Real Estate Moms Blog

Lead Generation and Marketing Plans for Real Estate Professionals

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Cheri) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 17:12:00 +0000

By Cheri Alguire

In pervious articles, we focused on targeting a niche, the WHO that benefit most from your services. Now we turn our attention to generating leads from that given niche and creating a marketing plan for success (the HOW.)

Once you have identified the WHO, you must set about a plan to communicate with them in order to capture that business. Don’t neglect a single person within the target. If you have singled out a particular neighborhood, for example, every waiter from every restaurant and every manager/owner of every business in that area should know your name and game. A branded, consistent image is essential, and you should carry—and leave it—wherever you go. The persona you present should be just as consistent: friendly, competent, and willing to help.

Master marketing blogger and author Seth Godin reminds us that marketing is simply a matter of spreading ideas—but that the very action of dispersing those ideas is a powerful force. He suggests that your marketing be a form of storytelling: let the consumer know you and your business through a memorable narrative. The story can be told in print, such as a glossy brochure or easily remembered business motto or slogan, but it also should be told through every visual image you present to the public as well: your website banners, stationery, postcards, etc.

Let’s use for example your target neighborhood again. You have identified the WHO in the niche and now want to reach them. They are a mix of upper-middle class singles and families, mostly professional, who support their neighborhood through school and community events. The neighborhood houses a city park, a few small, locally owned restaurants, and a scattering of businesses. What is your marketing plan to attract them? What story will you tell?

First, be visible. Be present in the neighborhood, supporting it. Live in it! If you are handing out flyers (or sponsoring?) the local half-marathon, everything that represents you and your business should be immediately recognizable: your logo, your colors, every image that tells your story. If you want to connect in this neighborhood, shouldn’t your photo on your website and promotional materials include an image of that park? If you are a runner, the consumer should see you in those shorts. A volunteer? Publish the image of your cause with you in it. To paraphrase the humorist, Nora Ephron, “everything is copy,” so get out there and get your story told with the real—and relevant--details of your life.

Second, be different. Seth Godin also warns us that “people only notice the new.” (ALL MARKETERS ARE LIARS, 2005.) The truth is, there are an awful lot of people who do what you do. So what do you do that is so different? Or how can you change what you do to be different? “Hot pizza, 30 minutes or less” is a differentiating distinction in a business of countless competition. You can’t “provide the best service” and be considered different from all the rest. But define the best service, and perform it, and you will succeed. We know of one real estate team that grew to become the top producers in their market by answering phone calls in five minutes or less, emails and text messages within ten minutes. They advertised this difference and delivered on it, convincing the public that they were interested in providing them immediate attention and service. Listing appointments included “the test:” potential sellers calling anonymously from a coded listing, only to have an agent return the call within five minutes and ask if they needed assistance on a particular home. Slam dunk.

Third, be active. Do not confuse having a “marketing strategy” with having an “action plan.” You must invest your time, effort, and dollars in securing the specific marketing resources which target your clientele and give you the best return on your investment. Big doesn’t always mean better, but then again, sometimes it does. Do your homework. Select media which fit both your budget and your goals. Then put your plan into effect.

Finally, analyze results. Track every lead to its source of origination. In that way, you can determine which marketing resources are working best, and which are most cost effective. You will know when and how (much) to change only if you track and account for your leads.

In the end, it is pretty simple: Tell your story well to as many people as possible.

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Coach Cheri Alguire has helped hundreds of Real Estate Professionals and Super Small Business Owners create a Lead Generation and Marketing Plan to really take their business to the next level of success. Find out more at http://www.CheriAlguire.com

Expired Real Estate Leads Scripts

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Cheri) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 20:55:00 +0000

By Cheri Alguire

With so many agents working on getting expired listings, my clients have been asking me to help them work on scripts during our coaching sessions for advice on how to deal with objections from expired real estate leads.

Remember, the expired listing is going to be bombarded with calls from other agents who are also trying to get the listing. It is very important to build rapport with the seller and to set an appointment. Once you are sitting with them, you will be better able to explain how you can help them get their home sold.

If you are using these scripts on the phone or even at their front door, always try to set an appointment to present your listing presentation when all decision makers can be present for as soon as possible. That same day would be great.

These are only some of the objections my coaching clients have received in the past few weeks. These are the responses we came up with to learn and use to handle those objections and questions. What kinds of objections and questions are you getting? Submit your question here http://www.prorealestatecoach.com/pages/contact-us.htm and we will get back to you on a specific response as well as include the best questions on a future Scripts posting.

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They say: “If I can’t get $xxx,000 for my house, I can’t afford to sell.”

You say: “I understand your concerns. Have you looked at what you will net if you get that amount? Let’s take a closer look at the numbers including what it is costing you each month that you don’t sell and have to pay for expenses with the property. Could I stop by and explain those numbers to you later today?”

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They say: “How come you did not sell it while it was on the market before?”

You say: “With the current market we are in, there are so many houses that are similar on the market. In order to get your house to stand out on the Multiple Listing System that agents use to search for available houses for their buyers, it is important to market it so that it stands out among the rest. Can I share with you how I market homes differently on the MLS than I do for potential buyers in, say, the newspaper? Can we meet later today?”

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They say: “Can you send me some information on your experience first.”

You say: “I would be happy to get you a brochure and some information on how I can help you get your home sold. I would hate for you to miss any time on the market, however. Can I drop it off with you this evening? That way you can get your home listed again as soon as possible. What time is best for you?”

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They say: “Have you ever sold a house in my neighborhood?”

You say: “Even though I have not sold a home in your specific neighborhood, my marketing philosophy is to really market the home’s strengths. I believe one of your homes strengths is being in the (insert neighborhood name) and it’s proximity to the elementary school. What do you think are your home and neighborhood’s best features? I would love to show you how I’ll fit those strengths into my marketing materials. Can we set up a time for me to come over and explain my marketing plan later this evening?”

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They say: “How about if we just list it with you for a month and try it out?”

You say: “With today’s current marketing conditions, it is taking longer for some properties to sell with the competition on the market. Let me explain the marketing plan I would use on your property and explain what I would be doing in the first month as well as the next months after that. I am sure you will be impressed. “

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They say: “I am frustrated that our house has not sold yet.”

You say: “I understand your frustration. With the changes we have seen in the real estate market over the past year, the average days a home is listed on the market has increased. One thing that I offer is an updated market analysis on a regular basis to make sure we have your home listed at the right price even with new homes selling and new properties being listed in competition with you. To help ease your frustrations, how often would you like to receive this information while your house is listed?”

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They say: “I don’t think our agent did their job.”

You say: “I am sorry you feel that way. I know your past agent and he is a good agent. However, what would you want from your next agent that would make it a better experience?”

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They say: “My last agent was not able to sell our house in 6 months, what makes you think that you can?”

You say: “I know it is frustrating that it is taking longer to sell your home than you anticipated. I have a marketing plan that has helped me sell (insert your numbers) % of my listings and my average days on market is (insert your numbers.) What do you think would help your home sell more quickly?”

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They say: “My last agent did not do much to sell my house. I think I am going to try it myself.”

You say: “I can understand your frustrations. Sometimes it seems like it would be easier to sell it yourself because you don’t see what your agent is dong to promote your house to the other agents in your area. Can I explain what I do to promote your house in the MLS and to other agents?”

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Real Estate Coach Cheri Alguire has helped thousands of Real Estate Professionals answer tough questions from Expired Real Estate Leads like these. If you have a tough question that you have trouble answering, submit it here: http://www.prorealestatecoach.com/pages/contact-us.htm and she will email you a possible script and post the most best questions in a future Scripts posting.

What is your Value Proposition and why do you need one?

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Cheri) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 05:16:00 +0000

By Cheri Alguire

YOU know how special you are. YOU know that you outshine the competition. The question is: does your potential client?

Helping clients understand the value you provide to them is essential in prospecting and keeping business. Let’s face it: consumers have plenty of YOU to choose from, and national research shows that they see very little difference among you. It is therefore up to you to be able to articulate and to demonstrate what it is that makes you their best choice; what it is that makes you unique and valuable.

