Attitude Often Is More Important than Talent

Take 2 teams that are competing against each another. Discount their abilities and won-lost records. Focus on their attitudes.

The team with the best outlook, the one with most determination, and the one with the most desire will win – unless they are tremendously mismatched physically. Even then, the team with the better attitude will often prevail in a single contest.

The next time you watch an athletic contest, look for the attitude on each team. It is something visible, you can actually see it.

Look for hustle, enthusiasm, precision, the way the players encourage each other, and the way a player bounces back from an error or muffed play.

Do the players seem to enjoy what they’re doing, do they seem competent, do they act confidently? Do they act as if they’re going to win – regardless of the score?

We can learn a lot from the way athletes prepare for competition and the way they participate in their games.

Attitude is such an important part of selling. Even when we don’t feel like it, we must convey a good attitude to those around us – especially our customers. It is, after all, contagious.

* For more information about my consulting and coaching services visit my website stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can join this site and begin participating in the fun and networking opportunities by clicking here.

Wise Words

During this political season we should be reminded of these wise words:

You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.
You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down.
You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.
You cannot build character and courage by taking away men's initiative and independence.
You cannot help men permanently by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves.

--Abraham Lincoln

What do you think I should do?

Whether we are parents, spouses, friends, co-workers, employers, managers, salespeople, or Realtors, we all like to help when we can. Generally, we are flattered when others seek our advice and counsel.

We want to be there for friends, family, and customers that have issues that they want to share with us.

In wanting to help, our first inclination may be to share what we would do or what we think they should do. Sometimes this isn’t the best course of action.

All of us have had someone come to us to help solve a problem or issue – or so we thought. Maybe we were just the sounding board and tried to help too much. Maybe they need to work through or resolve the issue on their own.

When faced with the “What should I do?” or “What do you think I should do?” question or the “I don’t know what I should do” plea, try deflecting it before giving your opinion. Ask what they have thought of as a solution and why they are considering that option.

You can comment on their suggestion, tweak it a little, or contrast it with your own ideas, but in the end it will be their own solution to their own issue rather than something you’ve come up with. This will empower them and give them greater confidence in dealing with their issues.

* For more information about my consulting and coaching services visit my website stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can join this site and begin participating in the fun and networking opportunities by clicking here.

The Two-Minute Warning

Ever notice how sometimes an otherwise uneventful game can become an all-out scoring assault in the last 2-minutes? This is particularly true in football.

I’ve always been amazed that a team – or even both teams – that can’t move the ball very well or having only mediocre success at passing and getting points on the board will become a totally different team in the last 2-minutes of the game.

I’ve seen one team score 3 touchdowns to the other team’s two all within the last two minutes of the game when maybe only a couple of touchdowns had been scored the entire game up to that point.

What’s the difference? Focus.

It’s not pressure, although some of the coaching staff may be feeling a certain amount of it. It’s really just concentrating on the business at hand, eliminating all of the distractions, and doing what needs to be done.

It’s a little like watching an episode of one of your favorites TV shows without the commercials. You just get the action.

In the game, all of the unnecessary actions and time-wasters are eliminated. There is judicious use of the clock. There are strategic plays called to use the field to its best advantage.

So if the 2-minute warning or 2-minute drill can have that kind of impact on a football game, just imagine what a concerted, focused effort can have on our sales performance.

Let’s treat our sales presentations as if we are operating in the last 2-minutes of the game and the clock is winding down. We need a score – not to put pressure on us or our customers, but to eliminate unnecessary activity and to focus on listening to our customers and identifying their true needs. Then we can position ourselves for the winning score before time expires.

* For more information about my consulting and coaching services visit my website stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can join this site and begin participating in the fun and networking opportunities by clicking here.

Sometimes We Just Need to Slow Down

I don’t know about you, but sometimes when I’m running late for a meeting, the traffic seems to be at its worst. The traffic doesn’t move, I get caught in a school zone, or every traffic light seems to turn red right before I get there. It’s real tempting to get upset and frustrated.

I used to let this get to me and would get to my meeting or appointment already stressed from the commute. I know, I know. I could have left earlier.

Sometimes that’s not enough. At least I have my trusty cell phone – what did we ever do without them?

Now, when the traffic lights seem to working against me, I take a deep breath and figure that I’m being slowed down for a reason. Usually this is true.

