Episode 10 : Success From Scratch

Episode 10 : Success From Scratch

For this week’s episode of “Success From Scratch”, Keisha York shared how she used her background as an educator to become a successful realtor and now, as the Texas Managing Regional Broker for JP and Associates REALTORS®.

“Real estate is way more about building relationships, than selling a house.”

-Keisha York, JP and Associates REALTORS®

The CEO Agent Mindset

The CEO Agent Mindset

As you know, being the CEO of your own business is a fun challenge… lots to do and focus on.  Yet consider this: if you are caught up in the whirlwind are you as effective as possible?  We all know that 20% of our effort creates 80% of our results.

Read below, is this a vision you can lean into?

I’m often asked, “what should I be doing?” The answer, keeping it super simple is –  P . L . A . N .

Everything else either: Delegate, Automate or Eliminate!

The next most common question? “When do I need to hire an assistant?”

Answer: NOW!

So to clarify, up to about 17 transactions your “assistants” are the preferred suppliers that surround you. Work with them to make your process as effective as possible.  Then at these trigger points your plan must address team structure: 18 transactions; 30 transactions; 61 transactions and 100+ all require a unique support structure.

Suggestion: schedule a 15-minute daily checkup with yourself (and your team members if appropriate) on how you’re doing on your P.L.A.N. At the end of the day, the three decisions we completely control over are:

  • What we focus on. (P.L.A.N. being one example.)
  • What meaning we attach to things, activities or events happening around us. (Fear. Fear is just false evidence appearing real.)
  • And, what we do in spite of the obstacles we face. (Mental toughness is staying in inspired action despite what’s happening around us.)

#Decide #ClarityofVision #WinByDesign #WinTheDay

Episode 9 : Success From Scratch

Episode 9 : Success From Scratch

In this week’s episode of “Success From Scratch,” I had an interesting talk with Trenton Johnson who shared how he made the move from working in corporate America to a phenomenal career in real estate sales. Trenton describes the habits that drove him to be a successful real estate sales professional.

“I don’t believe in losing!”
-Trenton Johnson, JP & Associates REALTORS ®

 

5 Lessons From The Death Crawl Scene In “Facing the Giants”

5 Lessons From The Death Crawl Scene In “Facing the Giants”

Are you facing YOUR giant?

It’s all about mindset. As we shared this video of being blindfolded at the Techapplooza event last Tuesday – I’m reminded that too often our own perception, surroundings, and beliefs get in the way of victory and success.

With 204 days until the end of 2018, here are 5 lessons we can all learn from “Facing The Giants.”

Lesson 1 – Don’t Write A Bad Month Off As A Loss Before It’s Over

You never know how that last sales call, the last text, the last phone conversation or the last coffee meeting will turn out until it’s over.

It’s so easy to get discouraged when you are having a bad day or a bad month. Sales are off, morale is low, and you feel like crawling under a rock. It’s so easy to set yourself on “cruise control” for the remainder of the month and just focus on next month. While this can be a good thing to improve your performance for next month, writing off this month as a loss before it’s even over is the worst thing you can do.

If you have not seen the movie, the team ends up having a pretty successful season. Not astounding, but if they had just given up halfway through, they would not have seen the level of success that they achieved that season. The same can be said about your sales performance too. It’s not over until it’s over.

Staying in inspired action despite the circumstances surrounding you is the definition of mental toughness. Mental toughness can be developed with exercise, just like a muscle.

Lesson 2 – Once You Hit A Goal Don’t Give Up

In the scene, Coach Grant blindfolded Brock because he didn’t want him to give up once he hit the 50-yard line because he knew that he could exceed that goal. Brock, on the other hand, didn’t even believe that he could get to the 50-yard line in the first place.

Often times, we see a sales quota or a bonus level and decide that is our goal and once we hit that goal, we can just give up and focus on the next month. This scene shatters that belief. If Brock would have just given up at the 50, he never would have believed that he could make it the entire field. Much like in sales, if you stop at $10k in sales because that’s the goal in your head, you could be missing out on $20k month or better.