First, know what clients want and know that those wants may change. You must identify what consumers expect and need.
NAR data from 2008 states that today’s buyers and sellers are selecting agents for a number of select reasons:

• They want a quick response.
• They want expert advice and guidance.
• They want a skilled negotiator.
• They want accurate market knowledge.
• They want a “track record.” (Reputation matters.)
• They want someone they can trust.

If you are able to show clients that you have expertise and skill in all of these areas, you have begun to prove your value.

In addition, a good buyer’s interview will help you determine your clients’ individual wants and needs. Listening is a key component in this step. If you can then paraphrase back to the clients what they have described, they become convinced that you know and understand them, and what’s more: that you are willing to accept their “requirements” and work accordingly on their behalf. (Also, be prepared to be flexible because those “must haves” might suddenly shift to “would be nice to haves,” while entirely new criteria surface as primary.)

Second, remember: it’s not about you. It’s about them.

A useful motto here for the real estate professional is: “check your values at the door.” You may take their criteria and show the clients the best of the best in that price range, only to find out that they are solely comfortable with homes more modest or unassuming. You may be appalled to discover that their top choice is across from an apartment complex or major highway, but if you remain non-judgmental and validate their reasons, you have proven your value as a listener to their needs. On the other hand, if you try to argue them out of their first choice or convince them they are wrong, (because obviously you are the expert!) then you risk alienating the clients you are supposed to serve, if not lose them all together.

Finally, know and verbalize exactly why clients should work with you.
And P.S. the answer isn’t “because I give good service.” You’d better give good service: that’s a bottom-line expectation of all consumers! What do you do above-and-beyond service?

Jeffrey J. Fox, in HOW TO BECOME A RAINMAKER, reminds us that we should always be able to answer the question, “Why should this customer do business with us?” Make it your mission to be able to answer that question for your business--the same way every time. And make the answer true.

That is a value proposition that sells.

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Coach Cheri Alguire has helped hundreds of Super Small Business Owners, Realtors, Coaches, and moms figure out their Value Proposition. If you would like help with your Value Proposition check out part 10 of the 17-Part eCourse at http://RealEstateBusinessPlanningGuide.com or contact us today at http://www.CheriAlguire.com

Niche Marketing Lesson for Your Business from a Burger Restaurant

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Cheri) — Mon, 18 May 2009 17:46:00 +0000

By Cheri Alguire

Now in the current market and more than ever, you may be tempted to define your clients as any and every one who walks past you down the street. Everyone needs a place to live, right? Concerns over the economy and a desperate need for lead generation may persuade you to apply the salt-shaker method of marketing: sprinkle it all over and hope that something sticks! But this panic-mode thinking could be the biggest mistake you make all year, resulting in wasted time, money and resources.

In order to get the most of your marketing efforts, in this economy especially, you need to follow the rules of niche marketing. In-N-Out Burger fast food restaurants are a perfect example of niche marketing. Never meant to appeal to everyone, never meant to take over McDonalds’ or Burger King’s market share, this successful hamburger joint has a limited menu consisting of only three different sandwiches: the hamburger, cheeseburger, and the "Double-Double" (double meat/double cheese.)

Though times have changed since the chain opened its first restaurant in 1948 in Baldwin Park, California, little has changed at In-N-Out. The menu - burgers, fries and drinks - is still the same basic menu customers have always enjoyed. Have they expanded their menu to have other kinds of sandwiches and entrees? No. Loyal burger eaters know that when they want a good quality burger, IN-N-OUT is the place to go. They do not spend marketing money advertising the latest Chicken Sandwich Spectacular because they don’t have one. They focus on what they do best.
As a small business owner, what lessons can you learn from IN-N-OUT?

Now is exactly the time to refocus your time, money, and resources in a similar manner. When all three may be in short supply, it only makes sense to concentrate on your niche, the group of people most assured to bring you certain returns, the group of people you want to work with and concentrate on.

If you don’t know them already, choose who those people are.

Who best benefits from the specific services you offer—and deliver--better than anyone else?
Who already has benefited from your services and is now a “Raving Fan?”
Who do you know who “talks up” your services and serves as your Goodwill Ambassador?

After you have determined the WHO, analyze the WHERE.

What do these groups you have identified have in common and where do they come from?
Are those who benefit most from your services within a certain age group? Geographic location? Job or organization?
Those who are your Raving Fans are clearly past clients and referrals, but where do you find them now?
The Goodwill Ambassadors are clearly your sphere, but where do you find them? The family tree? The immediate neighborhood? Church? Clubs?

Then of course, you must apply the HOW. How will you reach that target once you have identified it? If seniors are the most likely to respond to your services and inventory, you will probably not concentrate solely on internet strategies But similarly, if you have a Gen-X or Y population clamoring for your services, you need to be well established with the latest technologies, communication platforms including social media networking sites, and expertise. Know how to reach your clients and where to spend your time and money.

And remember your goals. If you are planning to double your business within the next five years, then the HOW must include the resources you will need to market to and service your niche.

Don’t succumb to the fear that if you don’t court every potential client, you won’t have any clients at all. Make your niche as carefully designed a part of your business plan as your budget. If you focus your time and resources and serving the burger-loving clients the best way you possibly can, you will attract more of the same. Leave the chicken-lovers to someone else.

This is the true key to Niche Marketing!

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Coach Cheri Alguire has helped thousands of super small business owners and real estate professionals find their niche. Find about her book Branding & Marketing Mastery or her business planning guides at http://www.CheriAlguire.com

Mother of the Year Video

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Cheri) — Mon, 11 May 2009 14:14:00 +0000

I hope all you Real Estate Moms enjoyed Mother's Day. I enjoyed "Mother's Day Weekend!" (Why have a day when you can stretch it to three!)

I received this video in an email from a friend on Mother's Day. Watch it to the end and it will bring up an area where you can customize it.

CNNBC Mother of the Year Video

Make it a GREAT Year!!!

Moms on Facebook

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Cheri) — Mon, 04 May 2009 18:14:00 +0000

By Cheri Alguire

“Why isn’t there a ‘Kids’ Day?” is the question I heard from my fifteen-year-old daughter this week. Doesn’t she know that her older brothers and all kids in the entire world that have ever asked this question before always get the same answer…”Every day is ‘Kids Day’!”

Happy Mother’s Day, Real Estate Moms! I hope you all have plans to enjoy your day!

The other day, my daughter walked into my office and exclaimed with surprise, “Mom! You’re on Facebook!” She thought Facebook was only for kids. Not anymore. The fastest growing demographic on Facebook is those 35 years old and older. Facebook, is no long, just for kids.

How about you? Which Social Media sites are you on? Facebook? MySpace? Active Rain? Linked In? Others?

I first joined Facebook when my son’s girlfriend invited me to join. I didn’t do anything with it for years. Then, about six months ago my brother found me on it and asked me to be his friend. He did tell me that he thought it was pretty disgraceful that he made up 50 percent of my “friends” and that he was my brother so he didn’t even really count! I decided it was time that I checked out this Social Media craze starting with Facebook.

According to Wikipedia, “Mark Zuckerberg founded Facebook with fellow computer science major students and his roommates Dustin Moskovitz and Chris Hughes while he was a student at Harvard University. Website membership was initially limited to Harvard students, but was expanded to other colleges in the Boston area, the Ivy League, and Stanford University. It later expanded further to include any university student, then high school students, and, finally, to anyone aged 13 and over. The website currently has more than 200 million active users worldwide.”

Even Oprah is now on Facebook!

Founded in February 2004, Facebook is a social utility that helps people communicate more efficiently with their friends, family and coworkers. The company develops technologies that facilitate the sharing of information through the social graph, the digital mapping of people's real-world social connections. Anyone can sign up for Facebook and interact with the people they know in a trusted environment.

