Half-Marathon Finish Line

We are coming to end of the first half of the 2011. The year is moving very quickly and we need to ready for what's coming.

If we think of going through year like running a marathon, we are at the half-marathon stage. We should pause to look where we are and ask ourselves about out progress.

Have we done what we set out to do? If not, are we close? Anything we want to change?

In my podcast message today "Half-Marathon Finish Line" I observe the close of the first half of the year and get started on the second half.

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 . © 2011, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

Steve Hoffacker's Sales Books for Realtors Ranking High

Yesterday, I Googled "Sales Books for Realtors" and I came up with 5 of the 10 listings on page one!

That's half of the returns, and capturing half of the organic returns on the first page of Google sounds pretty good to me.

Did I mention that this was out of 11 million results?

This is what it looked like when I did the search:

If you haven't seen any of my sales books for Realtors or other books on sales, visit Steve Hoffacker's Books or visit my Author's Page on Amazon.com.

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 . © 2011, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

No Time To Be Sleeping

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 . © 2011, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

Here Comes The 4th!

We are entering the second half of the year, and it won't be that much longer until we begin enjoying the fall activities. Meanwhile, we get to celebrate the 4th of July and summertime.

Remember our freedoms and protect them. We all are stakeholders in freedom, and we all have the responsibility to protect them.

We are very mindful of some of the freedoms that are slipping away from us, and we must stand up to keep that from happening. It's time to go all out to protect and preserve it.

In my podcast message today "Here Comes The 4th!" I talk about doing what we can to preserve our free enterprise and other freedoms.

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 . © 2011, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

The 4th Is Coming - Let's Remember Our Liberties

The 4th of July is a week from tomorrow. It's really amazing how quickly this year has gone.

On a more serious note. The 4th is the time to celebrate the many liberties and freedoms we enjoy - and we need to thank our brave men and women in uniform for protecting them for us. We have an obligation, too. Some of our freedoms have slipped away and we have not protested loudly enough. We must begin doing this.

The list is longer than you might think.

As solopreneurs, salespeople, and people who earn our living without a salary or dependence on anyone other than ourselves and our abilities, we must stand strong for free enterprise and denounce all regulation that attempts to manipulate, control, or interfere with the free market.

As we prepare for the second half of 2011, we need to make our voices heard more and more.

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 . © 2011, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

Taking Control

Have you ever been part of a team, group, or committee where the direction was absent because the leadership just wasn't there to keep the discussion moving or to achieve actionable items? In such situations. we can be that leader.

We don't have to wait to be elected or appointed, and it doesn't matter if someone else has the title of leader, chair, facilitator, or captain. When progress isn't being made, it's time to step up.

It might be a company decision, a committee discussion, or anything where a variety of opinions and potential courses of action are present with no clear cut direction or person willing to bring the discussion to a head and move on. This is where we can help by being that person.

In my podcast message today "Taking Control" I talk about bringing the discussion to the point where the meeting ccan end and people can go about achieving the items decided upon.

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 . © 2011, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

Drink To Your Health

Coffee drinkers have another reason to be happy. Turns out that coffee has even more medicinal and helpful qualities than already revealed. Let's keep this quiet though, lest the FDA tries to get some control over the miracle beverage.

In addition to many health benefits that I have already reported in previous posts, a new study by the University of South Florida is showing that a particular, unique property in coffee (that they haven't quite identified yet) - and only in real, caffeinated coffee - wards of Alzheimer's disease. It may be the caffeine and a combination of other compounds, but decaf does not have the same effect.

Researchers suggest drinking coffee in your 30s, 40s, and 50s for this protection - since it takes years for the disease to develop and begin showing signs. However, beginning later in life or upping your intake later in life also seemed to work.

Now we really can drink to our health.

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 . © 2011, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

Rules Are Just Guidelines

Many people have ideas of what works and what doesn't in sales and marketing. Sometimes they have discovered that themselves. Other times, they are only repeating what they have been told.

