June

Today we say goodbye to May and prepare to welcome in June. This has been a very quick journey so far in 2009. Some of us have barely caught our breath from the winter holidays - and here it is summer.

June can mean many changes and opportunities for us, but we have to make sure that we are up to the challenge of moving forward.

In my podcast message for today, "JUNE," I discuss the significance that the month of June has for people of all ages and that that this is a pivotal month for staking our claim to success for the balance of the year. This is a time for reflection and evaluation.

This is the time to re-tool, re-energize, and re-invent if necessary. We don't have a lot of time to get it done, but let's focus on what needs to get done to finish the first half of the year on an upbeat note.

For more information about my consulting, teaching, and coaching services visit my website at stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog (Sales Quips) on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can begin participating in this great forum by visiting here. I also write and maintain blogs for Gold Coast SMC and Florida SMC. © 2009, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

Why Should I Believe This Is My Last Chance?

In an attempt to create urgency for a purchase, many retailers attempt to convince us that a limited time offer is going away when that really isn't the case. If it truly is a limited time opportunity, it must end. Otherwise, there is no credibility in the message and in future offers.

I recently got an email invitation to purchase an upgraded version of some software that I use - I think I got 3 or 4 emails actually. Then, as the expiration time for the advance purchase discount grew closer, I got more emails. The day the offer expired, I got a phone call. I decided to pass. Now I have received a couple more emails and a letter.

Either they won't take no for an answer or - as I suspect - have a flexible "last chance" deadline due the sales response so far.

If it really is limited time, then that's it. I'll wait for the next offer. However, as far as believing that this is the last time I can buy it for this price, I don't. Credibility is very important to make this work.


For more information about my consulting, teaching, and coaching services visit my website at stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog (Sales Quips) on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can begin participating in this great forum by visiting here. I also write and maintain blogs for Gold Coast SMC and Florida SMC. © 2009, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

Old Actions May Just Be Old

Welcome to a new economic age. Many market forces and conditions have been changing over the past several months to bring us to where we are today.

How we move forward into the future is our choice.

Competition likely has become more intense for us due to shrinking and tighter markets. In addition, opportunities may not be as plentiful as they were. Businesses either have less money to invest or are holding onto the money they have and spending very cautiously. The result is that doing what we know how to do - or what we are accustomed to doing - may no longer suffice.

It just might be time for a new skill set - not totally new, just expanded.

We may need to retool, reinvent, reposition, or rebrand ourselves. Remaining as we have been is likely not a success strategy.

As we look for new markets, products, or services, we need to determine what we need to do to stay in business and develop new skills to accommodate that desire.

For more information about my consulting, teaching, and coaching services visit my website at stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog (Sales Quips) on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can begin participating in this great forum by visiting here. I also write and maintain blogs for Gold Coast SMC and Florida SMC. © 2009, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

Thursday's Thought (or Friday's): Welcome

Thursday's Thought: Notice how inviting this stairway is by the way it opens up at the bottom. This does not affect function - a parallel-sided staircase would get the job done for moving traffic. Yet, this is visually appealing and welcome to those entering at this level and lets people gain a sense of more openness when descending.

For more information about my consulting, teaching, and coaching services visit my website at stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog (Sales Quips) on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can begin participating in this great forum by visiting here. I also write and maintain blogs for Gold Coast SMC and Florida SMC. © 2009, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

Photography displayed is original composition and artistic expression of Steve Hoffacker, and as such is copyrighted. Photos are in their original digital image state and have not been cropped, edited, or enhanced in anyway.

Personal Responsibility

So often we hear people casting blame or pointing fingers. There is a real victim mentality that is prevalent today.

The trial lawyers don't help things either - with their constant TV commercials to sue everyone for everything. Their apparent motto is "accept no responsibility for actions - someone else is always at fault." Then, they clog the courts trying to prove some of these frivolous claims.

In business, we aren't owed any handouts, advantages, or easy-go of anything. The free enterprise system makes it possible for us to succeed, but we have make a go of it ourselves.

In my podcast message today, "PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY," I discuss the need for us to adopt this attitude. We aren't owed a living, but we can make a good one if we adapt and persevere.

