The Super Bowl of Advertising

Not only is tomorrow the culmination of the 2008 NFL season with the Arizona Cardinals and Pittsburgh Steelers meeting in the Super Bowl in Tampa, but it is - or should be - the high point of the year for TV advertising.

With the amount of money a TV spot costs and the amount of time and money that goes into the creation and production of a spot before it ever airs, there is no room for a lackluster performance. Still that's exactly what happens far too often.

To me, an expensive Super Bowl ad is not the place to be cute or clever - unless the company has a history of creative spots. It also not the place to make a statement. People want to be entertained, and they will remember a product if the ad is good. They also will remember it if the ad is poor, but just because it was bad. It the ones who miss in the middle who really lose. They get lost in the shuffle without making a significant or memorable impression about their product or service. In essence, it's money and effort wasted.

It will be interesting to see how many ads we considerable memorable - because they were good - come Monday morning.

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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.

Another Great Learning Experience

I had another opportunity today to teach one of the NAHB University of Housing designation course. "Business Management for Building Professionals" was sponsored by the Gold Coast Builders Association in Boynton Beach, Florida. The course covered many aspects of running a successful building related business and took into account today's economic environment and business climate.

Some 21 professionals representing builders, contractors, remodelers, health care professionals, Realtors, consultants, and others in the building industry attended from around Florida plus one each from Alabama and North Carolina.

Some of the class were completing the coursework for their Certified Green Professional (CGP) designation, while others were taking the first of three required courses for their Certified Aging in Place specialist (CAPS) designation.

The balance of the CAPS designation courses (CAPS I and II) are scheduled for February 9 and 10 - also in Boynton Beach. These are great classes that offer marketing and business expansion opportunities for building and health care professionals. I will be instructing both of those courses.

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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.

And Now We Need The Government to Motivate Us?

As the Congress debates the next stimulus package (I've lost count as to how many this makes), I am amazed at the response of the American people.

I guess I really shouldn't be too surprised, but I am actually hearing and seeing reports of people waiting on their government to determine how they are going to move on with their lives.

It's as if they are in a state of reduced animation while they wait for their government to give them money or a program that will seemingly enhance their existence so that they will feel motivated to participate in life again.

Fortunately, we are entrepreneurs and we don't need - or even want - government programs. We don't need or want bailouts or stimulus packages. Anything that artificially props up an economy that needs a natural correction is doing us all a disservice and only forestalling the inevitable.

Take the country off life support now. No more. No more government spending. Stop excessive taxation to give people more disposable income. We can spend our way to prosperity - but only from the private side, and not with an infusion of public money.

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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.

Just Having Potential Won't Get It Done

We all have potential - certain innate or acquired abilities, desires, motivations. We are able to do great things. We can make a difference.

But one important thing has to happen before that ever becomes a reality - action.

We have to convert our potential energy (as great as it might be) into kinetic energy. We have to move from the planning and thinking stages to the going or action ones.

Just having all that power and intent bottled up inside of us, ready to be unleashed, does no good for actually helping people or solving issues. We have to throw the switch and start.

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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.

Being a Magnet for New Leads

Conventional lead generation has it's place, but it probably is not sufficient to sustain our businesses. Therefore, we may need to augment the traffic that is produced through traditional or conventional means.

For years print advertising was king - newspapers, magazines, and public areas. It still has its place, but the internet has now become the "go-to" place for people to learn about homes and other products and services.

Lumped together, print, radio, TV, billboard, sign, internet, and other commonly used forms of advertising and promotion and this is what I term conventional marketing. I prefer the term conventional to traditional because internet is a relatively new addition to the mix.

Regardless, conventional marketing can do just so much - regardless of how much money is spent. It's up to us to take the initiative and generate our own leads.

Using people that we know very well, our circle of acquaintances and lesser known contacts, and people that until we introduce ourselves to them are strangers to us, we can begin adding to the potential customer base that we have to work with.

So in addition to the people that we know already, we need to attract others to us. This is where the magnet concept comes into play.

