by andrew | May 16, 2018 | Best Practice, Goal Setting, JPAR, Mindset For Success, Success, Success From Scratch, Sucess Goals, Top Producer
In episode 5 of “Success From Scratch,” MJ Franklin shares her secret to success. It wasn’t education, it wasn’t special celebrities she knew, it wasn’t because she had a lot of money. She had GRIT, determination, drive and a willingness to serve.
Make time to watch this episode, you won’t regret the time invested.
“You can’t be in this business for the money, you have to be genuine.”
MJ Franklin, JP & Associates REALTORS®
Share your thoughts and comments with us now, we value your contribution to this community.
by andrew | May 14, 2018 | Best Practice, Goal Setting, JPAR, Mindset For Success, Priorities and My Time, Productivity, Sucess Goals
It’s been about 134 days since we all made those “New Years Resolutions.”
So, how are you doing with those?
The answer was either a wow, an ouch or something in-between. Good, because whatever emotion that brought up for you, declare it perfect and move forward in a powerful direction.
Gym owners and weight loss providers love January 1st because that week is when so many people come in to join for the year, participate for a few weeks and then slowly disappear.
Consider this, replace the gym or weight loss program with any other new behavior change like learning a new language, getting up at a certain time, making sales calls and more. You see, we know human nature… you get all excited in the beginning yet somewhere along the way the enthusiasm fades and the new behavior is dropped.
Why does this happen?
Ask any expert and they will say… it’s not having a strong and compelling reason, a or “why.”
I once worked with a real estate agent that I was providing leads for. He was an average producer doing OK – not great yet not bad, just about average. One day he called me and said, “Mark, I have a $50,000 court judgement!” So what happened next?
Nothing changed in my business model; same leads and same market conditions. Over the next 6 months, his production nearly grew by 10X. He called me and said, “I paid off the judgement.” The next month and following months his production returned to his pre-judgement average pattern.
What moved him from average, to 10X and back to average?
This agent had a short-term compelling “why” that drove his daily behavior. When his “why” faded, so did his daily routine and motivation. The conclusion: getting clear on why you want to create something is basic science at this point.
You want to increase sales… Why?
You want to lose 25 pounds… Why?
You want to spend more time with family and less time working… Why?
What is it you REALLY want?
Is it the weight loss or how it makes you feel? Is it the increased sales or the financial freedom that brings you? What do you really want? Ask yourself, answer and repeat that about 5 times to get to the REAL answer.
When the days get tough and life gets in the way, it’s the compelling “why” that keeps you engaged and on track.
Let us compare these two scenarios:
A: Making more sales is important to me because I want to have more money.
B: Making more sales is important to me because it provides me more freedom in supporting my family, it creates more options of travel and schools for me and my family, it allows me to contribute more to the charities and my community that I love and are dear to my heart.
With B you can feel the reason. You can see the reason. You can believe the reason. B is crystal clear.
Another example to consider:
A: Making more sales is important to me because I want to be happy.
B: Making more sales is important to me because I want to make the best out of the cards I was dealt in life. I want to celebrate life, provide for my family, give back to my community and live with joy.
With B, it is much more meaningful than a vague “I want to be happy.” Yes!?
….So, why does your “why” matter?
If you actually believe creating a compelling “why” can change your behavior, then it will. If you believe it won’t, then it won’t. The choice is yours to make. It’s like Henry Ford said, “If you think you can do a thing or think you can’t do a thing, you’re right.”
Think about one of your major accomplishments… strong reason “why” was part of your formula. Without a compelling “why”, whatever you attempt will just be another project that sits on the shelf collecting dust.
Positive change awaits you when you make the effort and you tie it to a compelling reason “why!”
Now, I’d like to know… what goal is important to you? What will accomplishing this goal do for you? What’s your “WHY” for this goal?
Share your thoughts and comments with us now, we value your contribution to this community.
by andrew | May 7, 2018 | Best Practice, Goal Setting, Mindset For Success, Productivity, Staying Relevant
Staying relevant in today’s fast-changing world is top of mind to many of my friends and business associates.
A University of California, Berkeley study clearly shows the fastest growing “thing” on this planet is the amount of information we are generating. In fact, information is expanding faster than anything else we create or can measure over the scale of decades.
With the rapid increase in information and the changing popularity of online, radio and TV news how do you and your business stay relevant?
You might expect me to say, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn or YouTube. While these tools have a role in relevancy, they are simply tactics of a much larger strategy.
To stay relevant today you need to have a “Flexibility and Fast Learning” strategy in place.
Flexibility
Mark Morford, an SF Gate columnist states, “I have found flexibility to be the most frequent reply I give to those who ask me about how the hell they’re supposed to keep up with the onslaught of tech stuff coming at them.”
Flexibility, just means you allow the possibility that some of these seemingly inane developments might be beneficial and you should not dismiss them out of hand because, well, that’s where the action is.
It is common to hear people say that the present is unlike the past. And that is true. For change is indeed constant. If we do not change, we risk being outcast by the wave of societal changes. There are specific common steps among companies and people that have used “flexibility” to reinvent themselves. They are:
1. Having a keen awareness of what is changing and has changed around you. (Be aware)
2. Reflecting on what needs to change within you and your company. (Be Flexible)
3. Checking to make sure those changes match your values and goals. If yes, move to step 4.
4. Fine-tune the plan you need to make that change.
5. Act on your plan to change.
6. Review the change after some time to ensure you are on course.
7. Go back to Step 1 on a regular basis.
Learning Fast
According to KM World, learning before, during and after everything you do is a must in staying relevant. The results of methods such as peer assists (learning before doing), action reviews (learning while doing), and after action reviews (learning after doing) are well-known. If you are not applying those techniques in your business, projects, and teams, you are not staying relevant. Start now.