For more information about my consulting, teaching, and coaching services visit my website at stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog (Sales Quips) on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can begin participating in this great forum by visiting here. I also write and maintain blogs for Gold Coast SMC and Florida SMC. © 2009, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

Lead Generation Has Limits

I am a firm believer in lead generation - in fact, self generation of leads. If we don't continually add to our pipeline, we may wake up one day with no business to pursue.

That said, we can go too far the other way also.

There is a lot of emphasis being placed on lead generation, but just gathering leads for the sake of gathering them or without the intention of working those leads to produce sales is a waste of effort.

If I go to the mall and pass out 100 business cards at random, I've probably not helped my business. Those business cards would not have been targeted at anyone although a couple of them may have accidentally gotten into someone's hand that could use my services. Even if I actually talked to people long enough to get their contact information and just kept accumulating names, that would not help my business either.

I need to have a sufficient quantity of leads for the business that I want to do right now plus enough to allow me to pursue the business that I intend to do over time. Not all leads are going to be equally qualified and I may have to work through several to make a sale. I'll take that into account as I decide the pace at which I keep adding names to my pipeline.

If I get too far ahead of myself by making a game out of collecting leads - or become obsessive about it - it will work to my disadvantage. I've to make sales, but I can't to that if I'm only interested in creating new leads rather than making presentations.

There must be balance.

For more information about my consulting, teaching, and coaching services visit my website at stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog (Sales Quips) on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can begin participating in this great forum by visiting here. I also write and maintain blogs for Gold Coast SMC and Florida SMC. © 2009, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

To Try Is To Fail

I know that we've been told throughout life just to try. Try hard. Give it a try. Give it the old college try. Well, at least we tried. Phooey!

What did we expect when we "tried"? To succeed or to likely fail? Think about it.

To try something is to approach is with less that 100% confidence or certainty - when we try a new food, a new route, a new hairstyle, a new anything.

However, to do something is to 100% committed to succeeding at it. We may come up short - but not because we just tried. We may fail because the task was larger than our preparation or skill level, but we approached it fully committed to making it work.

We should never try but always do.

When someone tells me they will try to call or try to keep an appointment, I dismiss it right then as not going to happen. They are not committed to making it happen and are giving themselves a built-in excuse.

For more information about my consulting, teaching, and coaching services visit my website at stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog (Sales Quips) on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can begin participating in this great forum by visiting here. I also write and maintain blogs for Gold Coast SMC and Florida SMC. © 2009, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

Sacrifice

Today is Memorial Day - the official commemoration of the sacrifices our armed forces have made to protect our liberties, freedoms, and rights. Today, we are particularly mindful of those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice in battle on our behalf.

Freedom is something we enjoy in this country, but it has not come freely. There have been huge sacrifices by the men and women who have worn our country's uniform.

In my podcast message today, "SACRIFICE," I talk about the value of this sacrifice and how it has allowed us to maintain the right, liberties, and freedoms that are extended to us through our Constitution and Declaration of Independence.

Let's remember that freedom has a price and be ever thankful for those willing to selflessly protect it for us.

For more information about my consulting, teaching, and coaching services visit my website at stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog (Sales Quips) on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can begin participating in this great forum by visiting here. I also write and maintain blogs for Gold Coast SMC and Florida SMC. © 2009, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

Freedoms Worth Preserving

On this Memorial Day weekend - the official day is actually tomorrow, but all 3 days of the long weekend seem like the holiday - how can we help but remember all of the heroic actions by our men and women in uniform who laid it all on the line to secure and protect our liberties?

Many of them survived the battlefield. Many did not. Our memorial is for all - those who paid the supreme sacrifice as well as those who put on the uniform and stood watch for us.

We have so many liberties and freedoms - ones that many nations only wished that they had. It's more important than ever that we take a stand to make sure they remain.

The freedom to worship as we like, to speak out against our government, to assemble and peaceably protest, to own property, to own guns, to protect our property, to own and operate a business, to have free elections, to hold public office, to associate freely with others, to succeed in business, and to fail in business.

To all those who have served us, thank you.