As of May 2009 there are:

More than 200 million active users
More than 100 million users log on to Facebook at least once each day
More than two-thirds of Facebook users are outside of college
Average user has 120 friends on the site
More than 3.5 billion minutes are spent on Facebook each day (worldwide)
More than 20 million users update their statuses at least once each day
More than 4 million users become fans of Pages each day

But, how about you? How do you use Facebook and why? Do you use it to keep connected with family, friends and clients? To locate old classmates? To network? What? Please comment and let me know how you are using Facebook or other Social Media. Or click on my Social Media Links on my website http://www.CheriAlguire.com and message me that way.

I look forward to connecting with you on Social Media and sharing more about how real people use it in their business and in their life.

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Coach Cheri Alguire is a coach, speaker and trainer who has helped thousands of Real Estate Professionals and Super Small Business Owners keep up on the latest business trends and take their business to the next level of success. Find out more at www.CheriAlguire.com

How is your “Busyness” Doing?

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Cheri) — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 15:56:00 +0000

By Cheri Alguire

How is your Busyness Doing?

No, I did not mean “Business” but if you tell me how your “Busyness” is, I bet I can tell how your Business is doing. We too often spend far too many hours attending the busy-work of the business, which leaves us a day late and a dollar short of our goals.

What is on your to-do list for today? Are these items that will get you closer to your goals, or are they just things that you HAVE to do. I can almost bet that if you are getting up every day and just plowing through a seemingly endless to-do list, that your Business may be “surviving,” but you are not “thriving.”

An important way to tell if you are doing busy work or not, are ask yourself the following questions:

1. Which goal will doing this activity get me one step closer to?
2. Can someone else do this for me?

Sometime things don’t really need to be done at all. And sometimes, things need to be done, but just not by you.

You will need to prioritize those items that have to get done by you. If the majority of your business over the next five years will come from leads generated from referrals and sphere, then the “have-tos” are clear: contact and service well that group of people. Invest your time and money in that quadrant of contacts. Stay away from the nagging “to-do” list that says you need to update the expired system that you drafted two years ago and have failed to implement yet.

Next, ask some hard, frank questions of yourself and your business.

• First, can you reach your goals alone? In order to achieve the numbers you’ve put forward, do you need to expand your human resources?

• Second, do you need a different business model than the one you are currently using? (Told you they were hard questions!)

If you are looking to increase your production by half-again as much in the next five years, perhaps you can obtain your goal within the status quo. But what if you are looking to double your business in five years? Or quadruple it? Is it reasonable to think that you can succeed under the same manner and with the same number of people that you have been previously?

You know the answer: undoubtedly not. As a matter of fact, this can often be the tipping point of decline and/or failure in a business, when you fail to realize that you, alone, cannot be chief cook and bottle washer and grow your business. A team or staff to support you may become essential when planning for your future goals The E-Myth Revisited: Why Most Small Business Don’t Work and What To Do About It, by Michael Gerbe r, talks about this at length in his book.

It’s all about the numbers today in terms of goals and in terms of human resources. Plan accordingly.

That is why Part 9 of my 17 –Part Business Planning Workbook is on the numbers. You need to figure out what kind of Production you will need over the next 1-5 years in order to hit your personal goals. Your business is about supporting your life; it should not be your life.

If you are caught up in Busyness, your business has become you life, and is no longer just supporting it.

One question I get a lot doing my coaching and speaking is “How do you come up with the “numbers?” Maybe this will help:

WRITE THEM DOWN.

Next year’s goal: what is the magic number for closed production (in millions?) For your 2-year goal? For 3, and 4, and 5 years? What about gross and net closed commissions? Average Sales Price? Number of Transactions? Number of Listings? You must chart each out and write down the number.

For next year and the four to follow, what is the magic number for new listings, for example? Where will the business come from? What is the lead source? Referral. Sphere. Website. Farm. Expireds. What about buyer-generated sales? Where will that business come from? What are the lead sources? As you define these categories, you begin to identify your target market and where to spend your marketing dollars (and your time!)

Numbers tell you so much about your business. By focusing on your numbers and reaching your goals, you are able to plan your priorities, staff your Business accordingly and keep out of Busyness!

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Coach Cheri Alguire has helped hundreds of real estate professionals, super small business owners and Moms, keep out of Busyness and in a Business that is thriving. To find out more about Cheri Alguire’s Business Planning Guide visit http://www.realestatebusinessplanningguide.com/ or http://www.cherialguire.com/

Why did the Dog Cross the Road?

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Cheri) — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 13:48:00 +0000

by Cheri Alguire

In ancient times, lessons were taught via stories told around the campfires at the end of the day. The wise elders would tell and retell fables that turned into modern stories such as “the Hare and the Tortoise” where the moral of “slow and steady wins the race” is taught to children (an adults) through animal characters.

When my kids were little, these kinds of stories were in books. Today, I hear of parents who use iPods with stories on them to “read” to their kids. (And I thought the audio cassette with Chicken Little was cool1?!)

Is it fair to say that the stories of future will be passed on through the internet through things like YouTube? I saw this video this week and it made me ponder, Why Did the Dog Cross the Road?

http://www.growtogreatness.com/posting/why-did-the-dog-cross-the-road.htm

When you watch this video, you see a dog; I will call him Barley, stepping out into a busy multilane freeway in Chile. Why did the dog cross the road? It was rush hour and cars and trucks were zooming by at high speeds. Why in the world would this dog attempt to cross the road?

If you were able to see the video, you know that Barley is hit by a car. His still body lies lifeless on the dotted line separating two of the lanes as cars and trucks race by avoiding hitting him again. Why?

Why did Barley cross the road that day? Was he just being stupid? Did his mommy dog not teach him about the dangers of this world? Did he see too many movies of dangerous stunts and was Barley just trying to defy the odds and gain a moment of fame in the process?

Or, was Barley trying to get to his kids and was not going to let anything stop him, no matter the danger involved? We all know that as parents, we would do ANYTHING for our kids, especially if they were in some kind of trouble.

Or, was Barley giving up that day. Did the economic times leave Barley feeling like there was not hope, that life was just too hard and the world would be better off without him? Was he cold and tired and just giving up as he stepped onto that crowded busy freeway?

But wait; out of the corner of the screen, you see something moving. Out of nowhere you see another dog, who I will call Chip, running into the road as well. He is dogging cars, but he is moving with sheer determination to the spot where Barley is laying lifeless.

Chip wraps his paws around Barley. Do these dogs know each other? Why would Chip put his life in danger like this?

Chip then begins to drag the injured Barley slowly, inch by inch to the center island area of the road. It seems the traffic in that lane is surprisingly sparse for just a minute as Chips drags Barley, slowly across the pavement which could, at any moment, be filled with a speeding Semi truck. Any cars that do approach them, however, see something and although they are not sure what they are witnessing exactly, they notice them and steer around them.

Just as Chip has Barley to the concrete barrier in the center of this freeway, two construction workers see the dogs and come running to their aid, diverting traffic out of the far lane.

Barley lives. He gets the medical attention he needs and although still recovering and is not conscious yet, he will survive. But where is Chip? We don’t know. Chip took off after seeing Barley to safety.

Why did Chip cross the road? Did he know Barley? Was he trying to save his friend? If that is the case, why didn’t he stick around? If he did not know Barley, why would he put himself in danger? Why did the dog cross the road?

Like Chip, we see others who have gotten themselves into a tough situation. Maybe they were being stupid, yes. Maybe they did not heed warnings and found themselves in a rough patch, maybe even a life threatening situation. Sometimes it can be dangerous to help others. But sometimes, like Chip, we just see someone in trouble and know we need to do the right thing.

Now, I am not telling you to go out and get yourself killed. If we are not somewhat careful, we will never be any help to anyone. But are you willing to step out and help someone who really needs it, even if it is dangerous? How many times do we not help others because just because we are afraid it will make us look stupid? Do you think Chip was thinking about how stupid he looked?

Do you think Chip cared about how “busy” he was at the time? Do you think he even wondered if he really had the time to help this other dog? Probably not.