As we go about our business each day - doing the tasks and routines activities that we do in public - we are going to encounter many people that we don't know. We just need to be open to meeting them and creating a dialog that can build into a sales relationship or referrals.

We don't have to put any pressure on ourselves to meet new people. It's going to happen anyway. We just need to be ready for the opportunities when they occur.

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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 Being Trustworthy

I remember back from my Boy Scout days that "trustworthy" is the first of the twelves points of the Scout Law. It's an appropriate place to begin.

In sales, as in many other endeavors in life, we want people to believe what we say and to trust us.

We might remember that people used to do business with a handshake - nothing written down - just their word.

You might have heard along the way the expression "my word is my bond" which means if we say something that it's what is going to happen. We will back it up. Even if it's inconvenient or costly to do what we said we would do or honor a commitment, we will do it regardless - no questions, no excuses.

This means being straight with our customers. It means being honest with ourselves. It means developing a reputation for being trustworthy.

With this trait in place, we have a great foundation on which to build a sales career.

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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.

It's Really Time To Move On

It's really time that we moved on - actually it's way past time.

I hear so many people talking about the problem that they are becoming part of it.

There's an old saying that goes "if you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem."

I really don't like the word "problem" except in math. Usually, we're talking about market conditions, issues, concerns, challenges, opportunities, or influences. Still, we can solve them, rise above them, or neutralize them.

Sure, the market has been slow in many parts of the country. Sure, there has been an oversupply of homes - often a huge amount. Sure, people have had a lack of confidence. Sure, some people are losing their employment. Sure, mortgages have been harder to get. Sure, appraisals have been lower. And, there are other factors. Yet, there continues to be sales.

That's where we come in. Ignore all of the issues that we can't fix. They are out there, but we don't have to focus on them or dwell on them. Let's look at how we can make things happen. We should be doers and not talkers when it comes to this.

Let's be positive and optimistic.

We can make a difference - each day at a time, and each customer at a time.

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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.

Expect the Best

We need to learn to expect the best from those around us - especially those we rely on. This includes family, associates, colleagues, employees, and teammates.

We should all demand the best effort from ourselves, and accept nothing less. When we aren't able to actually offer our best, we should be disappointed in our substandard effort. Our "normal" performance should be our best.

Now, if we expect only the best in effort and performance from ourselves - with the understanding that no one is perfect and that sometimes we will have challenges and shortcomings that compromise our intention to perform at our best - we ought to be able to expect the best from those around us.

This expectation carries a responsibility, however. We should expect the best from others because we expect and demand it of ourselves. Nevertheless, we must encourage those we expect peak performances from.

Now, here's the key. I'm not talking about expecting something in the form of an authoritative, dictatorial, quota- achieving, do-it-or-else way. I'm talking about inspiring, motivating, cheerleading, mentoring, and drawing the very best out of people. Create the spirit, forum, and desire for people to produce their best effort - and to do it consistently. That is how we expect it. We cause it to come forth.

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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.

"Meet the Experts" Program Does Well

The past 2 days at the IBS (International Builders' Show) in Las Vegas, we conducted a series of 24 "Meet the Experts" roundtable forums sponsored by the National Sales & Marketing Council and the Institute of Residential Marketing. You may recall that I had posted about this event last week.

We had a great time sharing ideas on a numbers of topics such as builders and Realtors working together, helping customers to sell their existing homes, working with the web, maintaining contact with customers, generating leads, advertising strategies, green building, and selling to various target audiences.

These forums were very well attended and brought together people from all across the country plus Canada, Mexico, and several other countries.

Part of the beauty of this format is interacting with people from other areas and hearing about their experiences, needs, and approaches to issues. This is a great component of the overall learning experience.

We had builders, on-site salespeople, Realtors, business owners, decorators, remodelers, marketers, advertisers, suppliers, managers, lenders, developers, and service providers participating.

If you couldn't attend this year, watch for it next time around. If you did attend, thank you for your participation and support.

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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.

Maybe We Get What We Pay For?

Many of us like to utilize retailers, restaurants, and service providers that offer discount products, meals, and services. We may make a steady practice of it or do it occasionally. That’s not the point.