Sometimes when I get a little further down the road I see someone pulled over for speeding or a traffic accident and realize that I could have been part of that.

Or when I get to my meeting, I find that the person I’m supposed to see has been delayed or is running late from a previous appointment or that others have encountered traffic issues of their own.

Sometimes we are being slowed down for a reason and not just to increase our stress level.

* For more information about my consulting and coaching services visit my website stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can join this site and begin participating in the fun and networking opportunities by clicking here.

Freedom is a Choice

Today on the official observance of Memorial Day, we are mindful, grateful, and appreciative of the many patriots – men and women of all ages – that have worn the uniform of our country from the 1700s to this very day. They have served unselfishly and sacrificially to secure and defend the liberties and freedoms that we enjoy and embrace.

Protecting our liberties and maintaining them for all Americans is central to our way-of-life and national belief system.

Today is a designated day to reflect on the contributions of our military, but this is a day as well for all the patriots who have served and who continue to serve our country who do not wear any special uniform – people like you and me, civilians.

To insure that all Americans can participate in the traditions of our nation and to count on its freedoms, we all have a stake in serving each other and in banding together for the common good.

It’s time we return to our founding principles and not be concerned about what’s in it for us or how inconvenienced we might be. President Kennedy’s in his Inaugural Address, admonished us: “Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country.”

For a brief time right after the September 11th attacks, America came together in a way that was special. Unfortunately, that unmistakable American spirit and cooperation has faded.

We have a choice to make. We all can be patriots. We all can make a difference – if we want to.

* For more information about my consulting and coaching services visit my website stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can join this site and begin participating in the fun and networking opportunities by clicking here.

40 Tips for Better Life - Part 4

In this challenging housing market, it's important to stay focused and positive. Here are a few tips to help you do just that. In Parts 1, 2, and 3 I offered the first 30 tips. Here are the final 10.

31. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

32. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

33. The best is yet to come.

34. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

35. Do the right thing!

36. Call your family often. (Or email them to death!!!)

37. Each night before you go to bed complete the following statements: I am thankful for __________. Today I accomplished _________.

38. Remember that you are too blessed to be stressed.

39. Enjoy the ride. Remember that this is not Disney World and you certainly don't want a fast pass. You only have one ride through life, so make the most of it and enjoy the ride.

40. Please share these tips with everyone you care about. May your troubles be less, May your blessings be more, May nothing but happiness come through your door!

If we can even do a few of these each day, it will help make your life fuller.

Tomorrow is holiday. A Great Day to put some of thies tips into practice.

Chuck Miller MIRM CMP MCSP CSP GMB CGB
President - Chuck Miller Construction Inc.
(208) 229-2553
chuck@chuckmillerconstruction.com

A Thanksgiving Day in May

You've heard of the expression Christmas in July? Well how about Thanksgiving in May?

In some ways, Memorial Day is like an interim Thanksgiving Day. After all, it's midway between the last Thanksgiving holiday and the next one.

More than it’s timing though, I think of Memorial Day (the current observance or the traditional one on May 30th) as a mini-Thanksgiving Day because it causes us to pause and be thankful for all of the patriots who are serving now and those who have defended our liberties and freedoms so unselfishly – many paying the supreme sacrifice for all of us, even the unborn generations.

* For more information about my consulting and coaching services visit my website stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can join this site and begin participating in the fun and networking opportunities by clicking here.

Welcome to the Summer Selling Season

With this being the Memorial Day weekend, can the end of school be far behind? Some colleges have already finished their spring terms, and many local schools are winding down as well.

This weekend also signals the unofficial start to summer. There’ll be picnics, cookouts, parades, ballgames, beach outings, and many other outdoor activities – in addition to the observances honoring our veterans.

Yes, the outdoor season is here.

So let’s use this time to stay open additional hours and take advantage of the daylight – and be available when people want to look for a new home.

Let’s focus on helping those families that want to be in their new home (and possibly a new school attendance area or district) before the start of the new school year in August or September.

Many schools will go ahead and let the children start in their new school with proof of a new address even if the home is not ready for occupancy or the family hasn’t completed their move when the new school term begins.

Welcome to the summer selling season. Get the iced tea and lemonade ready. We can do this.

