Chris' Blog

Sell the skills you have, not your service.  I see so many agents convey the great services they offer; only they fail to recognize most agents offer the same service.  Rather than sell your services, try selling "your skills."  In an industry where being unique is very difficult, sometimes expensive and seldom achieved, I think selling your skills may be much easier.

Think about it.  What skills do you possess that "benefit" the customer/client?  Is it that your listings sell 25%  faster than the market average, your experience is more than the market average or the education you have achieved earning real estate designations? 

Perhaps it's something as simple as you provide more information (Internet Marketing Strategy) to the seller than the average agent does.  Whatever your skills are, that's what you emphasize and quit trying to demonstrate to consumers your "services" are superior.

Carpe diem,

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"Learn to say ‘No' to the good so you can say ‘Yes' to the best"

Remember Nancy Regan's "Just say no" campaign that ran in the 90's? It seems her advice is as relevant to the agenda items that want to crowd your schedule as to drugs.  We are faced with an unending and on-going influx of decisions. We make thousands of them every day. They arrange from the small to the much, much, more life-defining. Most agents, who live each day in a people pleasing business, tend to say "yes" far too much. They over-commit to others and as a result, sacrifice the things they most value. Our families, friends and even our individual self tend to be put on the back-burner while we indulge the urgent before the important. Yes, it's important to work hard.  But it's essential to learn how to say "no" to the urgent so that you can say "yes" those that mean the most to you.

Carpe diem,

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"Some people change jobs, mates, and friends, but never think of changing themselves."

Sometimes the only common denominator in a series of failures is us.  We as a society tend to point fingers and blame others instead of taking responsibility, the irony is that responsibility is the first step to the growth needed to overcome and turn failure into success.  Looking in the mirror and changing ourselves is one of the most difficult things we must do.  It takes courage to admit we are a contributing factor to the difficulties we face in our lives.  But if we don't, we will experience the same cycle (only quicker this next time) again and again. 

Carpe diem,

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"If you see a snake, just kill it.  Don't appoint a committee on snakes."
- H. Ross Perot

When running the broker side of the desk, you are sometimes called on to make difficult decisions.  As a broker/manager/owner you are responsible for office culture, casting vision and most importantly, profitability.  Most leaders who have come through the ranks tend to be quick to hire and slow to fire.  Problems tend to drag themselves out.  Take a ruthless policy on snakes (whether they be people or problems) they don't get better and they only hurt you in the long run.

Carpe diem,

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"Fortunes are made outside of the 9-5"

I talk a lot about balance.  Balance at work, balance at home.  Keeping boundaries and having strict standards.  Mainly because I work with the super producers who are in risk of losing what they love most because of their insane lifestyles.  As much as I think balance is good and healthy - the reality is that our life is a life of seasons.  In order to become a super-producer and be on the top of the heap, you must be willing to do what others won't.  Becoming out of balance for a season is necessity to achieving the extra-ordinary. 

The secret becomes including those you care most about in the process so they feel a part of what you are doing.  Recognize when to be "on" and when it's time to snuggle in by the fire and some warm cookies with those you love.  Remember, life is more of a marathon than the 100 meter race. 

Carpe diem,

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"I don't care where you've been, I care where you are going."

I don't look at someone's resume when I hire people.  It's not that it doesn't matter, nor do I appreciate the effort and time that went into stretching the truth for my benefit or the quality of the paper to dress up the little propaganda piece.   But in reality, I don't really think it's all that important.  Yes, I guess it would matter a little more if I were coaching hospital administrators and we were hiring doctors, but, I work with real estate people.  Let's face it - the technical side of this business can be taught fairly quickly.  There are only so many forms, rules, procedures and such.  It's the intangibles that aren't reflected in the resume that are tough to teach.  Character issues like being a self-starter, the entrepreneurial spirit, and overcoming adversity.  My experience has been that the more education someone has the harder it is for them to make it in this crazy business. 

When looking to fill out the team - don't concentrate on where someone has been look to where they want to go.

Carpe diem,

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Hope is a very powerful thing. In fact, I'm not sure there are many things that can trump it. I have read stories from those that suffered great atrocities at the hands of captors in POW or concentration camps and the reason one person made it and another succumbed was a matter of hope. Hope that tomorrow would be better; that there was something at the end of the rainbow, that all the pain and suffering was somehow worth it.

