your progress toward your goal for that week, that month, and the year to date. On the thinking strategy day you look at what worked and what didn’t work. What to focus more on and less. It is always an interesting epiphany that of the four types of priority days the thinking strategy day is the most important. It is the day that ensures that you follow through on all the others.

Most Agents don’t make it a habit to slow down; to think and strategize on a scheduled regular basis. Once you do you recognize that thinking is your greatest strength.

Professional Talking Points

2010-01-27T18:16:00Z

As you speak to Buyers and Sellers, as you prospect, and as you shop, work out in the gym, as you encounter anyone in your life, you can attract business by sharing what is going on in Real Estate particularly if you put an honest and positive spin to it. So, I like to provide you with “Talking Points.” My strong advice is to print these talking points. Review them. And go out of your way to have conversations in which you bring these up.

December home sales are up 15% over 2008. That’s huge. (Yes I realize they are down from November but (duh) it’s December, the only really accurate measure is year over year.

National median home prices increased by 1.5%, the first gain since August 2007! That’s huge too!!!

Mortgage rates fell for the week ending Jan. 21st.

Low prices but rising, low rates, stable expectations, and tax credits make this perhaps the best time to buy in decades, maybe ever.

And it is not dependent on the tax credits, many people are planning moves because of the other factors.

Part of the Government bailout of buying mortgage backed securities from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac is ending this spring which should press interest rates a bit higher. But the Government is ready to step back in if rates begin to look like they are reaching prohibitive levels. At the same time, it makes the current rates look that much better.

The news is obviously better for Buyers than Sellers unless the Sellers are also buying in which case they will probably do so much better on the purchase that it will far more than make up for any softness on their sale. For Sellers not buying, the market is not going to rebound dramatically so unless they can delay for years it is probably as good a time as any, particularly if they take a good Agent’s advice on staging and pricing.

As one example of the power of these talking points. At my health club virtually everyone, hundreds of guys look to me for Real Estate advice simply because they respect my opinion and expertise. How do they aware of my opinion and expertise? I openly share these thoughts which initiates the conversations in very natural ways.

Let me know how it goes for you.

A Sales Lesson From Fundraising

2010-01-25T18:30:00Z

At my health club I was chatting with a top National fundraising consultant. I asked him, “What’s the secret to success at getting people to make donations?”

He answered, “Two things, you want to be sure that the person asking for the donation has a relationship with the giver. If you are asking for a big donation the request needs to be made by someone who has a strong respected relationship with the giver.”

He continued, “The second thing, particularly for large donations, is that you want to know enough about the giver’s financial situation, history of giving, and history with the organization you are representing, you want to know enough to know how much a reasonable request is. If you have a good relationship, the giver has a good connection to the organization, and you make a reasonable request you will always get it.”

Driving home from the club this morning, after that conversation, of course I thought about how that related to success in Real Estate sales. There is a direct connection.

First, the stronger the relationship you have with the Buyer or Seller before you even contact them, the better your chances of a successful transaction. That is why you want to:

Work with people in your spheres of influence and past Clients
Work with referrals from people who know, like, and trust you
Create a marketing brand as a knowledgeable, successful and respected professional in the area.
Second, do your homework. Find out all you can about the prospect ahead of time.

Check property tax records
MLS records
Google and other Search Engines and Web sources
Call and ask questions about what, where, why, when and who (how, too)
Finally, specifically ask about their current and previous experiences buying or selling Real Estate so you know the attitude that they bring to the transaction with you.

My friend, the fundraising expert related a number of stories where this background work wasn’t done and the effort failed; and where it was done and the effort resulted in major donations.

These are the contexts of the best salespeople on earth. Make them yours.

Are You Driving Away Easy Business?

2010-01-18T19:31:00Z

The most common questions an Agent is asked are:

“How’s business?”

“How’s the market?”

The way you answer those questions can attract business to you or drive it away. On our Free Daily Webinars I often remind Agents to consider that half of the people that ask those questions are either thinking of making a move in the upcoming year themselves or they know someone who is. They have a son or daughter moving to town; a parent or grandparent needing to sell; they are losing a job, getting promotion, etc.

Answer those questions with negativity, a lack of enthusiasm and you are communicating that you lack confidence in your ability to do the best for them. Even if the market is soft, there are easy ways to be honest and positive.

Answer those questions with complete honesty and with the most positive spin you can find for the current market; answer with modest enthusiasm and you are communicating that you are the person to find the best way to get the job done. On our Daily Webinars (which are recorded so you can listen to them anytime during the day) I share lots of ideas and scripts to communicate that enthusiastic, honest and positive response.

Right now, where ever you are reading this, imagine that you have just been asked, “How’s the market?”

Answer it quickly with the first thought that comes to your mind. Examine that response. Does it attract or repel? Then consider all the ways you could answer it to make a better impression, to attract.

Make a note of those compelling, attracting answers. Ask it of yourself again and this time, answer out loud. Keep this up, in your car, in the shower, at random until it is natural for you to use these opportunities to generate some of the easiest business you may do all year.

