Thursday, July 24, 2008

Real Estate Marketing Strategies: 5 Tips to Feng Shui Your Mind and Get Your Listings Sold

Is Your Mindset Working For You?

In today’s changing market where the predominant energy is fear, your challenge is to be extremely vigilant about what you focus on. Why is your deliberate focus more important now than ever?

What are you giving attention to? If you’re giving attention to what you don’t want, such as lack, that is what you’ll be getting. It may also show up for you as attracting unmotivated, indecisive, and uncommitted clients. However, change your mindset and you’ll be attracting your ideal clients – clients that are appreciative of your services.

The Panic Problem

In my 10 years of experience empowering real estate agents to reach their goals, I’ve coached many clients who were subconsciously attracting unwanted outcomes. They came to me feeling panicked and worried about market conditions and slowing sales.

They were diligently working to get their listings sold. But their tried-and-true marketing activities were no longer working. What was the problem? Their focus had shifted with their fearful state of mind.

Are you, as they were, preoccupied with things like:

• How tough the market is

• How there are too many houses for too few buyers

• How unlikely it is for your listing to sell

If you are, you will be creating the very thing you don’t want, which is that your listing won’t sell.

So what do you do?

The Power Solution

Sustaining a positive, high energy mindset is key to attracting your desired outcomes. Because it directly impacts your thoughts, beliefs and feelings, you need to work on your mindset daily to ensure that is working in your favor.

What are you doing for your mind? And did you know that you can create a feng shui for your mind to get your listed houses to sell?

Just as a house is more likely to sell when the energy has been positively enhanced with feng shui, your mind is more likely to create a positive outcome when you have been practicing the Law of Attraction. This powerful tool gives you a step-by-step procedure to become magnetic for abundance, sales, prosperity, and so forth.

Ready to go from panic to power? Here are 5 tips for using the Law of Attraction to help you do just that.

Tip 1: Create a Clear Focus.

Too often I hear my clients say, “I want my listings to sell” without being clear on what their desired sales scenario looks like.

I suggest visualizing your ideal sale. See yourself placing the SOLD sign and declare the number of days the home has been on the market. Ask yourself how the purchase price compares to the asking price. What is your income?

You get the idea. Be clear, detailed, and specific about what you want. Once you are, then choose to focus on only that. Channel your energy with the intention of attracting what you want.

TIP 2: Create Harmony Between Your Energy and Your Desires.

Feel what it feels like to already have what you want. When you do, the energy vibrations you send out into the universe match what you desire, attracting it back to you.

To create that matching energy, visualize in an “as if” mode. In other words, use the power of your imagination to feel “as if” your listings have already sold as quickly, easily, and profitably as you wanted.

What positive feelings are you experiencing? Most agents who do this activity say that they feel confident, satisfied, elated, exhilarated, just plain good, etc.

Whatever your unique feelings, know that the more you experience them, the more you magnetize the events leading up to these feelings to fall into your lap. So practice this “as if” mode every day

“My current house sells and I feel elated, happy, and ecstatic. I have two transactions that close in the coming month and I feel accomplished, successful, and prosperous.”

Tip 3: Clear Your Mental Clutter.

Your energy needs to flow freely without encountering harmful obstructions so that the Law of Attraction will work for you. So clear away all self limiting beliefs. How? You’ll need to do a little soul searching, usually with the help of a professional coach specializing in this area, to uncover your subconscious opposing beliefs. They are our blind spots. They are below the surface of our awareness.

After you have identified these self limiting beliefs, reprogram them to become Empowering Beliefs that are in alignment with what you want. Here is an example of one of the self limiting beliefs that I often hear from my clients, followed by what it sounds like after I helped them reprogram it into an Empowering Belief:

Self limiting belief: “I don’t have what it takes to get my listings sold in a market as tough as this one”

Empowering belief: “I have everything I need to succeed at getting my listings sold in any market”

Now, just how important is it to clear your mental clutter through this transformation of beliefs?