For more information about my consulting, teaching, and coaching services visit my website at stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog (Sales Quips) on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can begin participating in this great forum by visiting here. I also write and maintain blogs for Gold Coast SMC and Florida SMC. © 2009, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

Thursday's Thought (Saturday Edition): Quality

Thursday's Thought: This home in Virginia was built in 1785, as you can see by the plate next to the door. In order for a home to stand up for 230 years, it has to have been built right in the first place. Taking the time to do it right at the outset will mean that it will last. This is what quality workmanship is all about.

For more information about my consulting, teaching, and coaching services visit my website at stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog (Sales Quips) on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can begin participating in this great forum by visiting here. I also write and maintain blogs for Gold Coast SMC and Florida SMC. © 2009, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

Photography displayed is original composition and artistic expression of Steve Hoffacker, and as such is copyrighted. Photos are in their original digital image state and have not been cropped, edited, or enhanced in anyway.

TGIF

TGIF - a slogan echoed throughout the workplaces of the world. I agree, but not for the same reasons as most people.

I believe that everyday is great - Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday, and Friday.

Much of the working world lives from Friday-to-Friday, from paycheck-to-paycheck, or weekend-to-weekend. I love weekends, too, but probably for different reasons that taking time off from the office and doing whatever I want. I get extra planning and preparation time and an opportunity to call on those people that haven't been available during the week. Plus, there's always some relaxation and recharging time.

Fridays are great days because they are pivotal in looking back at the week completed so far and looking ahead at the work we can still accomplish over the weekend and on into next week.

As businesspeople, salespeople, independent contractors, and entrepreneurs, everyday is exciting, challenging, and rewarding because we get to be in business and get to offer our products or services to the people - and engage and interact with the public to make that happen.

In my podcast message today, "TGIF," I take an optimistic view of how we spend our days and forward to each day - not just the Fridays.

Make everyday a great day.

For more information about my consulting, teaching, and coaching services visit my website at stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog (Sales Quips) on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can begin participating in this great forum by visiting here. I also write and maintain blogs for Gold Coast SMC and Florida SMC. © 2009, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

The Right Thing At The Right Time

We've been getting a lot of rain the past couple of days - and that's a good thing. They tell us that this has been the driest spring since the 1930s. We normally have a dry spring - but nothing like this.

So hurray for the rain. This definitely is the right thing at the right time. Literally overnight, our drought index has dropped from near 700 to the low 200s.

Speaking of being the right thing at the right time, this where we come in. We have the opportunity to be this for our clients and customers. They might need their current home listed and sold, a buyer for their present home, a new home for them to move into, a phone call from us, a question answered, an ear to listen to them, a direction to follow, or so many other things where we can be the right thing at the right time for them.

Just as the rain is what we need to nourish our plants and yards, we can be that same type of encouragement or steadiness for our customers and clients.

The right thing at the right time.

For more information about my consulting, teaching, and coaching services visit my website at stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog (Sales Quips) on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can begin participating in this great forum by visiting here. I also write and maintain blogs for Gold Coast SMC and Florida SMC. © 2009, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

When A Camera Is Called For, Use It

When was the last time you made a call with your camera? Your camera doesn't have that capability? Didn't think so. Mine either.

However, we frequently use our cell phone to take pictures. They will do in a pinch when we want to capture something the kids are doing or an item in the store to show someone else - possibly to get their input or opinion. We can take cell photos to email to someone or to record a sign we see. We can use them in the store to take a picture of the price placard - to save the delay of a price check later on or to confirm a better price.

But, if we are going to be taking pictures for real estate - property listings, construction progress, homesites, community facilities, or anything that will have a bearing on someone's decision, how they work with us, or their overall satisfaction, then we must use a camera for photographs.

Anything less is just not professional - and will look that way.

For more information about my consulting, teaching, and coaching services visit my website at stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog (Sales Quips) on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can begin participating in this great forum by visiting here. I also write and maintain blogs for Gold Coast SMC and Florida SMC. © 2009, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

Stay The Course

Free enterprise. Being able to launch a business, grow it, risk it, and succeed or fail. No guarantees. No bailouts.