There’s an old adage that you get what you pay for – meaning that if you pay more for something that it generally has a higher quality and will perform better or last longer than products and services which don’t cost as much.

While it may be true that you expect better service and more reliability from products and services that you pay more to have, the converse doesn’t need to be true.

Just because we get something at a lower price than the same or comparable products or services available elsewhere in the market doesn't mean that we have to expect or settle for discount service.

Buying something at a discount is a choice. Having lower quality delivery or customer service should not have to be part of the equation.

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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.

To Be An Effective Resource, Be Knowledgable

To demonstrate to our customers that we are the “go-to” source for local information, we must be knowledgeable.

They can ask a variety of questions to determine if the home we are showing them is right for them and to evaluate how convenient the location might be for their daily activities. Therefore, we should have ready answers to the most common questions, as well as those we anticipate.

From where to eat to where to find a good and inexpensive mechanic are the kinds of questions we should be prepared for. How to get utility service, transfer mail delivery, order lawn service, find day care, enroll their kids in youth sports programs, store their boat or RV, get a home inspection, or so many other issues that may be on their minds are ones we need to be prepared to answer. And our answer shouldn't be "I'll find out" but rather the exact answer to their question.

On occasion we may not know, and we shouldn't try to answer something we clearly don't know. The best policy then is to be prepared with all of the answers that we think they might need.

That's how to be an effective resource - and an even better salesperson.

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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.

© Steve Hoffacker, 2009. All Rights Reserved.

We Can Help Each Other

The past 2 days, I've been in committee meetings for the National Association of Home Builders in Las Vegas.

In addition to whatever business we accomplish, I always enjoy these meetings to see colleagues and friends from around the country that I only see at these meetings. What's special, is that we have similar business experiences and can rely on each other for leads, advice, and a willing ear.

We need to remember that we have professional friends that we can count on to help us in a variety of ways - including encouragement, sharing, understanding, counsel, and friendship.

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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.

© Steve Hoffacker, 2009. All Rights Reserved.

"Can't" Is Not the Same Thing as "Won't"

There's a difference between "can't" and "won't." One has to do with abilities, the other with volition.

Not being able to do something is rarely the real explanation or excuse.

However, not wanting to do something or intentionally choosing not to do it is more often the case. Even seemingly making no decision is one for "won't" by default.

I don't think I can run a mile anymore in under 10 minutes - no matter how much I want to. Maybe if someone was chasing me. This is really a situation of can't. Others may have a heart condition, arthritis, breathing difficulties or other issues that prevent a particular physical accomplishment - at all or in a timely way.

This is entirely different than choosing not to do something because it's inconvenient or we don't want to schedule the time. We may not be as good at it as someone else, but we could still get it done.

So it comes down to choice. If we are physically or mentally prepared to do something but just choose not to, then the reason given should not be "I can't." It should be "I won't" or "I choose not to" or "I don't want to."

Saying "no" for a good reason is OK. We just need to be honest and admit it's usually because we choose not to rather than not being able to do it.

We also need to be honest with ourselves and realize that we are capable of doing more than we might initially give ourselves credit for. It make take a little more effort, but we can do it if we decide to.

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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.

© Steve Hoffacker, 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Don't Force It

All of us want to make sales. All of us are excited about our products and services and feel that ours are better than anything else available in the market.

And that's only natural. We are, after all, professional salespeople and marketers.

However, in our excitement and enthusiasm to make sales, it's easy to overstep the ability of the customer to absorb and assimilate what we are presenting and press forward too quickly with asking for a decision.

Sales is a process. We have to understand what our customers what and how to provide for it, present enough information about what we offer and it will satisfy their needs for them to believe in us and want to do business with us, and we have to be receptive to how quickly they are indicating a willingness to act.

If we become overzealous about what we offer or try to persuade them to quickly, it will come across as forced, and we will have lost ground. We will be moving away from the sale rather than toward it. It could even be disastrous.

Be ready, be diligent, remain excited and enthusiastic, but don't force it.

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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.

© Steve Hoffacker, 2009. All Rights Reserved.