Think about it this way. You wouldn’t risk sabotaging a sale by inviting clients to view a home that was cluttered with boxes or furniture that block freedom of movement. Yet you are probably trying to invite business into a mind that is cluttered with self-limiting beliefs that constrict the flow of energy into your business and block you from getting the very business that you want.

Tip 4: Take Inspired Action and Allow It to Come to You.

Replace action based on fear with action based on intuition. There’s a very good reason for this. When you follow your inspired thoughts with inspired action – steps you are motivated to do by your inner nudgings or hunches – you feel good, energized and joyful. These feelings positively raise your energy vibrations and you become even more magnetic for what you want.

Here’s a tip: Find a way to quiet your mind so that you can listen to your inner nudgings. Chances are you’ve already experienced what intuition feels like, and you probably have acted on that intuition. That’s an example of inspired action. Begin to appreciate all of your thoughts and feelings so that you are more aware when you do get a hunch. Then act on it. What is your intuition telling you to do?

Tip 5: Follow the Formula.

Properly practice the Law of Attraction to get the results you want. Similar to feng shui, practicing the Law of Attraction requires understanding and consistent implementation on a day-to-day basis.

If you find this challenging to do on your own, know that you are in the good company of many others. Most of my clients find it much easier and more effective to have the ongoing guidance, support, and encouragement that a professional business coach can offer.

Whether going solo or with a coach, the bottom line is that you want to make sure you are correctly following the step-by-step process for the Law of Attraction. Why? Because with the Law of Attraction, “like attracts like” whether wanted or unwanted. To successfully become the deliberate creator of your sales success, become a master of the Law of Attraction.

As a review: Remember to work on your mindset every day to ensure that positive energy flows to make good things happen. Take care not to let external conditions control your mindset. Keep a positive, success mindset and expand the flow of energy into your business. The future of your business depends on your prosperity mindset, not the outer conditions, which are constantly changing.

Law of Attraction Marketing in 5 Easy Steps

As a Law of Attraction Real Estate Coach, I often hear from my clients the following story, “I feel stuck in my business. I really love to help people, I am excellent in negotiations and contracts, but I really hate prospecting! I just can’t seem to bring myself to pick up the phone.”

How often have you had those feelings, or have known of someone else who does? The thought of marketing makes most people clench their teeth, tighten their stomach and engage in marketing avoidant behavior that sends their business down the drain.

They tell me, “If only I could learn to market myself, I would love this business. I would be making a fortune.”

If you have these feelings, you’re not alone. There are specific reasons why people are marketing avoidant. Here are a few:

1. “I don’t want to bother people”

How many times have you said it yourself before you picked up the phone? The fear of bothering people is huge. In the same breath, most real estate agents tell me that, “I hate it when a telemarketer calls me at home and I don’t want to do the same thing to other people.”

2. “I don’t like tooting my own horn”

So many of us have been taught, especially women, that it’s not good to promote yourself. This is especially difficult for women who have come from a background other than sales before they entered real estate. Often times they were employed in a company and marketing was never a part of their job.

3. “I don’t want to be rejected”

Some people are so terrified of being rejected or disapproved of, that they will even avoid calling their former clients. I have written previously in other articles about the phenomena of having a sphere of influence, which is your “goldmine”, but being afraid to “mine it.”

Fortunately, the Law of Attraction provides solutions for Real Estate marketing.

Here are 5 easy ways to use the Law of Attraction so that you can transform “marketing” into a pleasurable and profitable experience.

1. Think of giving. Whenever you think of marketing yourself, think about the fact that you are actually “offering” a valuable service.

The law of attraction tells us that we get back what we give out. If you think of giving out a valuable service, and you focus on what you have to give you will radiate out such a powerful force of positive energy that you will attract it back to you in terms of clients and sales. The “secret” is to focus on being “the giver.”

2. Know your unique selling points

Most of the time when I coach my real estate clients, they hugely underestimate what makes them unique. When I ask them, “Why should I work with you instead of another real estate agent?” They honestly don't know.

Here’s the “secret”: make a list of what your former clients have complimented you for. Did they tell you that you were friendly, easy to get along with, very knowledgeable, extremely dependable, or great with follow-up?