* For more information about my consulting and coaching services visit my website stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can join this site and begin participating in the fun and networking opportunities by clicking here.

The Ultimate Sacrifice

Tomorrow, many people will begin embarking on a long weekend – Memorial Day.

This is a great holiday – it’s the first major one that everyone gets to celebrate since February, and it is the unofficial (or possibly the official) start of the summer season.

There are a lot of events planned including beach outings, picnics, local parades, the Indy 500, and the Coca-Cola 600.

There are other events planned, also – more in keeping with the true spirit of the day. These will be observances at hundreds of cemeteries to commemorate the men and women throughout the years who have defended our freedom – and especially those who made the supreme sacrifice for all of us who call ourselves Americans.

* For more information about my consulting and coaching services visit my website stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can join this site and begin participating in the fun and networking opportunities by clicking here.

An Alternative to Foreclosure

Many of us have worked with clients over the past number of years who are now faced with foreclosure.

To date, the options available for most people in this situation have been very limited. Congress is still debating its proposals. It could take weeks for legislative action to become law and months before these new programs to be implemented.

For some number of borrowers facing this dilemma, the FHA has a program – FHASecure – aimed at moving homeowners with Adjustable Rate Mortgages into Fixed Rate loans.

This program is available to those current on their mortgage payments and an option for those that are delinquent due to their loan resetting. If the borrower is current on their mortgage payments then the FHASecure program is available to any type of conventional mortgage for refinancing.

Together with the Fannie Mae’s announcement last week on eliminating declining markets on down payments and programs like FHASecure, maybe there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

Money Talks

They say that money talks. Of course, it doesn’t really – but that may change.

There is a concern that people who are blind or visually impaired are disadvantaged in determining the denominations of U.S. paper money because it is all the same size.

So while the money won’t actually say anything, there are proposals being discussed that would create different sizes of currency or have raised lettering or some other way of differentiating the various bills from each other so that money really can tell people whether it’s a 1, 5, 10, 20, 50 or 100 dollar bill. (Did you know that the $100 bill is the largest denomination currently in circulation?)

Then maybe money really will “talk.”

* For more information about my consulting and coaching services visit my website stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can join this site and begin participating in the fun and networking opportunities by clicking here.

Fannie Mae Reverses Policy on Down Payments

At the end of last year, Fannie Mae announced a major policy change regarding down payments required on loans for homes located in declining markets. Fannie announced a “soft market policy” that effectively reduced loan-to-value (LTV) ratios on homes in high risk markets. Lenders chose to implement these restrictions differently, some down to the zip code level. That policy obviously added a lot of confusion to the marketplace.

Under a new national policy, which goes into effect June 1, Fannie will accept LTV’s up to 97% for “conventional mortgages processed through its automated underwriting system called Desktop Underwriter (DU) and 95% for loans underwritten outside of DU.” This change only applies to single family, primary residence homes.

When Fannie, and subsequently, Freddie Mac first announced their soft market policies, their stated intent was to mitigate their continued financial risk in acquiring or insuring higher risk mortgages. What Fannie said in this latest press release is that their new automated DU will assess each loan “more precisely.” My interpretation of that statement is that other factors evaluated in the loan process, i.e. income, debt, assets, employment, etc, will carry more weight.

Also, one of the other major policy changes that Fannie and Freddie implemented earlier this year was to put an “interest rate surcharge” on loans based on a buyers credit score. No mention was made by Fannie on this policy. This is obviously a major point, as it could add from 1/8 to 3/4 percentage point of increased interest rate on a mortgage.

Of course, we expect more changes in the coming months.

The Question Is the Foundation of Sales

There are many tools that an effective salesperson should have, but one of the most basic is the ability to ask questions – both of themselves and their selling environment and of their customers to understand their needs and how to help them.

I can go on extensively about asking questions and provide examples of specific questions to ask for various situations – and I likely will in various future posts. However, today, I just want you to appreciate the importance of questions – in daily life and in a sales setting.

I won’t hire anyone or recommend that anyone be hired for a sales position that doesn’t have a knack for asking questions. Oh, I can teach them the words to use and refine the specific questions that they ask, but the basic instinct or desire has to be there.

If you don’t enjoy having conversations with people – even total strangers that you happen to encounter – you may find selling more challenging that it needs to be.