Those of us in real estate, construction, or related businesses have been experience a serious pullback in the past couple of years. We may be through with the real ugly stuff, and now we can focus on remaining in business as a viable company. There are many positive signs.

We may be a lot leaner that we were, we may have less dollar volume and revenue. However, the important thing is that we get to stay in business - if we are determined and can make the right decisions.

In my podcast message today, "STAY THE COURSE," I challenge all of us to rethink where we are and what we're doing so that we can remain strong and come out on the other end still in tact.

We need to be fighters. We may change the way we do business, but if we are committed to being in business that will see us through.

For more information about my consulting, teaching, and coaching services visit my website at stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog (Sales Quips) on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can begin participating in this great forum by visiting here. I also write and maintain blogs for Gold Coast SMC and Florida SMC. © 2009, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

Neil Cavuto On Character

Neil Cavuto is one of my favorite TV commentators. I think he is the most accomplished financial analyst and business friend for entrepreneurs on TV today. He gets it.

Today, in his closing monologue - "Common Sense" - he paid a tribute to a friend of his.

The takeaway line was this: "It's not how you deal with the good things in life, it's how you handle the bad."

Isn't that the measure of character? Anyone can smile in the happy times. Someone who can smile and not whine or complain in the not-so-happy times - even dealing with a life-claiming disease as in this case - is demonstrating an internal strength and peace. In a word, this is character. Though Neil didn't say so, I think it's also a case of faith.

For more information about my consulting, teaching, and coaching services visit my website at stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog (Sales Quips) on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can begin participating in this great forum by visiting here. I also write and maintain blogs for Gold Coast SMC and Florida SMC. © 2009, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

No Triple Crown Winner This Year

After yesterday's miscue by favorite "Mine That Bird," it will be at least 32 years before a Triple Crown successor to "Affirmed" is found. Affirmed won the Triple Crown in 1978.

It appears that Mine That Bird had a strategy to sit back at the rear of the field for the first half of the race and then at the right moment, break free and charge to the front. It almost worked - almost.

Some of the horses in front of him didn't give way, and he had to break stride and pull to the outside. He came with a head of winning anyway.

Imagine what he could have done if winning was his objective all along.

It's no different for us. Why sit back and pretend that we want to succeed when we can get to the front and make our business happen? We need to be leaders, not followers.

Winners don't watch the race from the back.

For more information about my consulting, teaching, and coaching services visit my website at stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog (Sales Quips) on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can begin participating in this great forum by visiting here. I also write and maintain blogs for Gold Coast SMC and Florida SMC. © 2009, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

Nimble

Nimble is not a word that we use in everyday speech. In fact, I don't remember the last time I used it before today. That's going to to change. It's a great word and a great characteristic for a businessperson to have.

I think this is a character trait that all entrepreneurs should possess. We may have to look for or dust it off, but we need to be nimble in today's market to stay in business and take advantage of new opportunities.

Being nimble means being quick to size up situations, having the perspective to sidestep issues that may try to trip us up, and having the foresight and dexterity to reinvent ourselves or change directions when necessary.

In my podcast message today, "NIMBLE," I talk about the importance of being nimble to survive and thrive in today's challenging business environment.

For more information about my consulting, teaching, and coaching services visit my website at stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog (Sales Quips) on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can begin participating in this great forum by visiting here. I also write and maintain blogs for Gold Coast SMC and Florida SMC. © 2009, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

Two-Out-Of-Three Won't Do

Regardless of whether you a horse racing fan or not, you've undoubtedly heard of the Triple Crown. Beginning on the first Saturday in May (it was the 2nd this year) with the Kentucky Derby in Louisville, the next stop in the Preakness Stakes at Pimlico Raceway in Baltimore on the third Saturday - tomorrow. It concludes three weeks later on June 6th with the Belmont Stakes.

To be the Triple Crown winner - arguably one of the toughest feats in sports - a horse needs to win all three races. In fact it's been 31 years since it was last done.

"Mine That Bird" won the Kentucky Derby. This is the only horse with a shot at winning the Triple Crown. If he wins tomorrow, there's still a chance at the Triple Crown. If another horse wins tomorrow, that's it - no Triple Crown. It wouldn't matter if "Mine That Bird" then went on to win the Belmont in the fastest time ever.