Sometimes we don’t help others because we think there are others who are more qualified to help. What if Chip left Barley to others who were more qualified to move him out of the busy freeway? Do you think he would have made it that long?

The moral of this story: Sometimes, no matter how busy we think we are or how unqualified we think we are or how dangerous we think something might be, sometimes, we just need to do the right thing.

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Cheri Alguire is an author, speaker and coach. Find out more about her at http://www.CheriAlguire.com

GOAL SETTING IN A DOWN ECONOMY

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Cheri) — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 17:11:00 +0000

by Cheri Alguire

There is no shortage on advice on Goal Setting, and it’s one of the “basics” of business planning. But how do you set goals when sales are down and all you hear on the news is bad news. What is the alternative? Participate in the recession? Just sit back and let things happen to you? Good economy or bad, goal setting is pivotal. From professional athletes to motivational speakers to CEOs to Real Estate Agents to Super Small Business Owners to Stay-at-Home-Moms, Goal Setting is undeniably the key to success.

If you don’t know where you want to go, how can you create a plan? It is like jumping in the car with your family in it ready to go on vacation and you have no idea where the family is going. You don’t know if you are going across the county, across the state, or across the country. You can’t plan how long it is going to take, or the best way to get there, because you are not sure where you are going. You just get in the car and drive, hoping that something will come up that will give you direction, will give you hope. If your days seem like you are just hoping in the car and driving around without a plan, maybe it is time to do some goal setting.

• First, THINK LARGE. Don’t start with tomorrow, or even next year. WHERE DO YOU WANT TO BE IN FIVE YEARS? TEN YEARS? If you concentrate on how BAD things are, you will not be able to think big. Consider personal, financial, and business goals all on this wide open canvas of possibility. Don’t think in terms of How Will I? Think in terms of I WILL.

• Second, VERBALIZE your goals. WRITE them down in specific detail. POST them on your wall for a daily morning review.

• Next, VISUALIZE them. Create the picture of that success, or that vacation, or that volunteer activity. POST it.

• As a final step, ANALYZE your goals. Are they SMART? (Specific and Measurable?) Are they PURE? (Positive and Relevant?) Are they CLEAR? (Challenging and Appropriate.)

• And as a postscript, LEGITIMIZE them. REVISE and REWRITE them so that they fit both your dream and the “test” above. Confirm them with yourself and put them into action.

Remember that when Goal Setting, where you have been isn’t necessarily relevant. Now the course to set is where you want to be. It may be helpful to think of goals in terms of PERFORMANCE as much as in imagery. So when thinking of your goals, for example: an increase in the number of referrals you receive over the next five years, think not only of the physical number: say, 30%, but of the performance or action which needs to accompany that goal. Let’s take this example through the steps:

• I will increase our referral business by 30% in the next five years.

• I see a client appreciation picnic of 500 people catered by my favorite deli.

• Smart= I will measure the increase in the number of referrals year by year.

Pure=I will reward clients and my team members with a company picnic to show our appreciation.

Clear=I will rise to the challenge by increasing referrals incrementally each year from our current 20%.

• In terms of Performance/Action: I will hand write a thank you after each business transaction. I will observe birthdays and anniversaries through my email databank. I will strive for a 5 on every evaluation that is returned to me through my attention to detail and positive service plan.

• Make the goals FUN and MOTIVATING. If a new car or piece of jewelry or house motivates you, put that in your goal. Put little goals in along the way as well. Buy yourself that new designer purse when you hit a certain number of sales. Reward yourself along the way to hitting your BIG Goals.

Suddenly the goal is not just a dream, but a in specific direction toward your definition of success. Goal Setting should put a smile on your face! It’s the future you see in your dreams—achieved through your efforts and passion.

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Coach Cheri Alguire has helped thousands of people set and achieve goals far above anything they ever dreamed possible. If you want more information on the Business Planning Guide or her Goal Setting Coaching please visit http:// www.CheriAlguire.com

How NOT to Deal with Problem Areas in Your Business and Your Life

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Cheri) — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 05:26:00 +0000

By Cheri Alguire

Many people attack the problem areas in their business with the mantra, “When things get tough, I just work harder.”

This is a philosophy that looks admirable on the surface, but actually can adversely affect our goals. Surprisingly, the answer isn’t necessarily work “smarter,” either. The true answer to problem areas in business might be at the very core of our selves and our lifestyles.

When business planning, we strive to define goals, to establish and maintain the systems that support those goals, and to manage our time and resources accordingly. What we often do not do, that can result in serious problems, if not outright disaster, is plan for our selves. And we’re not just talking about the last time you had a vacation (without the cell phone.) We are focusing here on all the aspects of your life that allows you to recharge your body and mind in order to sustain your personal and business success.

Imagine a balance wheel that is drawn around your being. It would include health: diet, sleep, exercise, and relaxation (a.k.a. stress management.) Like any visual of this nature, if your self-assessment of these elements is lop-sided, you have identified the problem area(s) that limit your success.

Dr. Paul Pearsall, in his book TOXIC SUCCESS: HOW TO STOP STRIVING AND START LIVING, has labeled this tendency toward constant motion/drive in work while ignoring the self as “toxic success,” and reminds us of the 19th century folk hero, John Henry, who infamously tried to manually out-produce a steam-powered drill with a hammer and pick, but died after “winning” the race. He warns us that a single-minded focus can delude us into thinking we can control any and everything while we ignore our internal energy fuel gauge.

Focusing singularly on the business while wolfing down fast food—or not eating at all—obsessing on the market while losing sleep . . . our habits become self-defeating. This critical area is also what Stephen Covey refers to as “sharpening the saw,” in his book THE SEVEN HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE, and he urges us to pay attention to it in our every day lives.
Remember, too, that personal attitudes have a huge influence on how we approach our problems. Believing that problems are permanent and insurmountable pretty well predicts that very outcome. However, by focusing on the health of our being, we can also take control of those attitudes that eat away at our ability to problem-solve.

You probably already know the drill: time manage for your self the way your time manage for your daily appointments and office duties. Exercise and sleep should be blocked off on your calendar. Relaxation breaks should be allotted for in definite terms, be it yoga, vacation, reading time, or the social hour. Remember that your business can’t run without you, so taking care of you should be a primary focus in every day planning and in long-term vision. You need to do it!

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Coach Cheri Alguire has helped hundreds of Entrepreneurs and Real Estate Professionals create a Business and Life Plan that really works for all areas of your life. To find out more about her Business Planning guides for Small Business Owners and Real Estate Agents at http://CheriAlguire.com

Time to Review Your Goals and Business Plan

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Cheri) — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 00:08:00 +0000

By Cheri Alguire

It is the end of the first quarter and time to check the score.

Just as planning your goals for the coming year should always begin with a look back at the year in review, so planning your business for the rest of this year should take a look back at the first quarter. Business planning isn’t just a numbers game, but also an accounting and analysis of the year’s overall progress.

Begin by asking the hard questions:
• What happened in your business this past year? Past quarter?
• Did you meet your goals? If not, why not?
• How did you accomplish your successful goals?
• Where did your business come from?

From there, analyze the specific sources of success or failure.
• Were your lead systems facilitating your goals?
• Did the number of listings support the number of closed transactions?

And yes, now analyze the numbers: closed sales, closed commissions, expenses, how many listings taken, how many listings sold, how many active? Quantify where the business came from in comparison to your goals: how many sales from sphere? Referrals? Websites? Print media? Signs? Other lead-generating systems?

Also take a look at the team. Who do you have working with you and what are their roles? Did they support last year’s business? Did they reach their goals? Were their goals congruous with your business plan? And let’s not forget that important last count: the one where you evaluate yourself, including how many hours you worked per week and how much vacation time you took during the course of the year or quarter.