One Step at a Time

Whether we are setting out to accomplish some pretty impressive goals that we set for ourselves for 2009, or we are wanting buyers to return to the market, or we are waiting on some other aspect of our business to strengthen, we need to remember that none of these changes or actions are likely to be immediate.

One step at a time. A series of little steps moving toward the goal we seek or the recovery we want. Then, down the road, we see that we have traveled a great distance toward our ultimate objective.

The key is to be patient but not complacent, persistent but not impatient, and steadfast but not overly aggressive.

Some of the changes and accomplishments we want we can effect and bring about, others we can impact. Anything that remains an obstacle we determine how to make it work anyway.

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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.

© Steve Hoffacker, 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Hope Your TV Still Works in a Month

Well, here we are a month away from the big TV switch. For cable and satellite TV subscribers, there won't be any difference at all. But for the people who still rely on an antenna for their signal, the government is pulling the plug on February 17.

There are patches and fixes that one can get, but where did order originate? With the TV companies? With Congress? I don't know what the real answer is.

It would be a little like telling us that our 8-tracks or cassettes or VHS would no longer play after a certain date - not that we couldn't buy them (that's a market force) but that they would no longer work. Who gets to make these decisions?

Another example of government regulation?

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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.

© Steve Hoffacker, 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Won't Be Long Now

By this time next week, our two-day "Meet the Experts" program at the IBS in Las Vegas will be concluded. Don't miss out. It all kick off next Wednesday morning at 8:00 and continues on Thursday.

In Room 228 in the South Hall, there will be 12 different informal programs each day (24 in total) presented on sales, marketing, and management topics by builders and consultants.

Each session has a topic expert to discuss a specific issue and field any questions from the floor. Participants also will interact with each other and share information.

Look forward to seeing many of you there. Tell me that you saw it here on the blog:

Here is the schedule for Thursday, January 22nd:

8:00-9:15

"Designing To Address Tomorrow’s Market" (David Clinger, David Clinger & Associates, Golden, CO)

"Working with Realtors To Make Sales" (Brent Forsberg, CPM, MIRM, Forsberg Real Estate Co., Okemos, MI)

9:30 – 10:45

"Understanding What Customers Are Looking For" (Jerry Costanzo, CMP, MIRM, G.L. Costanzo & Associates, Castle Rock, CO)

"Using A Market-Driven Approach To Sales" (Chuck Miller, MIRM, CGB, CGP, Chuck Miller Construction, Inc., Hidden Springs, ID)

11:00 – 12:15

"Going Green without Seeing Red" (John Freer, CGB, CGP, Riverworks, Inc., Missoula, MT)

"Advertising That Connects with Your Customers" (David Hoke, CMP, MIRM, BLF Marketing, Nashville, TN)

12:30 – 1:45

"Harnessing the Power of the Web" (Melissa Stockstill, CMP, MIRM, MindKube, Viera, FL)

"Locating and Working With International Customers" (Lou Ludwig, CMP, CSP, MCSP, MIRM, Ludwig & Associates, Boca Raton, FL)

2:00 - 3:15

"Appealing to Multicultual Buying Styles" (Leonard McMullinPalladin Development & Management, Inc., Ocean Springs, MS)

"Building And Selling To Women" (Judy Kincaid, CMP, CSP, MIRM, Hilton Head, SC)

3:30 - 4:45

"Maintaining Contact with Customers" (Steve Hoffacker, CAPS, MCSP, MIRM, Hoffacker Associates, West Palm Beach, FL)

"Overhauling Your Advertising Strategy" (Deborah Fisher, CMP, Fisher & Company, P.A., Jacksonville, FL)

See you in Vegas!

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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.

© Steve Hoffacker, 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Only One More Week To Go

Actually, there's less than a week to go now until we start our two-day "Meet the Experts" program at the IBS in Las Vegas. It all kick off next Wednesday morning at 8:00. More will be held on Thursday.

In Room 228 in the South Hall, there will be 12 different informal programs presented on sales, marketing, and management topics by builders and consultants.