I think we should learn by doing and follow sound practices of others - but only to the extent they make sense for each of us. We must be comfortable with them ourselves.

Often, what works for someone else does not work for another. This is especially true when someone is new to a process. Trying to learn too quickly by adopting the rules or secrets of more experienced people does not work and may actually harm us professionally

In my podcast message today "Rules Are Just Guidelines" I talk about developing our own ideas of what is beneficial to do and not just copying the ideas or instructions of others - unless we have actively sought such advice.

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 . © 2011, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

Finally Summer

Today we celebrate the official beginning of summer and look forward to balancing our time indoors in the air conditioning focusing on work and getting outside to enjoy all of the summertime activities.

We've had indications of summer with warmer weather and other summer-like conditions for several weeks now, but the calendar has finally ticked over into summer. As we gear up for the outdoor activities and the slower pace of summer, let's remember to get some work done also.

In my podcast message today "Finally Summer" I talk about the official arrival of summer. Spring has been put away until next year.

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 . © 2011, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

DotCom To Have Plenty Of Competition

For the first time in 27 years, the internet is getting ready to underway explosive expansion. Initially just .com, .net, ,org, .gov, and .edu as website suffixes, country codes, .biz, .info, .tv, and others have been added fairly recently.

Hold on because now, companies, causes, industries, and more can have their own customized suffix. Home builders can .builder, Realtors can be .homes or .realtors. Bank can be .bank or .lender - and on and on. But it's not as easy as just thinking up a suffix and using it. It will cost you - up to $200,000 to register it and up to $25,000 a year to use it.

There's a whole lot more to it that this, but I wanted to give up a heads up and introduce you to what is coming. Entrepreneurial minded people can begin (with sufficient working capital) creating specialty suffixes and licensing users of 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 . © 2011, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

Happy Father's Day

"Happy Father's Day" to all the Dads, but today's message goes beyond that to discuss how we all can father an idea or concept and bring it to implementation.

We all can be fathers (men or women) - of an idea, a concept, an invention, a product, or a concept. He have the ability to dream it up, to help create it, to nurture it, and bring it to fruition. We can responsible for developing something and seeing it through regardless of how much effort, time, or money might be involved.

In my podcast message today "Happy Father's Day" I talk about having the power, desire, and ability to create something and bring it to life.

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 . © 2011, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

A Blow To Reverse Mortgages

Wells Fargo announced that it no longer will be doing reverse mortgage loans. Bank of America announced earlier in the year that they wouldn't be doing any more reverse mortgage loans.

Apparently neither banks finds them a major part of their lending business, and Wells Fargo also mentioned declining equity and housing values.

Both banks will continue servicing the loans on the books, but no new ones will be added.

These loans are heavily advertised on TV, but are no longer popular with 2 of the largest national banks.

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 . © 2011, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

People Are Watching

We are constantly in the spotlight whether we intend to be or not - whether we arrange for that to be the case. People observe us and model or pattern their behavior on what they see us doing. Therefore, we need to make sure that we are setting a positive frame of reference.

There are always eyes on us (not in a constant sense but in you-never-know-who-is-watching sense). People who see us acting in a position of authority, responsibility or confidence will figure that it's OK to do what we are doing - so we need to make sure that it is and that we are giving intention lessons.

In my podcast message today "People Are Watching" I talk about having the integrity and responsibility to accept being a positive role model - not knowing who we might be impacting or influencing - but knowing that we are.

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 . © 2011, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

Keeping Your Word

In our enthusiasm to make a sale - and because we believe in what we are selling so much - it's easy to build up our product and services to where we are making promises that just aren't true.

We much guard against overextending or exaggerating what we say about our product or its performance and to do what we say we'll do.

It's easy to make promises about our products and services, and it's easy to overcommit ourselves. However, this is not how a successful, reputable brand is built and maintained.