As you make the list and think about it, you will start to become aware that what you have to offer as a real estate agent is yourself.

You are unique. There is no one else like you. The more you like yourself and approve of yourself, the more you will radiate out a positive energy of self-love, gratitude, and appreciation. These energies are the highest energies that you could send out. They are guaranteed to magnetize back to you the Ideal Clients that you want.

3. Clear away your self limiting beliefs

It is usually our self limiting beliefs that keep us from “tooting our own horn.” Most of us were taught to downplay ourselves, not to brag, and to “play it small.” In fact, I coached a woman the other day, whose survival strategy when she was growing up, was to pretend to be “invisible.” This is very common when I’m coaching female real estate agents to find that there is some self limiting belief that keeps them “out of the limelight.”

Here’s the “secret”: a survival strategy that may have helped you when you were growing up can now be a hindrance to your survival. In fact, when you think about it, there is nothing more risky to your real estate career, then trying to be invisible.

The truth is that people need to know who you are, and where to reach you. You need to become very visible. Practice giving yourself positive self talk such as, “it is now safe for me to be visible” and “My survival now depends on me being seen and known.”

4. Create a mindset of positive expectations

Instead of fearing that people are not going to like hearing from you, create the mindset that they are going to love to hear from you. You can back that up with being sure that you always have something to offer on every call.

For example, you could be putting on a seminar for homeowners, and be excited to tell your sphere of influence all about it. If you’re talking to a former client, you can offer to be a referral source for them when they need an electrician, plumber, a painter etc.

If you’re calling someone out of the blue, you can offer to provide them with a free comparative market analysis of their home and explain to them the benefits of having that.

Here’s the “secret”: always lead with what you have to offer. Send out a vibration of excitement and enthusiasm. This will ensure that people want to hear from you. In the Law of Attraction, whatever you give out comes back to you multiplied.

If you give out help, suggestions, ideas, and services that people need, that energy will be returned to you in the form you
have intended.

5. Realize that you’re marketing yourself at every moment

Remember, you’re not just marketing yourself when you pick up the phone. Wherever you go and whatever you do, you are marketing yourself. Create a sizzling answer to the question, “what do you do?”

Instead of saying the usual answer, “my name is_________________, and I am a real estate agent with___________________, say something different instead.

Try this: the next time somebody says, “So what do you do?” answer by saying, “you know how nervous and stressed out people get when they are buying or selling a home?” The other person will obviously say “yes”. Then you say, “Well, I handle all the details and put my clients at ease so they can enjoy the process of buying or selling a home. I’m a real estate agent with ________________________.

Here’s the “secret”: answer their question with a question, to get them involved. Once they are involved, paint the picture of how you help people. Add as many details as you like. Only say you’re a real estate agent at the very end. Believe me, I have coached many of my clients in doing this and all I can say is, “you better have a lot of business cards on hand,” because with that response, people are going to ask for your card a lot.

Marketing can be enjoyable and pleasurable. Remember to present yourself as “a giver”, with unique selling points, and always something to offer. After being a psychologist for 20 years and coaching real estate agents for 10 years, I can assure you that the more you learn to enjoy the marketing experience, the better you will feel about yourself and the more prosperity you will attract.

Remember the famous principle of the Law of Attraction: you get what you focus on. If you want a welcoming voice on the other end of the phone, start imagining what that would sound like, and look forward to making your calls.

Monday, June 30, 2008

7 Tips to Becoming a Money Magnet

Did you know that most people block prosperity because of hidden beliefs about money? This article gives you seven tips to make yourself a “money magnet”.

Tip 1 Identify your Money Type:

According to Deborah Price, author of Money Magic, we all identify with certain money archetypes. For example, when money issues come up, do you bury your head in the sand, like an ostrich? Then most likely your type is called The Innocent. If you’re not The Innocent, you might be
The Victim, The Tyrant, The Warrior, The Martyr, The Fool or
The Magician.

Tip 2 What was your conditioning about money?