It's plain. To be the Triple Crown winner, you must win all three races.

Sometimes, we can recover from one bad or mediocre outing to carry the day and preserve a sale or make up for lost time. This isn't true in the case of the Triple Crown. One bad race, and it's over. One race where you almost win, and it's over.

That's motivation. Here, it's all or nothing. No 2-out-of-3.

For more information about my consulting, teaching, and coaching services visit my website at stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog (Sales Quips) on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can begin participating in this great forum by visiting here. I also write and maintain blogs for Gold Coast SMC and Florida SMC. © 2009, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

Thursday's Thought: Potential

Thursday's Thought: As Atlantis lifted off on Monday, "potential" energy immediately translated into kinetic energy and was so visible that this picture (which is in focus) looks blurred because of the tremendous energy release in the form of heat and sound. We are actually looking through visible heat signatures and massive sound waves that create a huge vibration and visual distortion. The power is so intense that 3½ miles is as close to the launch as anyone is allowed. We have "potential" within us that we need to call upon and release as well.

For more information about my consulting, teaching, and coaching services visit my website at stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog (Sales Quips) on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can begin participating in this great forum by visiting here. I also write and maintain blogs for Gold Coast SMC and Florida SMC. © 2009, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

Photography displayed is original composition and artistic expression of Steve Hoffacker, and as such is copyrighted. Photos are in their original digital image state and have not been cropped, edited, or enhanced in anyway.

Stretching

I have talked about our comfort zones previously and probably will do so again in the future.

Comfort zones have a lot to do with why we do or do not attempt something, make a sale, undertake a new task, or build relationships.

Comfort zones are essentially what we feel confident and competent in doing. It's not reaching into other areas of expertise, or learning new behavior, or attempting to act in a way that is a bit of a stretch for us. While some activity may be within someone's comfort zone, it may not be within another's.

In my podcast message today, "STRETCHING," I talk about the necessity of gently stretching and expanding our comfort zones to broaden our areas of competency and grow as a person. It's sometimes a little scary but necessary.

Expanding beyond our normal comfort zone to make our zone that much larger and allows us to accomplish more - to have margin and the self-confidence that comes with enlarging our area of competence.

We don't always have to be living on the edge or have the feeling that we are doing more than we are capable of or equipped for. Even as we all have different personalities are different, the more we challenge ourselves to reach out beyond what is just comfortable, the more we we will be able to cope with additional responsibility and situations as they arise.

Stretching expands our capacity for core competency.

For more information about my consulting, teaching, and coaching services visit my website at stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog (Sales Quips) on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can begin participating in this great forum by visiting here. I also write and maintain blogs for Gold Coast SMC and Florida SMC. © 2009, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

The Ripple Effect of Gas Prices

Gas prices have been edging up and up to where they are considerably over $2.00 a gallon in many parts of the country. Some say it might get to $3.00 this summer. I've heard some predict it by Memorial Day - that's less than 2 weeks off. That could account for the run-up.

Oil closed under $59 a barrel today - the highest all year but there has not been the rapid run-up that would explain the rise in gas prices. Still, oil only needs to get to $70 to produce $3.00 gas. Isn't it interesting how we've gone nearly 9 months with declining gas prices and mostly under $2.00 a gallon - until now?

Of course gas prices always increase in the summer for vacations and peak driving. No sense waiting until the demand is here. Get an early start on those price increases.

But here comes the larger issue. So gas goes up 30-40 cents a gallon since the first of the year. Mail delivery needs an increase for fuel - oh, they got one yesterday. Milk, eggs, bread, cereal - all the staples have gone up. In fact they never came down from last summer. This is in effect a double fuel bump - the last time and now.

Everything that uses transportation to produce or deliver its goods and services - which is nearly every business - increases its prices because the gas goes up a little. Then gas goes up some more, and other prices do also.

Certainly makes the case for domestic oil production, competition, more refining capacity, and alternative fuels (that don't cost more to produce than they supposedly save in use).