Each session has a topic expert to discuss a specific issue and field any questions from the floor. Participants also will interact with each other and share information.

Look forward to seeing many of you there. Tell me that you saw it here on the blog:

8:00-9:15

"Using Technology To Energize Your Marketing" (Deborah Fisher, CMP, Fisher & Company, P.A., Jacksonville, FL)

"Dealing with People with Homes To Sell" (Brent Forsberg, MIRM, Forsberg Real Estate Co., Okemos, MI)

9:30 – 10:45

"Adjusting Your Product for the Market" (Chuck Miller, MIRM, CGB, CGP, Chuck Miller Construction, Inc., Hidden Springs, ID)

"Making Your Sales Presentations Come Alive" (Cindy Cepko, CMP, CSP, MCSP, MIRM, Forest Homes, Paupak, PA)

11:00 – 12:15

"Managing and Motivating Your Sales Team" (Lou Ludwig, CMP, CSP, MCSP, Ludwig & Associates, Boca Raton, FL

"Collecting Dividends from Your Brand" (David Hoke, CMP, MIRM, BLF Marketing, Nashville, TN)

12:30 -1:45

"Selling Green to Customers" (John Freer, CGB, CGP, Riverworks, Inc., Missoula, MT)

"Unlocking the Secrets of the Internet" (Melissa Stockstill, CMP, MindKube., Viera, FL)

2:00 -3:15

"Cutting Costs and Increasing Profits" (Leonard McMullin, Palladin Development & Mgmt., Inc., Ocean Springs, MS)

"Decorating Strategies for Selling Homes" (Lisa Lockwood, CMP, Lita Dirks & Co., LLC, Littleton, CO)

3:30 - 4:45

"Generating Your Own Leads" (Steve Hoffacker, CAPS, MCSP, MIRM, Hoffacker Associates, West Palm Beach, FL)

"Data Mining in Your Own Customer Records" (Jerry Costanzo, CMP, MIRM, G.L. Costanzo & Associates, Castle Rock, CO).

Come to learn and to share. Tomorrow, we look ahead to Thursday's schedule.

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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.

© Steve Hoffacker, 2009. All Rights Reserved.

What Are Our Personal Keywords?

We know about SEO and tags and keywords - for our websites and blogs. Let's apply that in a different direction.

If we were going to label ourselves and our strengths with key words, what would they be?

Would we stick to business terms such as salesperson, closer, great follow-up, product knowledge, problem solver, marketer, or entrepreneur?

Would we use more emotional terms, such as empathetic, people person, caring, understanding, easy-going, good listening, easy to talk to, or approachable?

Would we use words that more character words, such as friendly, honest, upstanding, integrity, trustworthy, or loyal?

What words would we choose?

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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.

© Steve Hoffacker, 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Maybe We Should Just Stay Home

Maybe we shouldn't be driving at all. Maybe we should just stay home unless we take public transit or have a driver.

In some places we can't talk on our cell phones unless we do it hands-free. There is talk of getting even more restrictive and not allowing cell phone usage at all.

How this is compatible with the 1st amendment isn't clear to me unless it's because until now you could still talk just with an earbud or headset or car transmitter.

They say it's not a dexterity issue but that it's one of focus. OK, remove all radios and CD players from cars - you might accidentally find yourself listening to the music or singing along with it instead of paying 100% attention to driving.

Don't allow any passengers at anytime. Convert all cars to driver-only vehicles. Even a word or a sneeze from a passenger could cause the driver to lose focus.

No daydreaming as a driver or focusing on tasks other than driving. Not sure how that's going to be regulated.

Guess the best solution is to ban cars except limos - but then those drivers would have the same issues.

Detroit is going to love this. They're struggling and now because of someone's desire to make us totally safe on the roadway, the solution seems to be no cars at all.

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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.

© Steve Hoffacker, 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Marketing Came First

In the age-old discussion of which came first - the chicken or the egg - there are plausible arguments for both sides. Sales and marketing may seem like a similar argument, but it isn't.

Which came first - sales or marketing. Answer - marketing. Any doubt? No.