What old beliefs did you receive from your parents, teachers and the society around you about money? Many of my clients report that their old beliefs include:

--“earning money means punching a time clock”

--“money is scarce”

--“money is evil”

Which of these have you struggled with?

Tip 3 What are your updated beliefs about money?

Since nature abhors a vacuum, after you release your old beliefs about money, put in some empowered beliefs that cause you to become a money magnet. These beliefs might sound something like this:

--“I am increasingly magnetic to money”

--“My income always exceeds my expenses”

--“ I am highly worth of being prosperous”

Tip 4 : Create a New Money Type for Yourself

According to Money Magic, the ideal type to strive for is the “magician”. Why? Because the “magician” claims his/her own power and manifests his/her own financial reality.

Tip 5: Use the Law of Attraction

The Law of Attraction simply states that you get what you focus on. So if you focus on the lack of money, the difficulty of paying bills and the fears about whether you can support yourself, then you will receive more of that in return. The solution? Easy, every time you find yourself focusing on what you don’t want, stop yourself and say, “So, what do I want?”

Tip 6: Tame your Inner Gremlin

Do you have a voice that berates you? Do you find that it’s impossible to please that voice? Then undoubtedly, you are dealing with your Inner Gremlin, also known as the Inner Critic.

It’s busy telling you that you aren’t worthy of having money.

“Who are you to be prosperous?” it will say. It will probably badger you until you turn this voice into an ally who will say, “You deserve an abundance of prosperity.”

Tip 7 : Plan your work and work your plan

When you have finally let go of your old beliefs about money, you will find it much easier to create an effective business plan. More
importantly, you’ll be much more able to implement that plan and manifest prosperity when you are a money magnet.

3 Simple Steps to Creating Your Ideal

Are you interested in creating your ideal income this year? Are you tired of

waiting for things to get better? Are you feeling like you have so much more

potential than you are currently using?


Imagine for a moment reaching your ideal income this year. What would that

look like and feel like? What would you be able to do that you can't do now?

Ask yourself what are the things you need to be doing right now to manifest

that? Do you need to find a way to raise your motivation? Do you need to

stop procrastinating? Do you need to stop avoiding marketing? Do you need to

be more accountable to yourself?

If you want to learn a simple way to create your ideal income, then read on.


Step I : Get clear on what you do want.

Do know exactly where you want to be professionally in 12 months from today?

To achieve even more clarity, I invite you to this simple visualization.

Sit in a comfortable place where you won't be disturbed. Ask yourself the

following questions: In a year from now, what kind of work do you want to be

doing? How many hours a week do you want to be doing it? Who would be your

ideal clients and colleagues? What kind of people do you want to be around?

What would be your ideal physical surroundings for work? Finally, ask your

self what would be your ideal income? Pick a figure that is realistic but

optimistic.

Here's an example from one of my clients of what your visualization might

look like, "In one year from today, I see myself doing real estate, working

mostly with listings, and being surrounded with people I like, people who

are upbeat, responsible, committed and motivated. I have my own office, and

I am looking out of a big window, looking at a garden. My income is $150,000

net."

How close is that to what you want to create?


Step 2: Overcoming the obstacles, challenges, self limiting beliefs, and

self sabotaging strategies.

In Step 1, you got clarity on your ideal professional life. In Step 2, you

identify the blocks you'd need to overcome to get there. So ask yourself

what is stopping you? What are your self limiting beliefs? What are your

self sabotaging strategies?

In my 30 years of coaching people to become successful , the self limiting

beliefs that I hear the most are:

. "I'm not good enough"

. "I don't know enough"

. "I don't have what it takes to succeed"

. "I can't do marketing"

. "If I market myself , I'm afraid I'll be rejected"

Take a good look at the list and ask yourself which ones resonate with you?