A few cent increase in the cost of gas, while we may tolerate it ourselves, is translated into higher prices in many other areas. This is the inflationary ripple effect that many fail to consider.

For more information about my consulting, teaching, and coaching services visit my website at stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog (Sales Quips) on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can begin participating in this great forum by visiting here. I also write and maintain blogs for Gold Coast SMC and Florida SMC. © 2009, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

Sometimes We Need A Change Of Pace

We all have routines. The time we get up, what and when we eat, and how we attack our day - how much time we spend in the office, on the phone, on the computer, and in the car.

Aside from vacations which can be great, a little change of pace for a few hours or a whole day can mean a big difference in our attitudes and energy levels.

Today was one such day as I got to attend the launch of the Space Shuttle Atlantis at the Kennedy Space Center.

I had never attended one live although living in South Florida there are many time when we can see various launches, depending on the weather.

Still, this was a special day. Everything leading up to the launch made it a larger-than-life event.

Finally it was time. The weather presented a few challenges but not enough to cancel the launch. The built-in holds served their purpose and the countdown marched toward the appointed time. Each time it was announced that it was a "go" for the launch, the large crowd in the viewing section cheered.

This was a little like a parade, a celebrity sighting, a premiere, a grand opening, and opening day of football season - all rolled into one.

Sometimes we need a change or pace or scenery. Worked for me.

For more information about my consulting, teaching, and coaching services visit my website at stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog (Sales Quips) on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can begin participating in this great forum by visiting here. I also write and maintain blogs for Gold Coast SMC and Florida SMC. © 2009, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

Mother's Day

Today is Mother's Day. This is the day we celebrate all of the great contributions made by women everywhere, but especially in America, in getting their children raised as productive citizens.

There are many outstanding qualities that all of us can take from motherhood that will help us in relationships and in business.

These include dedication, self-sacrifice, and service, as well as looking out for pitfalls, injurious situations, and opportunities. Mentoring and role modeling come to mind as being high on the list.

Regardless of our age, we look fondly on our Mothers and their contributions. They inspire us to lead and nurture others - customers, co-workers, associates, and employees.

In my podcast message today, "MOTHER'S DAY," I discuss many of these fine points.

Happy Mother's Day!

For more information about my consulting, teaching, and coaching services visit my website at stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog (Sales Quips) on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can begin participating in this great forum by visiting here. I also write and maintain blogs for Gold Coast SMC and Florida SMC. © 2009, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

Using Our Talents

All of us have talents and skills. Some are more visible than others, and some are more developed than others. However, we all are gifted at something - several things.

It might have something to do with how quickly we grasp new information, how we take a test, how we remember details, how can we meet others, how we can play a musical instruments or design things, how we can speak in public, how we can express ideas in writing, or how we can build or repair things with our hands.

It might be in the way we relate to people, the way we meet strangers and befriend them, the way we structure a sales presentation and deliver it, the way we communicate, our capacity to empathize with someone, or many other life or business skills.

The question is two-fold. First how many of our own skills are we really using, How can we get even better at what we already do well, and what would it take to accent some of other other skills and talents?

Second, how well do we do identifying these skills in our customers and the people we meet and using that to foster sales and relationships?

Since we all have skills and talents that help to make each one of us special, let's learn to be watchful for them.

For more information about my consulting, teaching, and coaching services visit my website at stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog (Sales Quips) on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can begin participating in this great forum by visiting here. I also write and maintain blogs for Gold Coast SMC and Florida SMC. © 2009, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

There's Always More We Can Learn

Take a favorite book or article, a audio message or eBook, a video, a lecture or sermon. Take something that we enjoyed the first or most recent time we read, watched, or heard it. Take something that we learned from.

Now, let's read it, watch it. or listen to it again.

Why?

Aren't there other lessons to be learned ? Aren't there other books, videos, and recorded messages that we can learn from? Yes to both.

Here's my point. If we take something that already has given us value - that already has meant something to us - then a new reading, watching, or listening of it might very well give us additional insight and benefit.

We grow and mature over time. Our experiences and needs change as well.

By reading, watching, or listening to something again that we know has already helped us, there's a great chance that we can learn even more - that's there's at least one more gem to be gleaned from it.