2010 The Year of Systems

2010-01-11T18:48:00Z

Every successful business, every well run business is built and run with systems. That is also true of every well run Real Estate Agent’s business. We are declaring in our business that 2010 is ‘The Year of Systems.’

A Real Estate Agent has a particular challenge because there are so many systems required for a successful, well run, productive and profitable business. There are time management and organizational systems, prospecting systems, marketing systems, listing systems and many more.

And there are systems within the systems. In your listing system are your listing preparation system, your listing presentation system, and your communication with the Seller system, your pricing system, and many more here also.

So, throughout 2010 in our blogs, courses, webinars and coaching we are going to even more clearly teach and document each of these systems for you, how they work together, how to simply and permanently implement them into your business.

Interested in this topic join our free daily 1st Fifteen Coaching Webinars.

Great Coaching Call

2010-01-06T18:44:00Z

I don't normally share coaching calls but this one was just to good not too and the client was happy to share. It is about 40 minutes long but contains tons of insight and information about not only the Get Rich Success Charts but also real struggles from real Agents. So if you want some great information, motivation and insight. Take time to listen to this recording. Also we talk about many of these issues on the 1st Fifteen Daily Webinars and will discuss more in the upcoming weeks.
Enjoy and remember if you have questions about the charts please don't hesitate to contact our office, we are happy to help! 585-244-2700.

Initial Appointments are a Well Kept Secret

2009-12-30T16:51:00Z

One initial appointment per week with a new Buyer or Seller will result in twenty sales for the year. For any Agent that aspired to do twenty sales for the year the focus of one initial appointment per week is the absolutely best focus to get you there.

In case it hasn’t already occurred to you, forty sales for the year are two initial appointments per week and so on. In our Free Daily Coaching Webinars this is explained in detail often.

An initial appointment is a listing presentation or a Buyer presentation. For those who don’t do Buyer Presentations, it’s time to learn them. The momentum toward making the MLS public and the new technologies that will replace it, lifestyle searches cross referenced with listing searches, will make Buyer presentations as necessary as listing presentations.

That aside, the focus on initial presentations is a secret simply because it is not taught. Instead, making calls, sending mailings, and other activities are the focus for most Agents. An activity focus will always frustrate you. A results focus will set you free. And the most important result to focus on every day to set you free is your initial appointments.

Joy and Peace

2009-12-18T15:23:00Z

It’s time.

Kelly, an Agent said to me, “Rich, I am feeling lazy and unmotivated. I’m coming to the office and working hard and getting less and less results.”

I said, “It’s December 18th. Why work so hard?”

She said, “Well, my Broker and Manager and all the trainers are saying that this is the time of year when Agents stop working so there is a lot of opportunity for those who keep working.”

I said, “Oh, I understand. Let me ask you a couple questions. Do you have some Christmas shopping to do, presents to wrap, food to prepare, time that you want to spend with your kids or plan to spend when they are out of school for vacation?”

She answered as you might expect with a bunch of things done and more to do.

So, I said, “Stop working.”

I said, “Serve the Clients that need your attention and slow down.” I went on, “Remember in October and November I said the year is not winding down or wrapping up until the second week in December. Well… it is the second week in December. Wind down.”

She said, “What about all the lost business that the others talk about?”

“Well,” I said, “go shop for those last gifts. Wrap presents. Take your kids out for pizza. Bake. Do the things that will make you happy for the holidays; the things that will make you feel more love for your loved ones and more peaceful and fulfilled. As you do, you will think about business. Do what absolutely needs to be done. And think about the year you are going to have next year. If good ideas come to you, make notes. Imagine the year you would most like to have. Think about what you liked about last year and what you would change; and how next year will turn out with those corrections made.”

“Wow!” She said. “That makes so much sense. It fits. I guess I just needed someone to give me permission to take my life back.”

“Exactly,” I said. “I promise you that if you work hard against your nature until the end of the year you will come into the new year burned out, unhappy, less motivated and very possibly in a slump. On the other hand, if you take your life back through the holidays. Spend time with the people you love doing the things you want; thinking about your business with calm and peace. You will enjoy the holiday break and you will start the year eager to put into place and into practice all the things you have been imagining.”

“Rich,” she said, “I am going to hang up the phone. Go into my Broker’s office and wish him a Merry Christmas, go shopping, pick my kids up from school and enjoy my life.”

This is a true story. And one that has been and will be repeated many times over the next week in my coaching Clients, on my webinars, in my blogs, and tweets.

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven.” That is from Ecclesiastes III. Now is the time to shop and the time to love; the time to wrap and the time to be wrapped for.”

With love and joy and peace, please take time for your life. Happy Holidays!!!!