Here's the good news: "These are not facts, these are beliefs and beliefs

can be changed". One of the things I help my clients to do is to reprogram

their self limiting beliefs into Empowering beliefs. If you were to

reprogram the beliefs above into Empowering beliefs what would they sound

like? Anything like,

. "I am more than good enough"

. "I know all that I need to know and I can always research and find the

answers"

. "I have all I need to succeed"

. "I'm learning to become a Master at marketing"

. "Since I have something of value to offer my prospective clients, most

likely I'll be accepted"

How would it feel to have those beliefs as your foundation?


Step 3: Create your script

Once you have clarified what you want and reprogrammed your self limiting

beliefs, the next step is to create your script. What is the area that you

need to develop the most? Is it marketing, is it time management, is it

confidence building? What ever you decide, you need a script to achieve it.

Why do I recommend a script rather than a plan? A business plan is a written

document outlining a series of logical steps that lead to the realization of

a goal in business. A business plan follows specific guidelines and requires

certain information. A script, on the other hand, comes from your

imagination. You can write what you want and not have to follow guidelines

set by someone else.

Einstein once said, "Imagination is more important than knowledge".

Imagination is an integral part of ourselves and our intuition. When we

write a script, we feel what we are writing and those feelings create

physical sensations that connect our body to our imagination. When we are

free to imagine and feel what we want, not only do we become like magnets to

draw it to us, but also we are guided by "inspired action".

What is the difference between "inspired action" and "frantic action"? The

difference is between faith and fear. As you have probably heard,

"Desperation doesn't sell". And yet, many of my clients have come to see me

in a state of fear and panic. They have been taking action steps, frantic

action, based on their fear and then they wonder why their marketing isn't

working. Fear doesn't attract clients, it repels them.

"Inspired action" on the other hand are action steps that you feel inspired

to do. What inspires you? Your vision, the reason why you're doing what you

are doing. Here's a tip, if you really want to be successful, focus on the

service you're giving to others, not on the money. The money will follow if

you are making a contribution and doing what you love.

One final thought on Faith vs. Fear. Here's a story that illustrates the

message: a student goes to his teacher and says, "I'm having a terrible

struggle between my fear and my faith. My fear is represented by a black dog

and my faith is represented by a white dog. They are battling all the time

and I don't know which one is going to win." The teacher says , "Why, the

white dog, of Course." The student says, "How do you know?" The teacher

says, "Because that's the one you're going to feed."

Here's a tip: How many creative ways can you find to feed your white dog?

Monday, June 16, 2008

The Top 10 Self Limiting Beliefs

Did you know the # 1 reason why most people fail to reach their goals? Is it the lack of skill, is a lack of intelligence, or is it a lack of motivation?

The answer is, “None of the above.” Rather, it is the presence of self limiting beliefs.

Having been a business coach for the past 12 years, I've noticed that everyone has an abundance of self limiting beliefs. Sometimes these lie dormant for years, but when you are building a business, they often stop you dead in your tracks.

I've noticed that there are categories in which most people have self limiting beliefs:

· Beliefs about themselves

· Beliefs about money

· Beliefs about work

Let's take these categories one at a time and discover the self limiting beliefs that live within each one of us.

1. Beliefs about yourself

Do any of these sound familiar?

· “I'm not educated enough”

· “I'm not good enough”

· “It's selfish for me to want more”

2. Beliefs about work

· “Work needs to be hard”

· “Work requires struggle and sacrifice”

· “To be successful I have to give up my personal life”

3. Beliefs about money

· “There is never enough money”

· “Nice people don't have money”

· “People who have money are cut-throat”

· “Money will create a problem in my relationships”

If you recognize any of these self limiting beliefs in yourself, keep in mind that:

1. It doesn't help to judge yourself for these beliefs, so be compassionate with yourself.

2. These beliefs are not facts, just beliefs.

3. These beliefs can be changed you're not stuck with them.

At this point, you're probably wondering, “How do I get rid of these beliefs?”

Step 1

Make a T diagram by drawing a horizontal line on your paper and a vertical line. This will create two columns.

Label the heading of the left-hand column, “self limiting beliefs”. That labeled the right-hand column, “empowered beliefs”.

After you've written down all of your self limiting beliefs in your left-hand column, find the belief that would cancel out the old belief. Then write that in your right-hand column.