Here's why. No sale was ever made with creating a customer and stimulating a desire in that customer to have your product. This is true even if it's not a formal selling situation.

Let's say I have an extra ticket to the game or something else that you would like to have that you are willing to pay me for - either at the going rate or even an inflated one if you desire it badly enough.

How did you know I had it? You may have seen it because I wanted you to see it, I may have told you about it, someone else that I told may have told you, I may have asked you if you were interested, or I could have advertised it in some way. Any way you look at it, that is marketing, and that is how the sales encounter occurs and ultimately the sales transaction happens.

No marketing = no sale. People have to know that something is available first, then they'll determine if they want it and how much they are willing to pay for it.

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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.

© Steve Hoffacker, 2009. All Rights Reserved.

What Makes You Rise To The Occasion?

What motivates us? What makes us perform at our peak? What is within us that helps us rise to the occasion and perform at our best?

It's drive, ego, competitive spirit, and confidence. These are characteristics of top-notch salespeople. Preparation is also important to help us get the point where we can be confident - so does consistent performance in the past.

I was reminded of this key aspect in sales performance today as I thought of the way yeast works in making bread.

Mix all the right ingredients together to make a delicious tasting bread - but leave out the yeast - and the results will be a bread that didn't rise to its potential. Bread needs the yeast to make it complete. It's that extra ingredient in it that's necessary to work inside it to make it expand and fulfill the expectations for it.

The same is true with us. We need that extra ingredient - grit, stamina, determination, raw ability - to go along with our drive and confidence to help us be all that we can in any sales encounter and to achieve our maximum performance.

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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.

© Steve Hoffacker, 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Action Is A Lot Like A Cup of Coffee

I love a good cup of coffee. I'll even tolerate a not-so-good cup of coffee.

That brings me to today's sales analogy.

Take a pot of water, heat it up, use the best containers - all you'll end up with is hot water. Not much flavor there.

Now add some nicely ground coffee in a sufficient amount and that same hot water becomes magical.

Conversely, take a bag of roasted coffee beans or a container of ground coffee - smells great but not drinkable. It needs the water to be complete.

Now take us. Add all of the motivation you want. Positive self talk. Positive books, videos, audio messages, coaching, mentoring, seminars. Good stuff. But it takes action to convert the potential energy into meaningful activity that can accomplish our stated goals.

Action is like the coffee bean. It gives meaning to the motivation and inspiration just as coffee gives flavor to the water.

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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.

© Steve Hoffacker, 2009. All Rights Reserved.

One Team Will Have The Advantage

A week ago was New Year's Day, and there were many college football bowl games being played. Tonight is the finale for the 2008 college football season.

Regardless of which team wins - Oklahoma or Florida - the one that does will probably have a mental edge over their opponent. They will have a better game plan, be more mentally prepared to play well, and adjust to situations more quickly than the other. It could a game decided by a single point, but that mental attitude will make a difference.

It's the same in any sales encounter. Either the customer or the salesperson will be better prepared to make their case.

If the customer has the edge, they can figure out ways to walk away and go home, such as maintaining that they aren't ready, that they need to think about it some more, or that there are other places to see.

As salespeople, we need to have the edge to be able to work through those points of indecision or apprehension and show our customers how making a decision is in their best interests.

The mental advantage is important in any contest.

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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.

© Steve Hoffacker, 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Hard Work Isn't Always The Answer

Many people like to prescribe hard work as part of the formula for success. While it's true that dedication, persistence, and perseverance all factor into the success equation, hard work by itself does not.

If, by hard work, people mean diligence and productive effort, I would agree that this is essential to success. However, if they just mean compliance or nonproductive accomplishment, then hard work will not lead to success - only to exhaustion and frustration.

Calling 50-100 people a day is hard work - takes a lot of effort and can be exhausting. It probably produces little benefit. Sending out 1,000 flyers or letters a week can be hard work - again with little to show in the way of results. Making a 2 hour presentation to someone who is only marginally interested in your homes can take a lot of effort but will have no positive result. Driving people around for 3 or 4 days and showing them 20 homes is exhausting but unproductive.