Dynamite Real Estate Presentations that Seal the Deal

2009-12-02T15:56:00Z

Join Rich on Tuesday, December 8 at 11:00 AM EST for his very popular Webinar: Dynamite Real Estate Presentations that Seal The Deal. REGISTER NOW

The public is more educated, sophisticated and has more information available instantly.Do your presentations, communication skills, tools, materials, style and approach match today’s Buyers and Sellers?Is a mismatch costing you business, adding to your stress, and losing the confidence of your Clients?Dynamite presentations are a perfect blend of timeless structure, approach, and abilities with twenty first century technologies.

The most difficult problems that arise in the course of an Agent’s business; disloyalty, distrust, and communication breakdowns can all virtually be eliminated.The most challenging objections that delay and destroy transactions can be avoided.Dynamite presentations constructed and conducted with a higher level of selling skills accomplish all of that on the way to providing the Agent with more closed sales more easily.

You receive preparation and presentation checklists, scripts, materials, and step-by-step structures for all six presentations necessary for a successful Real Estate career.Whether you are in the business three weeks or three decades this workshop will strengthen your presentations, increase your income, and build your confidence.

REGISTER NOW

K.I.S.S Your Business Planning

2009-11-30T21:22:00Z

Keep it simple, stupid; or, the more polite version, keep it simple, salesperson. Or, keep it short and simple. This has been an instruction to teach salespeople to avoid unnecessary complexity with prospects. The simpler the salesperson can make the decision for the prospect the more likely they are to take action. It makes complete sense. Violating this principle is the reason most Agent Business planning does not stick. Here’s a radical thought. Any business plan that can’t be created in less than an hour is unlikely to be implemented. Take one hour by the clock to complete a plan for 2010 as if that is all the time you have; as if that is the plan that has to guide you for the year. And it has to be done in one hour. Whether you complete your plan in that hour or not; that sharp focus motivates you to create a better plan because of its simplicity. Keep It Simple & Succeed.

A Time for Thanks and Giving

2009-11-25T16:00:00Z

Thank you! I am sincerely grateful to you. Those of you who read this blog, who listen to my webinars, attend my workshops, and find some value or entertainment in my work, thank you.

The teacher is often the student. Throughout the year you have shared your ideas with me that have expanded the work. And you have allowed me to share them with others. Thank you! To Rebecca for her amazing commitment to the work… a special thank you. As Chava and I sit down to a delicious Thanksgiving meal and thank G-d for so many blessings in our life. You will be in our thoughts and prayers… with gratitude.

Winning Open Houses in a Soft Real Estate Market

2009-11-20T16:04:00Z

How do you choose and market an Open House to generate the most Buyers? How do you engage the Open House Guests in a way that creates immediate trust? What is the perfect script that reveals the Buyer’s motivation and urgency? With less Buyers in the market, demanding more, offering less, and negotiating harder; open houses, done right, offer the ideal opportunity to find motivated Buyers and initiate a relationship of trust and confidence in which everyone wins.

The owners are impressed with your marketing and professionalism. The Guests and Visitors feel welcome, comfortable and you offer them information that they don’t find at any other open house. And you have the maximum opportunity to sell the property. For those not interested in the property (most of them), the Agent is able to make appointments to discuss listing or selling with as many as twenty five percent of the Guests.

With this webinar you receive call back and objection handling scripts, preparation checklists, advertising tips, special marketing tactics, and staging secrets. This webinar has been referred to as, Open House Magic.”

Join Rich this Monday (11/23/09) at 1PM EST for this intelligent and informational webinar. Register Now

Direct Mail Idea

2009-11-18T21:29:00Z

I often get questions about what to put on direct mail postcard mailers. Here is some verbiage I recently sent to a client. This type of information is more on point then recipes and gardening tips. It also places you as the expert in the minds of the people in your market.

On the front side of your next mailer put

STOP! News Flash on other side!!!

On the back

1. Headline- Never Before!!!

Content: Never before has the Government subsidized existing home owners to encourage them to buy new homes… UNTIL NOW. For the next five months ONLY, if you have lived in your current home for 5 or more years then you receive $6,500 FREE, NO REPAYMENT from the Federal Government when you sell their current residence to purchase a new one. Call immediately for details so you can begin to plan your move.

Tip: (Only provide One Contact phone number)

1st Feedback

2009-11-11T21:41:00Z

Hi All Rebecca here. We are looking for feedback about our 1st Fifteen Daily Training Webinars. Post anything you like positive or negative. We want to hear what you have to say. We are starting a new coaching program in December and the 1st Fifteen Webinars are going to be a part of that so we want to know how to adjust or improve them to make them even better then they are now. So let's hear it!

YOU ARE NOT IN BUSINESS. YOU ARE IN MARKETING.

2009-11-09T16:31:00Z

Great expression I just read from Eben Pagan. “You are not in business. You are in marketing.” I love that. I am continuously teaching groups and my individual clients that marketing is the lifeblood of your business. I am not using that “lifeblood” expression easily. Just like your life depends on your blood carrying everything your body needs to every place that needs it. Your marketing done right carries your message to every one in your markets that might need your service. For many of you I’d put it on the wall. YOU ARE NOT IN BUSINESS. YOU ARE IN MARKETING.