For more information about my consulting, teaching, and coaching services visit my website at stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog (Sales Quips) on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can begin participating in this great forum by visiting here. I also write and maintain blogs for Gold Coast SMC and Florida SMC. © 2009, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

Active Listening

Yesterday, I was the guest speaker at the Gold Coast Builders Association Sales & Marketing Council at their monthy "Eye-Opener" Breakfast. We had a great time, an my topic was "Active Listening."

Listening is something that we take pretty much for granted and put way too little effort into. It is one of the keys to effective communication - hearing and understanding the other person's message or viewpoint - yet we often are more concerned with making our own points or moving on to something we find more interesting than that conversation.

For instance, we daydream, think about all of the things we have yet to accomplish that day, think about the kids' activities, think about matters at home, or concentrate more on our next question or comeback than we do in actually engaging the person talking directly to us.

Facing them maintaining eye contact, and giving them some assurance that we are listening and paying attention are ways that we can actively participate in listening.

In my podcast message today, "ACTIVE LISTENING," I recount yesterday's program and contrast active listening with the more passive kind that we so often do.

I also discuss how we listen with our ears, our eyes, and with a combination of our senses when we read messages.

For more information about my consulting, teaching, and coaching services visit my website at stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog (Sales Quips) on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can begin participating in this great forum by visiting here. I also write and maintain blogs for Gold Coast SMC and Florida SMC. © 2009, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

Thursday's Thought: Teamwork

Thursday's Thought: As Atlantis sits on Launch Pad 39A in the final days of countdown before the launch, "teamwork" comes to mind as we consider the thousands of men and women who have had a hand in some phase of getting this ship ready for its mission. The banner in the lower right corner says it all.

For more information about my consulting, teaching, and coaching services visit my website at stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog (Sales Quips) on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can begin participating in this great forum by visiting here. I also write and maintain blogs for Gold Coast SMC and Florida SMC. © 2009, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

Photography displayed is original composition and artistic expression of Steve Hoffacker, and as such is copyrighted. Photos are in their original digital image state and have not been cropped, edited, or enhanced in anyway.

It's Important To Go All-Out All The Time

I was watching a golf competition on TV, and one the golfers had a comfortable lead (but not insurmountable). On the final hole, all that was required was to get the ball in the hole in 2 strokes. No pressure - 2 chances. The first shot was a little tentative - didn't put everything into it because there was that safety factor of a second shot. Well, it wasn't a great shot, and the remaining shot was longer than it should have been as a result. As you might have guessed, it didn't go in either, and the two shot lead now was gone and a sudden death playoff ensued because of the tie.

It's hard to recover from offering less than your best effort. Momentum, which is very important in sports as well as sales, suffers. In the playoff hole, the golfer who once was ahead by 2 strokes now was doubting themself. They ended up needing a spectacular second shot to keep the match even, and it came up short - a little tentative again.

The lesson here for us is to go all out. When we practice, when we sell, when we play - we should do it. This is how we gain the confidence that we need to function at our peak when it really counts.

For more information about my consulting, teaching, and coaching services visit my website at stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog (Sales Quips) on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can begin participating in this great forum by visiting here. I also write and maintain blogs for Gold Coast SMC and Florida SMC. © 2009, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

Publix Delivers a Great Message

I heard an interesting TV commercial today for Publix. It said something about their recognition of and concern for the amount of time we wait in lines in our lifetimes.

Then the spot went on to say how Publix is committed to keeping the lines moving and respecting our time as we checkout.

Wow, a grocery store (or any retail store for that matter) that respects our time and wants to create an enjoyable experience.

That's a great - and different - way to sell your brand.

For more information about my consulting, teaching, and coaching services visit my website at stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog (Sales Quips) on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can begin participating in this great forum by visiting here. I also write and maintain blogs for Gold Coast SMC and Florida SMC. © 2009, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

Guided Discovery

Yesterday. I talked about epiphanies - those "ah-ha" or "lightbulb" moments of sudden realization or enlightenment.