Think of this business in review task as a report to imaginary shareholders in the business. They would need a reminder of last year’s goals, a comparison to the actual numbers, an analysis of the year’s operations and relative success, and an evaluation, ultimately, of your business strategy. The success of the past year forms the basis of your business plan for the next. You are able to determine if you need to completely overhaul your “to-do” list or merely fine-tune it. You are able to focus on the past year’s strengths in order to maximize their results for the future. You are also able to isolate weaknesses or “misses” and problem-solve them to a positive resolution.

The business “flashback” in review cannot be ignored if you hope to continue to grow your business into tomorrow. The necessary steps to planning for that future can only happen once you’ve seen what came before. That is when you learn not just from your mistakes, but from your successes. It’s then you can set the new goal and create the plan. It’s then you can focus your time and resources. It’s then you can make accountability a part of the process. It’s then you can move forward with the confidence that you have planned for an incredible year ahead.

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Coach Cheri Alguire helps Real Estate Professionals, even those who hate numbers, analyze and understand the numbers in order to create a more profitable business. Find out more at http://www.prorealestatecoach.com/ or http://www.RealEstateBusinessPlanningGuide.com/

Is Your Real Estate Business Running Smoothly?

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Cheri) — Mon, 23 Mar 2009 18:21:00 +0000

By Cheri Alguire

Let’s face it. The time to ask yourself, “Is my business running smoothly?” is NOT after you have just had a flat tire and are bumping down the road. The time to ask that question and analyze its answer is during the business planning process AND throughout the year.

A business is a complex machine with many moving parts. Well-maintained, it works smoothly and takes you where you want to go. But if just one part is neglected over time or overlooked, an eventual breakdown is certain.

To begin the process, take a look at your systems and how they connect to the big picture. Where, exactly, do they exist in the framework of your business and how efficiently are they running? Jennifer James, in THINKING IN THE FUTURE TENSE, reminds us that “systems thinking” can bridge the gap between reality and perception, and is probably the best way to problem solve (189.) Systems thinking “helps us understand that all parts of a business or a process are connected, and that when one part is challenged, all the others are as well” (189.) Typically, we may look at problems in isolation, but that may not solve the underlying systemic issues.

Let’s take an example of lagging sales. Agents are not making production goals; therefore, the cash flow or profit bottom line is not being met for the business. You could dismiss the problem as “it’s the market,” and continue to slump in sales. You could blame your team and look for new help. But if you look at all the systems that feed productivity: lead generation and marketing, listing systems, follow-up, people and support systems, you may be able to discover various cogs in the wheel that are preventing progress. Does listing inventory need to increase in order to produce leads? Are follow-up systems being utilized? Do team members need more mentoring or training? Could the answer to lagging sales be a team retreat that re-motivates and energizes the team members?

Systems thinking allows for and demands creative problem solving. Take Steve Jobs of Apple computers. Infamously “fired” at one time from his own company, Jobs loved the business too much to stay away from it. After creating PIXAR (among other projects) while on hiatus from Apple, he returned to regenerate not only the product (Macs) but the industry itself. While launching and perfecting iMovie (a consumer-friendly video-editing application) for the Mac, he realized that software wasn’t enough. In order to function properly, he concluded, it had to work in conjunction with several other components. He became committed to the goal that Mac would offer something unique by developing whole business systems for the personal computer. And of course from there, he made history: launching a little digital music business with iPod. (See pages 257-258 INSIDE STEVE’S BRAIN by Lenader Kahney.) Systems thinking was the key.

Systems thinking is not so much thinking “outside the box” as it is the wide-angle view. So pan the vista of your own business. What systems are in place? Are any missing? Of those that are operating, are they running as efficiently as they could be? Put the individual pieces together to create a smooth and successful whole. Problem solve with imagination and collaboration to fix issues that slow you down. Be cognizant throughout the year. Create and maintain a smooth-running machine.

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Coach Cheri Alguire has helped hundreds of Small Business Owners and Real Estate Professionals create and implement an effective Business Plan. For more information check out http://www.realestatebusinessplanningguide.com/ or http://cherialguire.com/

Some Traditions are Hard to Break

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Cheri) — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 20:11:00 +0000

By Cheri Alguire

March 17th is St. Patrick's Day! The one day of the year I have a corn beef sandwich and Guinness (and I don't even like beer!) Some traditions are hard to break. And I am only a tiny percent Irish.

My Step-Grandfather's name was O'Brien and the parties he and my Grandmother used to have on St. Patrick’s Day took a month of planning. Like my Grandmother, I love to entertain! Some traditions are hard to break.

The economy has changed. We are not in the Industrial Economy anymore. Some still believe we are in the Information Economy. Others say we have moved to the Inspiration Economy. Yet, many of you still run your business and do sales and marketing like nothing has changed in our economy. Some traditions are hard to break.

If you would like to take the Super Small Business QwikScore and see if YOU are ready for THIS Economy, send me an email or request it through my website http://www.coachcheri.com/pages/contact-us.htm

I have given this quiz to all of my clients and the results are enlightening. I will also schedule a 20 minute coaching call to debrief your results if you are interested.

Some traditions ARE hard to break!

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Super Small Business Coach Cheri Alguire has partnered with hundreds of Small Business Professionals, Entrepreneurs and Real Estate Professionals helping them make money in any economy. Find out more at www.SuperSmallBusinessCoaching.com or www.CheriAlguire.com

Having a Weekly Menu Planned Can Help Busy Working Moms

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Cheri) — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 00:52:00 +0000

By Cheri Alguire

I don’t know about you, but after a crazy day of working in my business, there is one question that used to send me into overload. “Mom, what’s for dinner?”

By the time I was asked that question, my brain was usually fried from a day of work and after having to make decisions all day, this was one decision I was not prepared to make.

The sad truth about not having thought through that question much earlier in my day meant that I ended up piling the family into the car and hitting fast food. This is not how I like to take care of my family’s food needs. Not only is it not the healthiest choice, but it can really wreak havoc on the budget if it happens too often.

I have found a little planning goes along way. I created this Busy Mom’s Menu Guide
form that I fill out on Sunday for the entire week. I look at the family schedule and make sure I am not planning meals that have extensive prep on days I am not going to be home until late or huge meals that require a lot of clean up on nights the kids have activities I have to take them immediately after dinner.

This menu also helps me figure out if I am missing any ingredients for a meal and creates a shopping list for me if I need to pick up certain things for a specific meal later in the week.

The prep column helps keep me organized with what I may need to pull out of the freezer or put in the slow cooker before I get started with my busy day.

I have found that taking 15 minutes on Sunday evenings to plan my menus for the week and posting this form on the refrigerator has helped get rid of a lot of stress at dinner time and allowed me to make the healthy meals for my family that I want to make.

I have included a copy of my Busy Mom’s Menu Guide for you to print off and use. If you can’t access it in this format you are using, go to http://www.coachcheri.com/pages/contact-us.htm and request it and I will email a copy to you.

BusyMomsMenu.pdf

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Coach Cheri Alguire has partnered with hundreds of busy moms (and dads!) who are Small Business Owners or Real Estate Professionals. Check out her Real Estate Moms Blog at http://www.RealEstateMoms.com or find out more about Cheri at http://www.CheriAlguire.com

BusyMomsMenu.pdf

Schedule Self-Care Everyday to Help you Accomplish Even More

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Cheri) — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 01:26:00 +0000

By Cheri Alguire

I have noticed a trend with my clients over the past couple weeks. Many of them are working really hard to hit goals and get so many things done. They are working towards several results at all cost, even when it comes to their own health and well being.

STOP IT!!!!

You can’t keep putting in extra time with your business and your family and your volunteerism and everyone else by taking time away from yourself. It is going to hurt your clients and your family and yourself in the long run.

When we fly and the crew is going through the emergency procedures before takeoff, they always tell us that if the oxygen masks are released, to put your own mask on FIRST before helping small children you may be traveling with. Why is this? Because if you don’t, you won’t be much help to anyone else. You have to take care of your immediate needs so you can be the one helping people and not the one needing help!