Physically hard work or time-consuming effort is not the answer unless it is strategic. Otherwise, a more efficient use of your time is to focus on the areas where you can make a difference and have something to show for your efforts.

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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.

© Steve Hoffacker, 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Keep Thursday Open Also For IBS

Yesterday I talked about the tremendous resource available at the IBS in Las Vegas in 2 weeks, namely the "Meet the Experts" program conducted though the NSMC/IRM.

I published the schedule for Wednesday, January 21st.

Below is the schedule for Thursday, January 22nd.

In all, there are 24 topics presented over the 2 days - in Room 228 in the South Hall:

8:00-9:15

"Designing To Address Tomorrow’s Market" (David Clinger, David Clinger & Associates, Golden, CO)

"Working with Realtors To Make Sales" (Brent Forsberg, CPM, MIRM, Forsberg Real Estate Co., Okemos, MI)

9:30 – 10:45

"Understanding What Customers Are Looking For" (Jerry Costanzo, CMP, MIRM, G.L. Costanzo & Associates, Castle Rock, CO)

"Using A Market-Driven Approach To Sales" (Chuck Miller, MIRM, CGB, CGP, Chuck Miller Construction, Inc., Hidden Springs, ID)

11:00 – 12:15

"Going Green without Seeing Red" (John Freer, CGB, CGP, Riverworks, Inc., Missoula, MT)

"Advertising That Connects with Your Customers" (David Hoke, CMP, MIRM, BLF Marketing, Nashville, TN)

12:30 – 1:45

"Harnessing the Power of the Web" (Melissa Stockstill, CMP, MIRM, MindKube, Viera, FL)

"Locating and Working With International Customers" (Lou Ludwig, CMP, CSP, MCSP, MIRM, Ludwig & Associates, Boca Raton, FL)

2:00 - 3:15

"Appealing to Multicultual Buying Styles" (Leonard McMullinPalladin Development & Management, Inc., Ocean Springs, MS)

"Building And Selling To Women" (Judy Kincaid, CMP, CSP, MIRM, Hilton Head, SC)

3:30 - 4:45

"Maintaining Contact with Customers" (Steve Hoffacker, CAPS, MCSP, MIRM, Hoffacker Associates, West Palm Beach, FL)

"Overhauling Your Advertising Strategy" (Deborah Fisher, CMP, Fisher & Company, P.A., Jacksonville, FL)

See you in Vegas!

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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.

© Steve Hoffacker, 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Planning Your IBS Schedule? Keep Wednesday Open

Let me recommend two programs to anyone who is planning on attending the IBS (International Builder's Show) in Las Vegas in 2 weeks. The first is being conducted all day on Wednesday. The second is similarly presented on Thursday.

In Room 228 in the South Hall on Wednesday, January 21, there will be 12 different programs presented on sales, marketing, and management topics by builders and consultants.

These programs differ from the other seminar programs and panel presentations that are going to be presented at IBS in that they are informal question and answer (Q&A) type formats.

Each session has a topic and an expert to present information on that issue and field any questions from the floor. Participants also interact with each other and share information as well as commenting on or answering questions that others ask.

So grab your calendars and note the following programs for Wednesday, January 21st - or if you like just show up at 8:00 and every 90 minutes there will be 2 new programs starting (last ones begin at 3:30):

8:00-9:15

"Using Technology To Energize Your Marketing" (Deborah Fisher, CMP, Fisher & Company, P.A., Jacksonville, FL)

"Dealing with People with Homes To Sell" (Brent Forsberg, MIRM, Forsberg Real Estate Co., Okemos, MI)

9:30 – 10:45

"Adjusting Your Product for the Market" (Chuck Miller, MIRM, CGB, CGP, Chuck Miller Construction, Inc., Hidden Springs, ID)

"Making Your Sales Presentations Come Alive" (Cindy Cepko, CMP, CSP, MCSP, MIRM, Forest Homes, Paupak, PA)

11:00 – 12:15

"Managing and Motivating Your Sales Team" (Lou Ludwig, CMP, CSP, MCSP, Ludwig & Associates, Boca Raton, FL