For example, if your self limiting belief about yourself is, “I don't have what it takes to succeed”, then cancel that out by writing the opposite of that statement in your right-hand column, such as,” I have more than I need to succeed.”

Step 2

Make a list of your inner and outer resources. At the top of the page write, “I have all I need to succeed.”

Then began to write down all of your inner resources, such as intelligence, determination, people skills and so forth.

Next, determine your outer resources, such as: a supportive office, a supportive spouse, years of experience, and excellent mentor and so forth.

Step 3

Become highly aware of your thoughts and feelings.

If you're feeling anything less than wonderful, then you're probably focusing on what you don't have, rather than what you do have. When you notice that, ask yourself, “What do I want?”

Step 4

Once you are aware of what you want, begin to visualize it and feel what it feels like to have it. For example, if you want to make $400,000 a year , work 30 hours or less a week and take several vacations within the next 12 months, visualize that. Close your eyes and capture the feeling.

Take a few moments each day to be in that feeling. Be sure to bring all of your senses into it.

For example, if you visualize yourself vacationing in Hawaii, then feel a balmy ocean air, the feeling of the sand beneath you, the warmth of the sun on your body and so forth. I'm sure you get the idea.

Step 5

If any self limiting belief opposes your intention to make $400,000 a year, work 30 hours a week or less, and have several vacations within the next 12 months, become a

“loving detective” in yourself and find out what self limiting belief is opposing that.

In other words what is your counter intention? For most people, it is the belief, “I'm not worthy of abundance.”

Ask your old belief part this question, “What are you trying to do for me, by having me hold on to the belief that I'm not worthy of abundance?”

Most of the time, the answer will be, “I'm trying to keep you safe.”

When I coach my clients, I help them to see the origin of that belief so they are able to realize the connection in their subconscious mind between perceived “safety”

and stopping themselves from abundance.

Usually what we discover is that this belief was installed as a survival strategy in childhood. Once the awareness of that is available, we can reprogram or release that self limiting belief. I have my clients thank that self limiting belief for trying to be of service, and then release it to its highest good.

If you have been feeling stuck and unable to reach your goals, I would highly recommend that you practice the five steps shown above. Once you've released your self limiting beliefs, you will have unleashed your “unstoppable energy.” Success is created from the inside out. By doing this inner work, you are building a solid blueprint for success within yourself.

Monday, June 9, 2008

Are your Self-Limiting Beliefs holding you back?

Do you ever wonder what is holding you back? Do you ever wonder what is stopping you from having all the clients, all the money, and all the transactions that you desire?

Chances are that you have all the skills and knowledge you need.

Have you ever said to yourself, “I know what I should be doing, I’m just not doing it.”?

That is a clear signal that you are being undermined by self limiting beliefs that may not even be conscious, such as:

"I'm not worthy of success”,

“It's selfish to pray for money”,

“Rich people are dishonest”,

“I should just be happy with what I have and not want more”,

“I am a failure and not worthy of money.”

Let me give you an example from a client of mine:

Although his efforts to be successful were sincere, he had unknowingly been carrying around “anti-success” beliefs his whole life, such as:

“I don't have what it takes”

“I can't be successful like others”

“I have to settle for less”

“I have to struggle and sacrifice to make money”

“I'm not worthy of having money”

In our weekly sessions, it became clear that the origins of these self limiting beliefs went back quite a ways. A real breakthrough for him came during one of our sessions, when he recalled that as a child he tried extremely hard to get his parents approval.

Because his parents were not forthcoming with their approval, he concluded subconsciously that he was a “failure”, and that he did not deserve success.

This resulted in him never achieving the level of success he wanted, not getting the transactions that he deserved, and beating himself up continually with self "put downs”.

When he realized where all of this came from, he had the insight that his whole feeling of unworthiness was false. He further realized that it was not his fault that his parents did not approve of him, as they were withholding people.