When you're a Realtor, or business owner, and a parent, and participant in the many other things you are involved in, it seems like people are pulling you in different directions each day. At work, you face constant demands from your clients, and you expect that. However, the demands don't stop once you're at home.

Contrary to what some might think, carving out some "me time" isn't selfish. If you don't take some time to clear your head, you'll be more frazzled and less able to help both your clients and your family. Take time for yourself! As a coach, my clients know I ask them every session about “Self-Care!”

Some Ideas for Self-Care

You need to find “ME” time or “Self-Care” everyday. You also need to plan bigger self-care items on a weekly or monthly or even yearly basis.

So what should you do daily? The most important thing is to do something that you enjoy, but also something that will allow you to clear your mind and relax. To ease into the relaxation frame of mind, try taking a long bubble bath with candles and soft music. Let your mind drift, and don't worry about planning next week's schedule. Other relaxing things to try could be taking a walk, reading a book, or trying meditation. The main thing is to do whatever helps you recharge.

It is also important to do “bigger things” for yourself on a weekly or monthly or even yearly basis such as getting a massage or facial, having a manicure or pedicure, going out to lunch with a friend who is positive and will help you recharge. I have a friend like that who is “sunshine” and recharges me every time I meet with her. Which of your friends do that for you? Make the time to spend with them. It will be worth it. By taking an hour out of your day every two weeks to go to lunch with someone who builds you up, you will find that you are even more productive once you are back to that to-do list.

And don’t forget those big yearly events such as a spa weekend with girlfriends, or annual night with the girls going to a play or special performance. It is important to have these special things to look forward to that you do just for you.

Anything that is really important to you should be on your schedule and not just on your to-do list. So put this self-care on your schedule daily, weekly, monthly and yearly.

Take Advantage of That Relaxed Feeling

It can be hard to keep your mind off your schedule while trying to relax, but you can take advantage of your peaceful relaxation time to do some stress-free planning. After your bath or walk, before you rejoin your office or family, sit down and tackle your to-do list for the rest of the day or week. With your mind clear, you'll be able to be more organized. Make sure when you plan your schedule, you include as much “me-time” as you can. I feel that an hour a day is a minimum. Your family and your clients will love the more cheerful, relaxed you!

My coach told me once, a few years ago, “How can you keep giving and giving, filling up other people’s cup, if you never stop and refill yours? You won’t have much left to give. If you would stop and refill, think of how much more you would be able to give and how much easier it would be.” That really hit me hard. Now, I make sure that not only am I the first thing on my to-do list, but that that time is scheduled – and is sacrosanct - every day!

How about you? What are you going to do to begin putting YOU first on your list?

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Coach Cheri Alguire is a business and life coach who has helped hundreds and hundreds of Moms, Real Estate Professionals and Small Business owners put themselves first and therefore accomplish more and more. To find out more about her coaching check out www.CoachCheri.com or www.CheriAlguire.com

How Your Vision Drives Your Goals and Day-to-Day Actions

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Cheri) — Mon, 16 Feb 2009 23:49:00 +0000

By Cheri Alguire

As values drive your life purpose, vision drives your goal setting and your day-to-day actions.

I took this photo on a hike last month in Gold Canyon, AZ. It was a rainy day that had a brief burst of clear skies that enabled this hike and great photo. I have titled it “Vision.” It is my desktop background picture right now. If you can’t see the photo in this article, please check on www.RealEstateMoms.com

You know the old saying: “In order to know where you are going, you have to remember where you have been.” In naming your vision and setting goals for this year, truer words were never spoken. You need to first analyze where your business has been this past year before you can actually envision where you will be next. Vision is the big picture, the WHAT you will do (as opposed to the WHY.) In framing that picture, first decide what you want to leave out. For example, what is it that happened in your business last year that you never want to see happen again? Then you can follow up with the next question: What is it that worked well, and that you are proud of, that you want to be certain to repeat? Vision begins here.

My desktop picture reminds me every day about this vision I had for that hike and the vision and perspective I found hiking that day. My vision for that hike determined my steps and the path I took. My vision for my business does the same.

Some people believe that visionaries are gifted with natural talent or good luck and that we mere mortals cannot hope to dream in such vast landscapes. However, as Richard Koch reminds us in the 80/20 INDIVIDUAL, many times a visionary result is simply a rearrangement of something which already exists. Take, for example, that recurring annoyance or conflict from your business last year and put someone else in charge of it. Or, conversely, take a small idea which made a big difference in value for your customers, and assign a team to develop and improve upon the idea for this year: to make it bigger, monumental, even! All of this is vision.

Ask yourself the hard questions:

What did you accomplish this year?
What was the most challenging part of your year?
What goals did you set that you did not achieve?
What were the reasons?
What did you actively do to drive your business last year?
What factors do you feel drove the business without you: in other words, where do you feel you were out of control?

Then play the flipside:

What were your successes?
How did you celebrate them?
What do you want to duplicate and what are the steps that are necessary?
What is it that you value most that you want to see reflected in your business practices?

Again, only after analyzing where you have been can you paint the canvas in vivid color of where you will be next year. Like a jigsaw puzzle, the pieces come together to form the whole once you have identified them.

And remember, vision implies seeing: you must picture it in your mind before you make it your reality!

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Business and Life Coach Cheri Alguire helps her coaching clients focus their goals and acts as an accountability partner to ensure daily activities keep you on track to that vision. If you would like to create your business plan around your goals and vision, check out her 17-part Business Planning Guide at www.RealEstateBusinessPlanningguide.com or find our more at http://www.CheriAlguire.com

What Do You Value?

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Cheri) — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 21:20:00 +0000

By Cheri Alguire

What do you value?

Sounds like a loaded question, doesn’t it? What is it that you truly value in life?

• Family?
• Job?
• Security?
• Freedom?
• Usually all of the above, and then some.

But the crux of the question on values is: which do you value most and to what measure? At the core of your personality and your being are your values. They dictate what is most important, both in life and in business. They motivate you and direct you in your goals. It is essential, therefore, for you to examine and weigh those things you value most in life, for they help sculpt your purpose. You literally need to make a physical list which clarifies what you find most worthwhile and rewarding in life. You may even want to take this a step further and write your values in the form of a mission statement: a guiding declaration of your values and principles.

Another important reason to focus on values is to analyze its relationship to your lifestyle and business practices. Once you have identified your values and articulated them, hold those values up to your daily life and work. Are they parallel? For example, if you value physical fitness and health but haven’t been to the gym in six weeks, one of the things you regard most in life has been cast aside, and you are certain to be unhappy in the long run. To quote Ron Willingham in INTEGRITY SELLING, in order to be successful, “your purpose must be congruent with, driven by, and sustained by your values.” If one is out of balance with the other, you can’t achieve all you hope for or deserve.

Also remember that identifying and articulating your values isn’t enough. You must act upon those values in your daily life in order to fulfill your purpose. To say that you value honesty is both admirable and prudent. However if you do not conduct your business in an honest manner, do not make full disclosure, say, or turn the other way when in the face of an ethical dilemma, your behavior belies what you say you value. Ultimately you disengage from relationships because of trust issues, lose business, and disappoint yourself.

Values are at the center of your being and have the power to shape your behaviors: toward others, toward success, toward happiness. Stephen Covey reminds us in THE SEVEN HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE that “the ability to subordinate an impulse to a value is the essence of a proactive person.” Proactive people act from an internal compass. They achieve because they keep those values in mind when they make choices and decisions.

Identify, articulate, and act upon your values. They will help you form your goals and accomplish your purpose.

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Business and Life Coach Cheri Alguire helps her coaching clients design their business and life plan so that they are truly living life and running their businesses so they fit with their values. If you would like to create your business plan around your purpose so you too can live on purpose, check out her 17-part Business Planning Guide at www.RealEstateBusinessPlanningguide.com or find our more at http://www.CheriAlguire.com

Living Your Life On Purpose

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Cheri) — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 03:44:00 +0000

By Cheri Alguire

What is Your Purpose?