In my podcast message today "Keeping Your Word" I talk about having the integrity and trustworthiness to be truthful in representing our products and behavior.

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 . © 2011, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

Block The Nomination Of Bryson

We have enough issues as small businesses. We don't need the Administration ganging up on us even more than they already are.

The House passed cap and trade in 2009, but fortunately the Senate never agreed to the measure. Then the EPA decided with the President that they would begin to implement the taxation policy on energy just as if it had been passed - an end run around the Congress and illegal.

Now, John Bryson has been nominated by the President to be Secretary of Commerce. The Commerce Department, to me, is one of the key government agencies. It supports, nurtures, looks out for, and paves the way for commerce in this country and abroad. We do not need as the head of this agency someone who supports curtailing energy development, taxing energy usage, and otherwise crimping economic development.

Therefore his nomination needs to be blocked by the Senate. Encourage your Senators to vote against confirmation.

Being in business in this country - especially small business and entrepreneurial business - is more difficult than ever before, and we don't need more roadblocks from the national level. We need need a business advocate. Bryson is far from that.

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. © 2011, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

It Takes Heart

The NBA Championship Series that concluded last night illustrates that talent won't win unless you've got teamwork and drive to match and go along with your desire and determination. Going outside yourself for the team effort will make the difference. Dallas knew this. Miami didn't.

The Mavericks wanted the win and the title more than the Heat - they had more heart. More than talent or ability, the desire, determination, and drive that comes from really having the courage to play all-out means the difference and becomes the margin of victory.

In my podcast message today "It Takes Heart" I talk about having the courage and the total commitment to get the job done - even if it means playing ourside ourselves to create a team effort.

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. © 2011, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

It's The Little Things

It's important that we not overlook the little things in life and business such as neatness, courteousness, and manners. People want to feel that we care and that they are important. Often something very simple can make a big difference.

Remembering an important date in someone's life, making sure that typos are avoided, and that names are not misspelled or mispronounced - the little things - are important for making and sustaining good impressions. These go a long way in helping us succeed.

In my podcast message today "It's The Little Things" I talk about the importance of little things for helping to create and foster relationships as well as impressions.

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. © 2011, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

Let Us Create The Jobs That Count

Have you noticed that the government wants to take credit for something that isn't happening? Job growth is the buzz word for economic recovery in this country, and the Administration is jumping at every chance to claim victory.

For instance, when a company employing 50 people that gets new orders and is able to keep everyone employed versus laying people off or shutting the doors, it is credited with "saving" 50 jobs. No jobs have been added and they weren't necessarily in jeopardy, but they have been "saved" nevertheless.

If that's our goal - to keep from losing ground - fine. However, I think we are supposed to be putting people back to work.

Looking at that same company with 50 employees that hires 1 new person, 1 job is thus created. Yet, in the process, they "saved or created" 51 jobs. Big difference.

Let's start being honest about the economy, and let's get the government to stop helping us. Clearly we don't need that kind of help.

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. © 2011, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

Really Short Term Goals

Each day we need to begin by focusing on accomplishing the most pressing or important item for that day before we do anything else - regardless if that is a quick and easy item or it takes even longer than one day to complete.

By determining what we need to do the most each day and then doing that one task until it is completed we gain a sense of power over our list of goals and make our goals work for us instead of just waiting for them to happen.

Longer terms goals are great, but we may need to make a call, complete a report, call on someone, meet a deadline, create a new account, or many other things that will vary depending on our schedule and calendar - and that becomes our really short term goal.

In my podcast message today "Really Short Term Goals" I want us to focus on the most pressing or important item each day. We can then move on to the next one.

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. © 2011, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

I'm Bored

As I think back to summertime when we were out of school as kids and how easy it was to burn through all of the activities we wanted to do and find ourselves with seemingly nothing to do, we frequently complained or being bored or of having nothing to do.