I wake up every day in pain. I had a football injury in high school that resulted in having to have 9 levels of my spine fused and 8 ribs reattached all together with 7lbs of rods, screws, bolts and other miscellaneous hardware. It was a 17 hour surgery, with two teams of world class surgeons.  I had very little doubt I would live, but whether the rest of my days would be spent in a wheelchair was a serious consideration.  I think back to the recovery, the week in intensive care, the countless hours of therapy and remember the driving force getting through it was hope.  Hope that each day would get progressively better. 

Hope, Faith and Love.  There is quite a bit floating out there on the latter two, but without the former, faith and love fall flat.  One of my favorite songs at the moment is Dream Big by Ryan Shupe.  Despite its title, it is a song more about hope than dreams (well, to be technical having dreams are a function of hope).  At any rate I hope it gives you a boost to your day -

Dream Big
Ryan Shupe & The Rubberband

 When you cry be sure to dry your eyes,
cause better days are sure to come.
And when you smile be sure to smile wide,
and don't let them know that they have won.
And when you walk, walk with pride,
and don't show the hurt inside,
because the pain will soon be gone.

Chorus:
And when you dream, dream big,
As big as the ocean blue.
Cause when you dream it might come true.
So When you dream, dream big.

And when you laugh be sure to laugh out loud,
cause it will carry all your cares away.
And when you see, see the beauty
all around and in yourself, it will help you feel okay.
And when you pray, pray for strength
to help to carry on when the troubles come your way.

Chorus

And when you laugh be sure to laugh out loud,
'cause it will carry all your cares away.
And when you see, see the beauty all
around and in yourself, and it will help you feel okay.
And when you pray, pray for strength to
help to carry on when the troubles come your way.

Carpe diem,

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I've had one of those weeks - you know the type of weeks, one that is filled with more promise than delvery. One where the mountains seem just a bit larger than normal. One where the clouds of life seem to be closing in just a little faster than you can drive to saftey.

We all have those weeks (or months) from time to time. Although I know tomorrow will be brighter, I also know I still must contend with the balance of today. I've discovered the secret to maintaining a "positive mental attitude" is not to be delusional about the circumstances, but to focus on changing the things that are in your control and pray that God changes the rest. I know He has it all under control, but there are still times that I find myself being forced to grow in patience, trust and faith.

I've had this poem posted above my desk for quite a few years - I'm not sure who wrote it (If you know let me know, please) but I thought I'd share it if for no other reason than I needed to hear it today.

 Wait
Author Unknown

Desperately, hopelessly, longingly I cried.
Quietly, patiently, lovingly, he replied.
I pled, and I wept for a clue to my fate,
And the Master so gently said, "Child you must wait."

 "Wait!  You say wait!"  my indignant reply.
"Lord I need answered.  I need to know why.
Is your hand shortened?  Or have you not heard?
By faith I have asked, and I'm claiming your Word."

"My future and all to which I can relate,
Hangs in the balance and you tell me wait!
I'm needing a "yes", a go ahead sign.
Or even a "no" to which I can resign."

"And Lord, you have promised that if we believe,
We need but to ask, and we shall receive.
And Lord I've been asking and this is my cry.
I'm weary of asking, I need a reply!"

Then quietly, softly, I learned of my fate.
As my Master replied once again, "You must wait."
So I slumped in my chair: defeated and taut.
And grumble to God: "So I'm waiting, for what!"

He seemed then to kneel and His eyes met with mine.
And He tenderly said, "I could give you a sign.
I could shake the mountains, darken the sun,
Raise the dead, cause the mountains to run.

All you seek I could give and pleased you would be.
You would have what you want, but you wouldn't know Me.
You'd not know the depth of My love for each saint.
You'd not know the power I give to the faint.

You'd not learn to see through the clouds of despair:
You'd not learn to trust by just knowing I'm there.
You'd not know the joy of resting in Me,
When darkness and silence was all you could see.

You would never experience that fullness of love,
As the peace of My spirit descends like a dove.
You would know that I give, and I save for a start,
But you'd not know the depth of the beat of my heart.

The glow of my comfort late in the night,
The faith that I give when you walk without sight,
The depth that's beyond just getting what you ask,
From an infinite God who makes what you have last.

And you never would know, should your pain quickly flee,
What it means that ‘My grace is sufficient for thee.'
Yes, your dreams for that loved-one overnight could come true,
But oh the loss if you if you lost what I'm doing in you.

So be silent my child, and in time you will see,
That the greatest of gifts is to get to know Me.
And though often may my answers seem terribly late,
My most precious answer of all...Is still wait"

Carpe diem,

You can also click on one of the following links to have my daily blog with helpful life and business tidbits geared to real estate's elite delivered to your computer,

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