In a separate post, I’ve written about PROCESS goals, PERFORMANCE goals, and OUTCOME goals. Research shows those that focus on PROCESS goals achieve the OUTCOME more frequently than those that focus on the outcome goal itself.

Lesson 3 – Give Your VERY Best

We all go on listing appointments, buyer presentations, call, text or message prospects and go through a script. We handle the objections and do everything like we were taught. Yet, if you just do that, you might be a successful salesperson and might have a good month. What separates the good from the great are the salespeople who look at themselves after a call – whether a sale is made or not –  and can say “that was not my absolute very best, I can do better.

Those who learn how to give their absolute very best are the ones who are always at the top of the performance charts. I call it good, better, best. What was good… what could be better… what was the best? A great exercise for continuous improvement.

You see, there is a difference between giving something your best and giving something your very best. If Brock just gave it his best, he might have made it to the 75-yard line. Towards the end, when he was in extreme pain and was hurting, the coach Grant was literally screaming in his face for him to fight on and keep going. It didn’t matter how much Brock was hurting or how tired he was. Much to Brock’s amazement – and his teammates – he was able to do the entire field, but only by giving it his absolute very best.

Lesson 4 – You Inspire Others When You Perform At Your Best

At the beginning of this scene, Brock’s teammates were laughing at him and his attempt to make it to the 50-yard line with Jeremy on his back. In the end, they were speechless and the stood up in respect. If, as the top performer, you are exceeding your goals and are showing others that it can be done, people will follow suit and will start to believe that they can do it too. It will garner respect and will turn a joke and defeated environment to a serious and inspired one.

You can be an inspiration and an unstoppable force for good for others in your community.

Lesson 5 – No Matter What, Refuse To Walk Around Defeated

When top performers walk around with grim faces and an obvious feeling of defeat, it will permeate throughout the office and everyone will start to believe that they too are losers who can’t win. At the beginning of the clip, Brock openly said that he didn’t believe that they could win. You can see that his teammates were actually believing it. After the death crawl, it was an entirely different environment.

As a top performer, are you a negative Nelly or are you rallying the others around you? Walking around defeated before it’s even over only guarantees that you will lose. In the movie, even though they lost their best performer and had 6 straight years of losing, they were able to have a successful season.

How are YOU facing YOUR giant?

Over the next 90 days, we are turning our training and technology offering on its head… you can attack this with vigor or crawl under a rock. You can be overwhelmed or step back and set a plan, break it down into small parts and plan to win.

204 days until the end of 2018… do you want to win in 2018? In the second half of the year, will you give your VERY best? In the end, the choice is yours. We will provide the tools, the training, and the culture to enable YOUR success.

You, me and America are too great for small dreams. Let’s go! Whose in?

#GoCowboys #JPAR #LetsWin #Productivity #Service #ExceedingExpectations

Episode 8: Success From Scratch

Episode 8: Success From Scratch

Mindi Stange took the time to share with us her story on this weeks episode of “Success from Scratch.” After 10 years in interior design, she made the switch to real estate sales. Mindi shares what drove her to make the career switch and how she did it.

“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!”

Mindi Stange, JP and Associates REALTORS®

7 Steps To An Appointment Setting Breakthrough

7 Steps To An Appointment Setting Breakthrough

Stop and reflect for a moment… how would your business be impacted if you went on at least one appointment each workday?

Here’s what I know: agents who are setting and going on APPOINTMENTS are PRODUCING, period.  Those that are consistent and disciplined in their daily routines win the day.

Consider this:

We CANNOT control the market.

We CANNOT control what others think.

We CAN control ourselves and our businesses.

We CAN control our thoughts, behaviors, and routines.

So, why is it that some agents are succeeding wildly today, while other agents are getting out of the business?

What separates those who are still making sales from those who are not?

What is the key to succeeding in this market, or any market for that matter?

The intent of this posting is to give you specific ideas and techniques that will lead to a breakthrough in the number of appointments you set. Let’s begin by defining what an appointment is and then we will look at seven ways to set an appointment a day.

What is an appointment?