Asking questions lies at the heart of a good conversation as you have a give-and-take exchange with someone about where they’ve been, where they’re going, what they’re getting ready to do, how well they are doing, and so many other business, personal, family, climate, current events, and health oriented questions.

* For more information about my consulting and coaching services visit my website stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can join this site and begin participating in the fun and networking opportunities by clicking here.

How’s Your Hiring Paradigm?

If you haven’t given much thought to the employees or assistants that you hire, it’ time to evaluate your hiring practices.

You may have a policy and procedures manual that describes the basic attitudes, rules of conduct, functions, operations, forms, regulations, and guidelines for internal behavior, interactions with your customers, and compliance with applicable laws.

You may have formal written job descriptions for each position that details the title, objectives, skill set, responsibilities, and functions of the various positions in your company.

You may have a formal organizational structure with a chain of command.

What you may not have, however, is an inadequate hiring paradigm.

What I mean is that the reason you hire someone, the way you advertise and interview for the position, the expectations you create, and the way you evaluate and monitor performance may not be getting you the best employees.

This is especially prevalent and noticeable in any position where interaction occurs with your public – regardless of the specific official title of those positions.

While hiring people with the appropriate technical skills and minimum job qualifications are important, it won’t matter a bit if they don’t relate well to your customers and your public doesn’t feel that you care about them, respect them, and want to serve them – before, during, and after they make a purchase.

Your hiring paradigm must focus on the customer relationship you want and need to create, foster, and maintain as well as the skill set and basic qualifications to do the job.

* For more information about my consulting and coaching services visit my website stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can join this site and begin participating in the fun and networking opportunities by clicking here.

40 Tips for A Better Life - Part 3

In this challenging housing market, it's important to stay focused and positive. Here are a few tips to help you do just that. In Parts 1 and 2, I offered the first 20 tips. Here are 10 more.

21. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

22. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.

23. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

24. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.

25. Frame every so-called disaster with these words: 'In five years, will this matter?'

26. Forgive everyone for everything.

27. What other people think of you is none of your business.

28. REMEMBER, GOD heals everything.

29. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

30. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

Chuck Miller GMB CGB MIRM CMP MCSP CSP
President / Builder – Chuck Miller Construction Inc.
(208) 229-2553
www.chuckmillerconstruction.com

Making a Sale Everytime Isn't Desirable

How’d you like to close the sale everytime you met with a customer? Sound good? Not so fast.

I mean really close every customer you meet – not just on the next contact but an actual deposit and agreement. Think you’d like to be able to do that?

Well you might be able to actually do it from a skill and technique level. You might even be able to do it from a pure desire level. However, you don’t really want to make a sale to every single customer you meet.

Allow me to explain. In the first place if you literally sold a home to every customer you met you’d either be too busy doing all of the selections, finishing the paperwork, and processing the mortgage applications that you would have little time available to see any more customers for a while, or you’d soon be sold out of everything you had available.

Then in a realistic sense, not everyone will like what you build or what you’re selling or be prepared to make a decision. They may just enjoy looking and never buy anything – from you or anyone else.

In a more practical sense – particularly if you’re selling new homes – there are some customers who present too many challenges to make the process enjoyable, even if they like your homes and want to own one.

In some cases, customers are so difficult to work with that you will eventually give them back their deposit and cancel the sale (or wish that you could). When that isn’t possible, you will find yourself on a daily quest to satisfy all of their demands for perfection in the new home – both during construction and after delivery.

So as enticing as it sounds to be able to make a sale with every customer, be wary of those who shouldn’t be your customers and let them buy from someone else.

Set your sights on selling nearly all of those who like what you offer and like the way you do business.

* For more information about my consulting and coaching services visit my website stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can join this site and begin participating in the fun and networking opportunities by clicking here.

40 Tips for A Better Life - Part 2

In this challenging housing market, it's important to stay focused and positive. Here are a few tips to help you do just that. In Part 1, I offered the first 10 tips. Here are 10 more.

11.Drink green tea and plenty of water. Eat blueberries, wild Alaskan salmon, broccoli, almonds & walnuts.

12. Try to make at least three people smile each day.

13. Clear clutter from your house, your car, and your desk, and let new and flowing energy into your life.

14. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip, OR issues of the past, negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.

15. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class, but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.

16. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a college kid with a maxed out charge card.

17. Smile and laugh more. It will keep the NEGATIVE BLUES away.

18. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

20. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

Chuck Miller GMB CGB MIRM CMP MCSP CSP
President / Builder – Chuck Miller Construction Inc.
(208) 229-2553
www.chuckmillerconstruction.com

Understanding FHA

After years of being a small player in the home mortgage business (less than 3% of home loans placed in 2006,) the FHA is being positioned by the Federal Government to be the “key” player in implementing whatever legislation are passed focusing on the foreclosure debacle.

Over the last number of years, FHA loans fell out of favor as a well understood and utilized loan program, as other lenders offered loan programs with less stringent requirements. Times have changed.

Our goal is to help you understand what FHA loans are, their restrictions and requirements and how to apply this knowledge in your business.

The Federal Housing Administration (FHA), which operates within the Department of Housing and Urban Development, was established for the purpose of securing home loans through mortgage insurance that it offers home buyers as well as lenders.

The main focus of this program has been to aid the 1st time homebuyer and individuals that might not qualify for a conventional loan because of credit score or minimal down payment requirements. One advantage that FHA loans had was that they did not differentiate their charges for mortgage insurance based on credit scores. This benefited borrowers with lower equity in their home and credit scores under 620.

This past week, FHA announced that effective July 14, it will introduce risk based pricing. This change will require upfront mortgage insurance premiums based on a borrower’s credit score and down payment. These changes are similar to those announced by Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac earlier this year as a method to mitigate their risk.

As you have seen over the last number of months, these government agencies, including Fannie and Freddie, are struggling to provide a safety net for home owners. Our goal is to continue to provide you with current information on these changes and the effect on the real estate markets.

Ahead of the Curve

In my Active Rain blog 2 weeks ago on April 29th, I pronounced the end of the housing difficulties we have been experiencing in many parts of the country and proclaimed that the market had reached the bottom.

This was done mostly in jest, but let’s face it, it’s time we got on with the business of selling homes and prepared for a more optimistic outcome than most of the press would allow.

Now, it looks like I’m not the only one feeling this way. In a Wall Street Journal editorial this past Friday (May 9th), Cyril Moulle-Berteaux wrote “The Housing Crisis Is Over.”

Maybe I had it right after all.

* For more information about my consulting and coaching services visit my website stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can join this site and begin participating in the fun and networking opportunities by clicking here.

Hard Money Loans

With the number of bank-owned foreclosure properties on the rise and the decline in home values throughout the country, there are certainly good deals to be found if you are looking to purchase an investment property or two or refinance a default personal mortgage loan.

The fact is there are many investors and real estate professionals not familiar with hard money loans.

No matter how good of a deal you can get on a property, qualifying to purchase an investment property can be very difficult under conventional lending guidelines. Additionally, many conventional mortgage lenders have not only tightened their lending guidelines, but have simply done away with financing investment properties.

If you are planning on building a spec home, purchasing a property as an investment, or are even a real estate agent and are working with someone who would like to purchase a short sale or investment property, knowing what types of private financing are available and a general understanding of how private "hard money" financing works is a must.

A brief rundown on hard money loans

Hard money loans are generally used to purchase non owner-occupied investment properties or refinance owner occupied foreclosure bailouts. Hard money loans are also equity-based instead of credit and asset -based, so the borrower does not have to meet the same lending criteria, income ratios, and credit worthiness that they would have to meet under conventional lending guidelines.

Hard money deals are backed by private investor capital and are reviewed and approved on a case-by-case basis. Generally, if the borrower is interested in purchasing an investment property, the only real requirement is that the property truly is a good investment for everyone involved.So what signifies a good deal in the eyes of a hard money lender?

Here are some general guidelines hard money lenders follow...

The total loan amount is no greater than 60% of the CURRENT, AS-IS value of the home. This is also referred to as the loan-to-value ratio or "LTV".

The borrower has a stake in the property rather it be their own cash they are investing or even other investment properties they are using as collateral to secure the loan. Most hard money lenders generally like to see that the borrower has at least 20% of their own cash invested in the project, not including closing costs.