Purpose is an understanding of what your life is all about. Purpose provides the foundation of our values, vision and goals. Purpose gives meaning to everything we do in our personal and professional lives. In essence, purpose is the why.

Yet not all of us recognize our purpose or can articulate it. As in any life journey, it is difficult to arrive at a specific destination if we do not have an end in sight. The journey also must be joyful and heartfelt. It is purpose that makes life worthwhile and rewarding.

So to concentrate on your purpose or direction, begin to think “On Purpose.” Ask yourself the reason(s) why you do the things you do, and answer honestly.

Once you review the answers, determine if you like what you see. Are you living your life “On Purpose?” Are you fulfilling the intention of your values and ideals?

One key to discovering your personal purpose is in understanding the way you make a difference for others. Once revealed, understanding the way(s) you make a difference is the knowledge you need for building successful relationships. Your personal and professional success is built through creating value for others -- one relationship at a time. The importance of creating value for others as the theme of your purpose cannot be overemphasized. A self-centered or ego-driven purpose is doomed and will have a limited audience of admirers while an “other”-focused purpose creates synergy and provides shared meaning with others.

Discovering your purpose will give you insight into the value that you create for others. As you focus on how you can serve or create value for others, you build a platform for success. From this platform, your success and personal motivation grows and flourishes. We can see examples of this in all walks of life: from parenting to teaching, to coaching and mentoring, and beyond. The “pay it forward” rule multiplies the number of meaningful relationships we develop and nurture and thereby expands the richness of our personal, community and business lives.

Your purpose will also become your motivation to change, to take on new challenges and to improve all aspects of your life. Your purpose will become the catalyst for reinventing your self, your personal life and your business. Purpose becomes the passion, commitment and the desire to reach new peaks. The renewal of your purpose will only require an investment of your time. In the end, your purpose will provide you with a satisfying understanding of “this is why I do what I do everyday.”

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Business and Life Coach Cheri Alguire helps her coaching clients design their business and life plan so that they are truly living life ON PURPOSE. If you would like to create your business plan around your purpose so you too can live on purpose, check out her 17-part Business Planning Guide at www.RealEstateBusinessPlanningguide.com

Working ON Your Business while hiking on the Superstition Mountains

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Cheri) — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 04:18:00 +0000

I just found out last week that sometimes the best place to go to work on your business is a thousand feet up. I was in Mesa, Arizona for a Business Planning retreat, staying at a nice resort in a two-bedroom condo with my laptop connected with Go To My PC so it was almost like I was sitting in my office back in Orange County, California. I spend most of the fourth quarter helping my coaching clients create their Business Plan for the new year, that I have found January is the best time for me to really look at my own business.

Even with the great accommodations at the resort, I still felt like I need to “get away” even more as I was doing some of my serious goal planning. You see, I set HUGE Goals for myself, and the only way for me to do that, is to get away from the day to day distractions. Being at the resort was still a little too connected to my email, my virtual assistant and my Blackberry. So, in order to get in the right frame of mind, I decided to go for a hike on Sunday.

Now granted, I took my Blackberry with me, (they’re addictive, if you haven’t heard) and even had coverage half way up the mountain on my 5 mile hike. It did allow me to take some great photos from the top. I tried to email them, that is how I realized I didn’t have service up there. But what I did find up there was something I really needed! Perspective.

When you are standing at the top of a mountain and look down, the houses and roads disappear. All you see are valleys and hills and rocks and cactus. Lots and lots and lots of beautiful cactus. In fact, more cactus than this Minnesota native has ever seen before. Who knew that desert vegetation could be so green and flowering and beautiful? It is amazing what a little rain does to the desert. It is also funny the pictures I had in my head about what the desert was before spending this much time hiking in it.

I did the first hike to get a little exercise, but I soon found out that I was getting more clarity and more things worked through on my hike, than at any other time that week. So I went on three more hikes that week. The beauty and adventure of the Arizona desert was addicting, but so was the amazing clarity and perspective I got concerning my business and my life goals while on those hikes.

When the normal distractions disappear and you truly get away from it all, it is amazing the clarity you can get. Now you might not be able to get away to the mountains of Arizona, although, I would highly recommend it, but where can you go to get way from everything? Away from the Blackberry, the email, the phone, the kids, everything?! I encourage you to find that place. Maybe it is a hike or walk near your house, maybe it is a bubble bath, and maybe it is beach in a warm part of the world. Wherever you find perspective, go there often!

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Coach Cheri Alguire helps her clients take their business and their lives to a new level of success every day. Check out her resources at www.CheriAlguire.com

Get in the game and DO IT!

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Cheri) — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 00:28:00 +0000

By Cheri Alguire

Learning a new skill, whether it be running, blogging, cooking, or anything requires far more than taking classes and reading books. After you have finished reading the books, and taking the classes, there is one thing left to do – do it! You can’t play in the game, if you are not in the game.

Books, trainers, teachers and coaches can help a lot. They inform, they help you understand the process, and they give you guidance when you need it, but that is not enough. If you don’t get out there and “do” it, you will not learn everything you need to learn. You need to put your knowledge to practical use.

What all this really means, though, is you have to practice. Lace up your sneakers and run, pick up those needles and knit, sit down and type your next blog posting. We’ve all heard the oft-said phrase, “Practice Makes Perfect,” and while very little in life is actually perfect, the phrase does hold great value and an undeniable truth. Anything in life that we want to get better at, we must practice at. And the first step is to just do it, try it, again and again.

Whether it is practicing running, playing a piano, delivering a speech, or any other skill, we all need continued practice in order to become successful in that skill. Each type of skill demands different muscles in your body to stand up and pay attention. Some, like running, are more about the physical body strengthening and changing with continued work. Others, like playing chess, are more about the brain stretching and learning the ins and outs with each game played.

What about you? What have you been studying, learning about, and gaining information on that you need to stop and just get out there and do? What is your game that you are playing in this thing we call business? Or in this thing we call life? Let me know what that might be for you. Isn’t it time you just got in the game. Isn’t it just time to DO IT!

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Business and Life Coach Cheri Alguire has helped hundreds of Small Business Owners, Real Estate Professionals, Moms, recently divorced individuals, people wanting to run a half marathon and people who just want to play and new and bigger game in life to set and achieve goals they never before thought they could. Find out more at www.CoachCheri.com or at www.13Lessons.com

You haven’t done your business plan, yet?

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Cheri) — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 23:31:00 +0000

It’s time to implement your business plan to ensure success in your real estate business. If you have completed your plan, now is the time to begin working that plan, one step at a time.

What? You haven’t done your business plan, yet? If this is you, the time to create your real estate business planning guide is NOW. But how?

Surveys show only 3% of all agents have a formal plan. A 25-year study of Harvard Business School graduates showed that the grads who have a plan earned more than 100 times those who had no plan or a loosely defined plan. Your business plan is YOUR guide to SUCCESS, a silent partner, a daily reminder and your coach’s best friend for keeping you accountable and on course. A minimal plan requires three steps:

1) Schedule some time for yourself (alone) to think and reflect. Begin with a blank slate, (paper or electronic) and write down what is important to you and why. Take some more time and reflect on the following two questions:

What went great last year?

What was most frustrating for you to complete/accomplish?

Now, push yourself and answer “how can you be more?” Feel free to give yourself some advice. Remember, advice is free. It costs nothing. It only costs if you take action before you are fully prepared. The first cost of implementing change is your time, the time to plan. So make sure your plan is grounded. Take some time to look at your track record. Now, you are ready for the second step.

2) Review last year’s plan. Know your data: where your business came from and how you do business. Your data may support your answer for “what went great last year.” If not, you may want to revisit/add to “what went great last year.” Things are starting to shape up: you have a clear understanding (written down) of what is important to you and why. You recorded what was great and what was frustrating. Your advice for greatness in your notes. It is time to proceed to the final step.