"Collecting Dividends from Your Brand" (David Hoke, CMP, MIRM, BLF Marketing, Nashville, TN)

12:30 -1:45

"Selling Green to Customers" (John Freer, CGB, CGP, Riverworks, Inc., Missoula, MT)

"Unlocking the Secrets of the Internet" (Melissa Stockstill, CMP, MindKube., Viera, FL)

2:00 -3:15

"Cutting Costs and Increasing Profits" (Leonard McMullin, Palladin Development & Mgmt., Inc., Ocean Springs, MS)

"Decorating Strategies for Selling Homes" (Lisa Lockwood, CMP, Lita Dirks & Co., LLC, Littleton, CO)

3:30 - 4:45

"Generating Your Own Leads" (Steve Hoffacker, CAPS, MCSP, MIRM, Hoffacker Associates, West Palm Beach, FL)

"Data Mining in Your Own Customer Records" (Jerry Costanzo, CMP, MIRM, G.L. Costanzo & Associates, Castle Rock, CO).

Come to learn and to share. Tomorrow, we look ahead to Thursday's schedule.

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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.

© Steve Hoffacker, 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Finally, We Can Begin

Many of us have spent the past few weeks and months planning for 2009. We wanted to make up for some of the shortcomings of 2008, build on its successes, and strike out into new areas.

Regardless of how well we did in 2008, it's time to act on our dreams and visions for 2009. Our goals for 2009 now come into sharp focus because the calendar has changed, and now we can begin.

The important thing is not to be overly aggressive or impatient. This is not unlike starting a long race and running the first part very quickly because we feel good and are fresh. There's a long way to go, and we need to pace ourselves. If we break our larger year-end goals down into smaller parts that we can achieve in manageable parts along the way, we will get the job done and not be overwhelmed or become exhausted in the process.

The time for talking about what we wanted to do in the new year or what would like to accomplish has now given way to a time for action. Let's make it happen and have a very successful, profitable 2009.

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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.

© Steve Hoffacker, 2009. All Rights Reserved.

It's Almost Time

It's almost time for one of best selling seasons of the year to begin.

Starting Monday, most people will be back from the holidays and refocusing on business.

Also, people have set their new year's resolutions - which might include getting a new home or selling their present one. As salespeople, we've set our goals as well for the new year.

There are a few holidays coming up in the next 2 months like Marin Luther King Day, Valentine's Day, and Presidents Day, but nothing that really gets in the way of people making a decision on a new home. The end of school, spring break, Easter, summer - those are several weeks or months away.

Yes, this is the start of a a long, strong selling season.

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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.

© Steve Hoffacker, 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Dreams Don't Work On Autopilot

2009 brings plenty of new opportunities. New dreams and goals.

Dreams are great. They inspire us, motivate us, and excite us. They help get out of bed in the morning each day.

As powerful as they, however, dreams require action. Otherwise they are just wishes.

Dreams do not work on autopilot. We can't just sit back and watch them materialize.

We have to add work or action to our dreams to make them grow and mature.

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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.

© Steve Hoffacker, 2009. All Rights Reserved.

Three For The Price Of One

Today - January 1, 2009 - is a trifecta. We get 3 plays for the price of one.

Every new day is a fresh beginning - even if we have carry-over work from the night before, looming deadlines, or serious issues we need to deal with and get through. How we approach each day and where we are tonight at midnight or bedtime (whichever comes first) depends a lot on us and our attitude.

We can't control every situation we face or what comes our way. However, we can control how we respond to it and work with it.

Now, the triple play part.

Everyday is a new beginning. Yesterday ended at midnight. This is a new day. Tomorrow will be as well. We have a fresh start, even if we already have items we're working on or dealing with.

Today also marks a new month. That gives us potentially 31 days of fresh starts and new beginnings.

Top that off with a new year today that gives us the potential for 365 fresh, blank days on which we can make our mark.

None of knows how many days we have, but we can know that each day we are given offers a new beginning.

Happy new day, new month, and new year!

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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.

© Steve Hoffacker, 2009. All Rights Reserved.