He began to install Empowered beliefs such as:

“I am successful”

“I am worthy”

“I am generous with my approval for myself”

His assignment was to practice giving himself a generous amount of positive self talk everyday. In fact if he caught himself putting himself down, he resolved to intervene, interrupt the process and put in a positive new thought in its place, such as “I can do anything I set my mind to do.”

Once he began practicing his Empowered Beliefs, he could practice the Law of Attraction without the interference of counter intentions. Not surprisingly, his energy increased, as well as his clients and income.

His story illustrates the importance of identifying and reprogramming self limiting beliefs.

Monday, June 2, 2008

5 Tips to Use Your Sphere of Influence to Double Your Income

I find that so many of my clients are marketing avoidant when it comes to their sphere of influence. And yet statistics show that your sphere of influence can be the greatest source of referrals. This article show you how to dig in and get the “gold.”

Tip 1: Define and Rate your Sphere of Influence

When is the last time that you took a good look at your sphere of influence? What is the total? What are the categories in that group? Do you have past clients, friends, acquaintances, people you hardly know? Before you do any thing else go into your data
base and group your sphere of influence in categories.

Do you know who in your sphere is likely to refer to you? Do you know who in your sphere already works with another agent? How many have moved away? Start deleting the inappropriate ones.

Be sure to ask all of them this question at some point: “If you were buying or selling a home do you have a real estate agent that could help you?" If they say “yes” delete them. There is no point in continuing, they are not prospects. By keeping in touch
With your sphere of influence as we will describe below, you’ll begin to find out who is an A,B, C, or D.

A= someone likely to refer to you

B= someone who with a little more contact with you, would refer to you

C=Questionable

D= Delete

Tip 2: Send an Item of Value to your sphere each month

In my 10+ years of coaching Real Estate agents to double their incomes, I am amazed at the fact that sometimes their sphere never gets a mailing. Or sometimes the mailing is not well thought out. I worked with a client today who admitted that the material she was sending to her sphere was standard and boring. We brainstormed about Items of Value that would be interesting, fun and unique. So far she has come up with recipes and inspiring quotes. What do you send to your sphere of influence?

Is it something you would want to receive and find valuable? If so, then I guarantee that your sphere will like it too. How many creative Items of Value can you come up with?

Tip 3: Overcome your blocks to calling your sphere

Everyone I have ever worked with resists calling their sphere.
They tell me things like

• “I don’t want them to think I want something from them”

• “I’m afraid they won’t like me”

• “I don’t want to be like a telemarketer”

The list goes on, but I think you get the idea. What you need to understand is that you’re a giver. When givers give to other givers, they get back. So, in other words, if you send an Item of Value , you are giving, when you chat with them and listen to what’s going on in their lives, you’re giving again. So at the end of the call, say something like, " Oh by the way, if you hear of anyone even whispering about buying or selling a home, please give me a call with their name and number.” Then say, “I’ll be happy to send referrals to your business, as well.“ Guess what? You’re giving again.

After doing these calls monthly (after your mailing of Items of Value) you’ll begin to know your sphere of influence and they’ll know you. You’ll begin to learn which ones are you’re A’s, B’s, C’s and which ones to delete. Then what will happen is that you’ll be in their stream of consciousness. Soon you’re the first one they’ll think of when they think of real estate. Don’t be surprised if you get referrals in the first few weeks.

Tip 4: Be in the right mindset

Don’t make these calls if you’re feeling anxious, upset or desperate. Remember, desperations doesn’t sell. So psych your self up in the right mindset. Think of your self as a giver and how happy they are going to be to hear from you. Tip: if you have been thinking negatively, switch your focus to what you are grateful for. That usually puts you in a much better mood to pick up the phone.

Tip 5: Make it a daily ritual

Just like brushing your teeth, calling some people out of your sphere of influence is essential. Even one a day is OK. Only call several times a day if you want your income to raise quickly.

Decide when to make your calls and keep at it until you’ve reached the people you were trying to call . Expect that several weeks after doing this; it will feel a lot easier. An extra perk is that you’re going to be deepening some great relationships and you’ll experience the same pleasure of calling them us as you would with a good friend.