3) Re-tool. Adjust your number of transactions, commission percentages, and how you do business. This is the action step: the place where you write your new business goals and break them into actionable steps. You are at the critical phase of your new business plan. Just as important as your new goals is the time and reflection that goes into your goal setting. And of course, the new knowledge you have gained about your business is of great value and the lessons your new goals will teach you during the upcoming year are the foundation for your future. Go for it!!!

Congratulations! Now you have a business plan. It may be a little loose, and it may need a few more details. If you would like some help in creating a Business Plan, check out my 17-Step eCourse at http://www.realestatebusinessplanningguide.com/

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To find out more about what Coach Cheri Alguire’s clients are saying about her 17 part Business Planning Guide go to http://www.realestatebusinessplanningguide.com/pages/testimonials.htm
As a reader of this article, use the coupon code SUCCESS2009 to receive Coach Cheri Alguire’s Business Planning Guide at over half off.

Why Your Business People System is Critical to Your Success in Your Real Estate Business

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Cheri) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 23:30:00 +0000

• How can I increase my productivity?

• How can I work less?

• How can I sell more houses?

• How can I spend more time with my family?

• How can I work “ON” my business without loosing income?

The answers to these questions are found in Your People System. A simple People System has four basic components:

1. Team Members (Buyers Agents, Assistants…)
2. Expected Outcomes,
3. Training, and
4. Management.

Your People System allows you to:

• Double your income without working twice the time;
• Go on vacations without a loss of clients or income;
• Delegate tasks when they do not directly produce income to team members;
• Offer your clients the highest level of service while fulfilling your fiduciary duties to them.

To maximize the potential of your People System, you must have specific and expected outcomes for each team member, and you must manage the expected outcomes. To increase “People Potential,” you must provide training experiences for your team. You must also constantly be on the lookout for new talent and, most importantly, be quick to identify aptitude in your current team members. Build upon and develop these newly identified aptitudes. The more you invest in Your Team, the higher volume Your Team will produce. Investing in Your People System will maximize the efficiency of your lead pipeline, and the end result will be a higher conversion rate and higher profitability. This is truly a win-win for everyone involved.

From a self-centered viewpoint, many agents believe they are “special,” and the public will only want to work with them. Don’t buy into this myth---Sell Your Team from the beginning. A specialized team can deliver a more consistent and a higher level of service than any single agent. Enjoy the benefits of delegating and managing.

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Coach Cheri's Updated Real Estate Planning Guide is available now. If you would like more information on the People System in your business or any other information on making next year your best year yet by creating a real estate business and life plan for yourself that really will help you get to where you want to go, please check out my seventeen part eCourse at www.RealEstateBusinessPlanningGuide.com or find out more at www.RealEstateBusinessResources.com

Why Your Business Technology System is Critical to Your Success in your Real Estate Business

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Cheri) — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 16:00:00 +0000

By Cheri Alguire

How do I know which of my marketing strategies work?
Which marketing strategies are cost effective?
How can I capture the contact information for new leads?
How do I develop a lead pipeline?
Where do I get leads for my buyer agents?
How can my team be more productive?

The answers to these questions are found in Your Technology System. A Technology System should give you predictable ways of identifying prospects without requiring you or your team members to spend hours of time searching for names or contact information. Your Technology System should:

Assist you in managing your marketing.
Incubate long term leads.
Identify “hot” leads needing immediate service.
Communicate with your clientele.
And save you and your team countless hours of valuable time.

To maximize the potential of your Technology System, you must be sure the system is both compelling and capturing. Compelling technologies attract consumers (leads,) hold the attention of consumers, and show you the evidence that consumers return via the given technology. An example of this technology is a dynamic personal website. Capturing technologies give you a means of contacting and tracking consumers, for example, an effective 1-800 number and/or text messaging. Working at full potential, a Technology System will assist you in identifying cost-effective marketing strategies, give your team contact information on leads, and save everyone valuable time. The result will be a productive use of time and more sales!

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Coach Cheri's Updated Real Estate Planning Guide is available now. If you would like more information on developing a Technology System for your real estate business or any other information on making next year your best year yet by creating a business and life plan for yourself that really will help you get to where you want to go, please check out my seventeen part eCourse at www.RealEstateBusinessPlanningGuide.com or find out more about my Real Estate Resources at http://www.realestatebusinessresources.com/

Why Your Business Support System is Critical to Your Success

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Cheri) — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 04:29:00 +0000

By Cheri Alguire

One area I address in my Business Planning Guide is your Business Support System, but many people do not understand exactly what makes up a Support System. A well developed Support System is a recipe for SUCCESS. The four components of a simple ‘Support System’ are: Financial, Family, Sphere and Coaching. The financial component is made up of business savings and tax planning. The family comprises of your core relationships and activities that define your belief system. The sphere component offers referrals at little to no cost to your business. And coaching gives you a set of neutral eyes probing, and an active voice challenging, your current practices and direction. The overall function of your Support System is to give you and your business: security, energy, enjoyment and vision. The result will be SUCCESS.

The financial component of your Support System is best directed by an accountant. Have your accountant establish quarterly tax payments based upon the expected gross income to the business. Set up a proactive savings program to prepare for three months of business expenses: there may be an unforeseen illness; you may lose team members, or there may be a shift in the market that you were not expecting. The result of focusing on your financial component will be a reduction of financial pressure.

The family component of your Support System provides you with the core of why you work. Who you are and what you stand for are truly defined when you are away from the job. You must allocate time; schedule and protect your time away from work. Being in touch with and actually being involved with your core beliefs will renew your personal energy and passion, and as a result, you will perform at a higher level when you are working.

The sphere component of your Support System adds joy to your business. There is nothing more rewarding than providing service to a past client or a past client’s referral. No convincing, no selling your team, no overcoming objections---just being yourself and having fun doing what you do best. And the process? It is simple: just ask. “Who is next to buy or sell?” Simple and inexpensive.

The coaching component of your Support System offers a necessary challenge to your business. “It won’t work here,” or “not in this market,” or “I can’t do that,” or “it’s not my style . . .” on-and-on go the excuses. For all agents, the coaching process is simple but challenging: just listen and then act. Throughout the coaching process, you will be challenged to work “ON” your business: Listen to challenge. Set goals and establish timelines. Define actionable steps to complete. Measure the results. Dare to push your limits.

How is your support system? If you want to set yourself and your business up for success, it is very important to look at each of these areas, analyze where you can make improvements, and create a plan to do those things.

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Business Coach Cheri Alguire has helped hundreds of small business owners and real estate professionals experience a new level of success. Find out more about here Business Planning Guide at www.RealEstateBusinessPlanningGuide.com and find out more about her other products and services, including Business Coaching at www.CheriAlguire.com

Listing Inventory System is Critical to Your Success in Your Real Estate Business

noreply@blogger.com (Coach Cheri) — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 18:01:00 +0000

By Cheri Alguire

Once a real estate agent has a property listed “for sale,” it is vital to create and utilize the three components of the Inventory System. The service component focuses on feedback, communication and providing proof of your worth/value to the property owners. The pricing component categorizes your inventory as homes “priced to sell” and homes “priced to produce leads.” This may be helpful in determining which homes receive a greater number of resources (ads, open houses, mailings.) And the lead capture component highlights your exposure and response strategies (a new price, for example, may mean re-blogging, re-contacting all past inquiries, or running a special ad).

To maintain a healthy inventory it is paramount that a seller service system is implemented and consistently followed. Your system can be any combination of written, verbal or web-based activities. The information included in your service system should include any and all activities performed by you or your team related to the property. Also, include marketing and feedback specific to the home and general market updates, trends and summaries. Remember, it is important and easier to show your worth to the sellers who have agreed to pay you than to search for new sellers every three to six months that might want to pay you.

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Coach Cheri's Updated Real Estate Planning Guide: Available Now
If you would like more information on developing a Lead System for your real estate business or any other information on making next year your best year yet by creating a business and life plan for yourself that really will help you get to where you want to go, please check out my seventeen part eCourse at www.RealEstateBusinessPlanningGuide.com or find out more about my Real Estate Resources at http://www.realestatebusinessresources.com/
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