We've all experienced this when we have attended a lecture or seminar, read a book, talked with a friend, listened to an audio message, surfed the new, or something similar when all of sudden "we got it." Whatever concept or idea that is was - even if we had heard about it before or understood it in one sense - now, it had a whole new meaning or finally made sense to us.

In today's podcast message, "GUIDED DISCOVERY," I talk about a similar type of enlightenment that comes from structuring learning experiences that give people the chance to discover or figure out things on their own that we want them to know.

Learning in this way gives people a greater connection to the information. We can tell people what we want them to know, and many times this is the most expedient or convenient way to do it, but we can also let them see it or figure it out on their own by putting the information in front of them or putting them where they are likely to learn it.

For more information about my consulting, teaching, and coaching services visit my website at stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog (Sales Quips) on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can begin participating in this great forum by visiting here. I also write and maintain blogs for Gold Coast SMC and Florida SMC. © 2009, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

We All Need Epiphanies

Had any good ephipanies lately?

Before you go look it up, an epiphany is simply an "ah-ha" moment or what I call a "lightbulb" moment. It's when we see or hear something and we go "ah-ha" or "wow." It's when the lightbulb goes on and we know that we have learned something that we can use or that we understand something for the first time or in a different way that makes sense to us.

Ever go to a seminar and say to yourself that you just want to come away with one good idea or that if you can just get one good idea that it will have been worthwhile? That's what I'm talking about.

This is not a life-changing event although the enlightenment that we get may affect the way we look at something from that point forward.

Welcome the "ah-ha" or "lightbulb" moments when they occur. They are powerful.

For more information about my consulting, teaching, and coaching services visit my website at stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog (Sales Quips) on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can begin participating in this great forum by visiting here. I also write and maintain blogs for Gold Coast SMC and Florida SMC. © 2009, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

Free Is Nice, But There Are Limits

Who doesn't like to get something they want for free? Today's market has reduced items that formerly had a price associated with them to "free."

Webinars that used to go for as high as $199 for an hour, and typically were $79-99 now are free. Podcasts and eBooks that used to be $9.95-$19.95 or more are now expected to be free. Seminars at HBAs and BORs that used to range up to several hundred dollars a day are now less than $50 and very often $10 or free.

Professional designation courses haven't lowered their fees and go wanting for attendees.

I would love to be able to give my material away for free. I really enjoy helping people.

I know that some people aren't making as many sales as they were and that closings often take longer than they used to as well. As a result, many people feel that they just can't invest in themselves and their short-term future.

However, this is just like the companies that cut all advertising during slack periods when they should be even more aggressive.

As you're reading this and you feel that you could use some help with social media, sales strategies, or marketing tactics, but you're having trouble justifying any expense, let me assure you that I would love to work with you for free. However, I just can't for very long. Maybe you know of a sponsor who could underwrite working with you or your organization,. That plan could work.

This is the best time for you to be focusing on your marketing and sales, but free isn't always the most feasible price.

For more information about my consulting, teaching, and coaching services visit my website at stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog (Sales Quips) on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can begin participating in this great forum by visiting here. I also write and maintain blogs for Gold Coast SMC and Florida SMC. © 2009, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

May Day

Happy May 1st. Better yet, "Happy May Day." There, that's better.

May Day is celebrated all over the world but hardly noticed here in America.

In the USSR (Russia) and other like regimes during the Cold War, May Day was their Labor Day or Solidarity Day. Big parades in Red Square and elsewhere presented their troops and military equipment.

Back in 1958, President Eisenhower, in an attempt to balance the celebration and give America something to do on this day, declared May 1st as Law Day or Loyalty Day. We are a nation of laws, and if you're part of the legal profession, this is your day. Otherwise, this is a day to unite and celebrate the greatness of America.

In my podcast message today, "MAY DAY," I mark this observance and reminisce about the May Day we observed as kids in grade school with the Maypole Dance and the May Baskets we made and took home to our Mothers.

However you celebrate or observe May Day in America, Happy May Day!

For more information about my consulting, teaching, and coaching services visit my website at stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog (Sales Quips) on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can begin participating in this great forum by visiting here. I also write and maintain blogs for Gold Coast SMC and Florida SMC. © 2009, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.