We have a summertime full of activities in front of us that compete for our attention and take us away from our main business. While summertime is supposed to be fun, we need to meet people and expand our businesses. There's always something we can do, and we should never feel that things are so routine or uninteresting that we feel bored with the process.

In my podcast message today "I'm Bored" I want us to focus on business while having fun and not run out of things to do this summer.

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. © 2011, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

Remembering Heroic Acts

On this day in 1944 on the beaches of France, Allied forces invaded Europe for the first time in World War II, and the course of the War was changed.

These men were heroes. They faced a very difficult mission and heavy casualties, yet they went.

As the years go by, fewer of the veterans that were there that day remain. We must remember their heroism and that of the others who fought (then and now) for our freedoms and liberties.

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. © 2011, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

Keep On Fighting

Today is "National Cancer Survivors' Day." This day symbolizes fighting, overcoming, and dedication to beating the odds.

We pay tribute to all those who have overcome the disease to lead productive lives again. We can take a lot away from their fight and determination and apply that same type of effort to all aspects of our lives - whether we are cancer survivors or just fighters.

In my podcast message today "Keep On Fighting" I join in saluting the survivors, the fighters.

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. © 2011, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

We Are Socialists?

I reject the premise advance in the current Newsweek cover story that we are all socialists. Many Americans are capitalists - particularly small businesses and solopreneurs. We need to share the message of free enterprise whenever possible or America will be lost to those who feel entitled.

We must not accept this assumptive argument about socialism that wants to complete the transition into a society dependent on the government and its out-of-control spending for everyday life. We can't afford it and it diminishes our humanity.

In my podcast message today "We Are Socialists?" I question their argument because so many of us are capitalists and we need to make sure we are heard.

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. © 2011, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

Socialists? Speak For Yourself

Have you seen this copy of Newsweek magazine?

I will not be called a socialist because I am not. I am for the Constitution exactly as it is written with not one word added or interpolated for social justice.

I want small government - the smallest that can be supported by minimal taxation.

I want a strong defense. I don't want entitlements.

I am not a socialist.

I am a capitalist.

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. © 2011, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

Moody Blues

Moody's is warning us that if we don't raise our debt limit, they will downgrade our credit. Have they been listening to Tim Geitner?

Of course, once we raise the limit, they will downgrade our credit rating because we will no longer be a responsible borrower.

The last time I looked, Moody's was an American corporation. Does this posturing benefit Moody's of America?

And where was all of this concern the past few years as the trillions rolled by like the numbers on a gas pump?

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. © 2011, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

The Odometer Reads June

Today, the calendar rolled over to June. This is a great moth. There is anticipation that June will be a fun month, full of potential for enjoying ourselves and accomplishing business.

Schools are out, the weather is good, and it's still springtime even though summertime is at hand. Summertime unofficially began this past weekend. As such we are or will be thinking of vacations and outdoor activities. It's warm but not hot. It's a great time. It's also a perfect time for business before it gets too hot.

In my podcast message today "The Odometer Reads June" I observe that a new month - an exciting month - has begun. June just might be the most exciting midyear month.

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. © 2011, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

Treasure Secretary Is Not A Fan Of Free Market Economics

Tim Geitner is not representing our interests as Treasury Secretary. He may be representing labors unions, banks, and big businesses, but he's not looking out for our economy and small business.

He supported bailing out Chrysler and effectively buying GM. Now he is so proud of those actions.

He told us that our economy would collapse if we didn't bail out the banks. Guess we won't really know, but I'm not buying it.

He promised a catastrophic collapse to our economy if we failed to raise the debt limit. We didn't, and it didn't - not yet anyway.

He talked of dire consequences if we don't raise the debt limit, yet he can pay all our bills without defaulting with the money he has on hand - unless he intentionally chooses to without payments and cause a default that way.

He got us QE 1 and QE 2 and is lobbying for QE 3.

Let's get a free market capitalist in this post or let it be vacant. We need an advocate for America in this post.

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. © 2011, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.