APPOINTMENTS are any meeting that will positively impact your business.

       Specifically:

  • Sitting face-to-face with a motivated seller (listing presentation)
  • Working with a buyer who wants to buy
  • Previewing a motivated For Sale By Owner property
  • A face-to-face meeting with a Past Client, a Center of Influence or anyone who can refer you business
  • Meeting with potential investor clients or directors of HR involved in executive moves

Stop and reflect again just for a moment…  how would your business be impacted if you went on at least one appointment each workday? How would that feel? Check out these 7 steps that can inspire you to create an appointment setting breakthrough:

 

 1. Focus Daily on Setting Appointments

Some agents focus on the amount of time they engage in some form of lead generation each day. Some focus on the number of people they contact each day and some focus on the number of leads they generate.

Top producers  focus on:

  • Setting great appointments
  • Getting contracts signed

2. Create A Definition of an Appointment that Serves You

If your definition of an appointment is something like, “I only meet with sellers who will list with me today at 2:00 P.M. for 25% under fair market value and 9% commission,” you will likely find yourself with an empty appointment book!

If you want a full appointment book, refer to the definition outlined above and start setting more appointments today.

3. Affirm That You Set Appointments Daily

Affirm that you will set an appointment each day.  Say this simple affirmation constantly throughout the day:

I set one or more appointment each day!!”

Consider this easy exercise and watch how it can positively affect your mindset and results.

4. Carry Your Best leads with You At All Times

One way to do this is to put your best leads on 3×5 index cards and carry them with you all day long. Or enter them into your Smart Phones note or reminder app. Or use a CRM with mobile capability like Contactually.  Have a system as we know a system will produce what a system will produce, nothing less nothing more. What does your current system produce?

The key is to call your leads constantly throughout the day. Consider calling your leads three separate times each day to increase the probability of reaching them and setting an appointment. Call them first thing in the morning…try it again around lunchtime…do your last attempt at the end of the day. You cannot overcall your leads. Even better, consider using a tool like REAL CONTACT to streamline your process.

5. Know Your Automatic Shot

Your “automatic shot” is the source of business you know you can count on if you really needed a deal. We all have areas in which we excel over others, and we all have sources that are particularly favorable for us. It is critical you know what it is for you.

Ask yourself this question: “If you absolutely had to set an appointment today, who would you call?” The answer to this question will define who or what your automatic shot is. Make sure to take your automatic shot every day!

6. Learn 5-7 Basic Closes to Improve Confidence

Skills and confidence are critical in this market. JPAR is now more than ever focused on assisting our agents and teams in improving their skills. We are surrounded by like-minded professionals that invest the time in learning the scripts and objection handlers necessary to confidently set appointments with ease. Let’s work to enhance your closing and objection handling skills so you can add one.

7. Be Unattached to How and Where Your Next Appointment Comes From

The key here is to just remain focused on the fact that you intend to set at least one appointment each day. Once your intention is set, simply go about your business…go follow your schedule…go out and do your lead generation and conversion.

“If I am always shaking the tree, an apple will fall somewhere!”

So there you have seven ways to set at least one appointment a day. I want to encourage you to shift your focus and energy now.

Focus on:

1) Finding your next appointment,

2) Going to another appointment and

3) Servicing your existing clients at the highest level.

Your ACTION STEPS?

1. Make an appointment goal for the next 2 weeks and share it with an accountability partner.

2. Gather all your past leads, open house registers and people you know and start making appointments to meet – ask for tips on people they may know who need to buy or sell. Use tools like REAL CONTACT to streamline follow up nurturing process.

3. Consider creating a small appointment setting mastermind group that meets in your office weekly. Role play objections, practice your listing presentation and critique each other, practice answering a buyer who asks… “why should I use you?”

4. Once you have the appointment, consider what I learned from Jeff Bezos CEO and founder of Amazon. “We don’t make money when we make a sale, we make money when we help someone make a purchase decision.

My previous article topic may come handy in planning your appointments. If you haven’t seen my previous post on how to Delegate, Automate or Eliminate, then check it out.

#WinTheDay