The lender must also hold "first position" on the property. This means that the hard money lender must hold the primary, 1st mortgage on the property. Hard money lenders will rarely lend a 2nd mortgage on a property unless there is other collateral involved.

Another benefit to hard money loans is that often times the total interest and points for a portion of or the entire loan term are "rolled" into the loan amount and paid in advance at closing. This means that most borrowers will not have to worry about paying a monthly mortgage payment to the hard money lender for most, if not all of the loan.

Hard money purchases can be closed in as little as 5 business days and financing is available for nearly any type of property. Everything from raw land, to single family rehab properties, to large commercial, hotel, and condo developments in Florida.

Are you ready for voice mail?

We’ve all received voice mail messages, and you probably have received voice mail messages from companies that were intentionally delivered as such.

I mean that no one was actually making the call, and had you been there to answer, the call would have ended – I know because I have experienced this.

The whole purpose of the call was to leave you a message. Before the call was ever made, it had been carefully prepared, scripted, and recorded to be broadcast to you and possibly dozen or maybe even hundreds or thousands of others.

Its advertising message, solicitation request, or call to action was intentional. This was not a call where someone was winging it. There were no “ums” or “uhs” or "ahs" unplanned pauses. The message was probably not rushed but neither was it drawn out.

Here’s my point, when you call to reach a customer – whether you have a scheduled phone appointment with them or not, and whether they are expecting you to call or not – be prepared.

Obviously you want to speak with your customers rather than just leave a message, but you may not be successful in reaching them.

I’m not a fan of leaving message after message, but a voice mail message on the initial post-visit contact and on any call where you and your customer had discussed a specific time to talk or the likelihood of you calling is in order.

Therefore plan for this possibility.

Before you ever place the call, ask yourself what you would say if you got their machine instead of them.

Briefly rehearse your message so that it makes sense and doesn’t sound like you were caught off-guard and unprepared. Then deliver it with confidence and energy that conveys that you are mildly disappointed for not reaching them but that you are looking forward to actually speaking with them and are excited about their interest in what you are offering.

Then you can suggest that you will try calling them again. Asking them to call you probably is not going to be productive.

You can choose to forego leaving a message altogether and just hang up as soon as you hear the voice mail greeting. However, if you do decide to leave a message, don't stammer through it and regret what you said or the way it sounded. Have a plan.

* For more information about my consulting and coaching services visit my website stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can join this site and begin participating in the fun and networking opportunities by clicking here.

Thank You Nashville SMC

This morning, I had a truly enjoyable time as the guest speaker for the monthly roundtable forum of the Nashville SMC. Thanks for your hospitality. We had a great time sharing ideas on generating our own leads and not relying so much on traditional advertising sources for lead production. There was a wonderful mix of on-site salespeople, sales managers, marketers, advertisers, title companies, lenders, and Realtors. Remember to use those business cards.

* For more information about my consulting and coaching services visit my website stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can join this site and begin participating in the fun and networking opportunities by clicking here.

Meeting People Is Easy – If You Are Willing To Try

The key to making sales – in addition to having a great, competitive product – is having sufficient customers for your product. Of course, one of the ways to attract new customers is through advertising.

Another way – and my favorite – is self-generation. This requires work, and may take a while before you see a return so you may need some advertising in conjunction with this.

The premise of self-generation is that the salesperson (who could be the builder or owner if they are doing their own sales) is responsible for producing new leads from which to make the sales the company needs to stay in business. In an ideal sense, the salesperson would produce all of their own leads and not rely on any additional advertising or promotion.

So if self-generation is to occur, where does it begin? Start with the obvious – people you know, regardless of how well or for how long you have known them. This includes friends, family, acquaintances, former customers, referrals, and professional contacts.

Then we expand to those people you haven’t yet met – strangers. For most people, this has the most potential.

How do you meet strangers? By being available.

Today in the airport, I met several people that I had never seen before and learned more about them than their name and where they’re from. How did this happen? By being available and interested.

If you are willing to meet people and willing to have a conversation with them, you will meet new people.

Remember the goal of meeting people is not to make an immediate sale. It’s the foundation of a budding relationship that can build into a sale or a referral. I said it was work, but this is a great way to be responsible for producing more of your own traffic.

* For more information about my consulting and coaching services visit my website stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can join this site and begin participating in the fun and networking opportunities by clicking here.

Now That’s Confidence

Did you hear the one about the little boy in Sunday School who was drawing picture of God? When his teacher talked with him about what he was doing, she explained that no one knows what God looks like. Without missing a beat, he said that we would when he finished his picture.

* For more information about my consulting and coaching services visit my website stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can join this site and begin participating in the fun and networking opportunities by clicking here.

Attitude Controls our Performance

Isn’t it amazing how fragile our attitudes are and at the same time how important they are to our sales success? Because of this, we need to doubly guard them and protect them. They will lead us either into success or in the opposite direction.

Let me elaborate a little. Take some of the topics of current conversation: the high gas prices, the credit crunch, the housing mess, the subprime crisis …. There are more, but look at what each one portrays – a situation of some import with a dire component to it. It’s as if we are doomed – that making a sale is remote if not impossible.

Add to that the fact that people can’t sell their current homes, that builders are offering huge discounts – and those who aren’t are being pressured to join in, the housing market has collapsed, and that we are either in or heading for a recession – that is, to hear some people tell it.

Then compound that with news reports – newspapers, magazines, and network and cable news – that bombard consumers on an around-the-clock basis, and it’s no wonder that it’s a challenge to maintain a positive attitude.

However, challenging or not, it’s required to be successful.

If we dare to succumb to the pervasive pessimism that abounds, we will not be able to perform at the level that is required to be successful.

And let’s not forget why we are in real estate sales – to match the dreams and needs of our customers with an available product. If we are able to do that, we are successful and are performing a wonderful service. Let’s keep that in mind.

* For more information about my consulting and coaching services visit my website stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can join this site and begin participating in the fun and networking opportunities by clicking here.

Life Is a Balancing Act

Balance is such an important concept in life. It applies to business as well as our personal lives. If we get too far focused or consumed in one direction or aspect of our lives, it really does affect how well we perform in other areas.

There are many sides to our life, such as business, physical, social, emotional, financial, mental, spiritual, and leisure.

Unless all areas are kept pretty much in alignment – in balance – in terms of the amount of time and energy devoted to them, our life gets out of balance, and something suffers.

It could be our health, our relationships, our business dealings, our ability to make sales, our sense of well being and inner peace, or our bank account.

* For more information about my consulting and coaching services visit my website stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can join this site and begin participating in the fun and networking opportunities by clicking here.

The Importance of That First Step

They say that the longest journey begins with the first step – and sometimes that first step is the hardest part of any journey. Making the commitment, finding the resolve, coming up with the determination, completing the planning, or just striking out – the journey finally begins.

In many ways, meeting new customers or attracting new leads begins the same way.

It’s said that a stranger is just someone whom you’ve never met. So in the same way that a journey begins with the initial step, meeting a new acquaintance or introducing yourself to a potential new lead comes with the first word – from you.

It may start with eye contact. It might begin with a smile. It may start with a “hello.” It could incorporate all of this.

The point is that many people that you can and should be talking to about your business – because you have the ability to possibly help them or someone they know – need only for you to make the first move.

Don’t rely on people to approach you. You’re the professional, the one with the message. Extend yourself and make the introduction. Then see where it goes from there.

* For more information about my consulting and coaching services visit my website stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can join this site and begin participating in the fun and networking opportunities by clicking here.

The “Buy or Die” Fallacy of Customer Follow-Up

At one time, I subscribed to this “buy-or-die” philosophy that proclaims that once someone is a lead or customer they’re always a lead or a customer.

Therefore, you should – and are entitled – to hound them, stay with them, pester them, annoy them, track them down, and pursue them way past the point of being effective.

Never let up – call, write, leave messages, and email them until they buy from you or they literally go away and you can no longer contact them.

What a time-consuming, non-productive, wasteful, nothing-to-show-for-it, business-chasing-away concept.

Forget this idea right now.

From now on, adopt a policy of diligence and persistence – but only when it’s purposeful and targeted. That’s why I teach Follow-Through® rather than follow-up, because the whole premise is purposeful, measured, results-oriented contact rather than a more haphazard or one-size-fits-all approach – and it's primarily just with those interested in what you offer.

* For more information about my consulting and coaching services visit my website stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can join this site and begin participating in the fun and networking opportunities by clicking here.

Need Another Sale? Let's Talk

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