Here is a checklist of simple questions to guide you through fast learning strategy:
To “learn before doing” at the start of your day or any activity:
- What is supposed to happen today?
- How will I know if I’m successful?
- What knowledge do I need to get what I want to be done, and where can I get it?
- What help do I need?
To “learn while doing” in the middle of a task or activity:
- What was supposed to happen up until now?
- What has actually happened?
- Why are 1 and 2 different?
- What can I learn and do about it right now?
To “learn after doing” at the end of the day or a task:
- What stands out for me that is new or different?
- What should I repeat next time I do this, and why?
- What should I do differently next time, and why?
- Who else may be facing similar challenges and might find this useful?
To remain relevant, you need to have a “flexibility and fast learning” strategy in place. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube are tools and have a role in relevancy, yet keep in mind they are simply tactics of a larger strategy.
#WinTheDay #ExceedingExpectations
by andrew | May 2, 2018 | Appointment Setting, Best Practice, Goal Setting, JPAR, Mindset For Success, Real Estate, Success, Success From Scratch, Sucess Goals, Top Producer
This week’s episode of “Success From Scratch” features our very own, JP Piccinini, CEO and Founder!
Take a moment to watch or listen how he started JPAR from scratch and how it has become the 88th largest broker in America.
What’s the point of success if you can’t share your success with others? – JP
by andrew | Apr 25, 2018 | Goal Setting, In The News, JPAR, Mindset For Success, Real Estate, Success, Success From Scratch
Episode 2 of “Success From Scratch” is here.
In this week’s episode, team leaders, Prakash and MaryJane Mathew will share some best practices on how they started and how it got them to where they are right now – a successful TEAM.
“The secret is with the basics, practice makes perfect!” -Prakash & MaryJane
by andrew | Apr 23, 2018 | Goal Setting, Mindset For Success, Success
Welcome to real estate sales! The hardest and most challenging roller coaster ride of your life. Yet this profession can also be so very, very rewarding.
When I came out of corporate America and started my real estate career, I did not have an extensive network because I worked 80 hours a week. I wasn’t as connected to the community as others. I was starting a business from scratch and I knew excuses would not create income. So, I took what I knew from engineering – system, structure, and process – and applied that to my business.
I knew if I created and followed a formula, success would flow. And it did! Following my “7 S” formula I became the rookie of the year, #1 producer in my office and 3 years later the #1 agent in my market. Later in my career, I had the skills, desire and drive to create my own real estate brokerage: JP & Associates REALTORS®. And I’m proud to write that in the last 6 years – following the “7 S” formula DAILY- we’ve come from being a dream to being named the 88th largest firm in America!
So, what’s the formula? It’s the 7 S’s:
“You are capable of success, you just need to take the first step”
SUIT UP
Every day I suit up – I suit up mentally and physically. Unless you live in Malibu where you can get by at times with shorts and flip-flops, suit up and look like a successful, professional. Everyday dress for success for the norms in your area. That included my car… now at first, I could not afford a fancy car, yet I invested in a 4-door car that was always clean and ready to go.
Suiting up for me also meant my daily mental routine. My friend and COO Mark Johnson at JPAR, recently wrote: “the mind is its own place. Inside it, you can make a perfect place miserable and a miserable place nearly perfect.” That’s so true. Each day I focused on the positive things I could create in my business and for my life. You see I knew, what I focused on expands and I chose to focus on being mentally tough and taking inspired action daily.
What I learned I had to BE the agent that people wanted to work with and refer friends to. You can do the same. Suit up every day mentally and physically! EVERYDAY. This is where agents begin to fumble and falling off the wagon so very early in the steps.
SHOW UP
In my business, I showed up! I showed up to as many local and regional real estate events and community events as possible. Became involved in all my kid’s activities and filled my calendar with appointments! Appointments I learned was my “money ball” the equivalent of getting on base. The more I got on base the more signed contracts I created. I made appointments with everyone who could help me: with title companies, lenders, friends, clients, other top producers. While others would not begin arriving in the office until 11 every day, I got to the office EARLY. I made it a point to never eat lunch alone. Coffee anyone?
What I learned after suiting up was to SHOW UP and show up everywhere! Show up until you don’t need a business card to introduce yourself in your market.
SPECIALIZE
Generalist struggle and specialist thrive. When I ask an agent their specialty and they answer, “I’ll go anywhere,” typically, that answer is a signal for help! I’ve observed that agents who go anywhere struggle more than agents who specialize. Yes, most of us live in or near a large market, yet a niche specialty market is a secret to stretching your dollars and maximizing your exposure. Niche markets are all around us… consider what industry you come from like Nursing, teaching, law enforcement? You can specialize in those markets. What about specializing in investment properties for high wealth individuals? Of course, there is always the local neighborhood. You can make a great living by becoming the hyperlocal expert in a 300-home area by becoming the “hub” for all things real estate and home ownership related. You’ll provide a great service to your “farm” and love your business.
I learned this early in my career. Your marketing dollar cannot cover an entire wide area. Your audience needs to be narrow and they need to hear or see your message daily.
SOLICIT
It seems in today’s world the word “solicit” or “sales” is almost a dirty word. Yet consider this… nothing in this world happens until someone buys or sells something. And those who do so in an eloquent and professional way can be well rewarded. Fact is, real estate sales in many ways is a commodity like milk, juice, and airlines. Yet you can differentiate yourself in service, follow up, expertise and always delivering on your promises.
So, don’t be a secret agent. You’ve got to get out there and engage with the people you know and the people you don’t know. Build and maintain relationships. Wear a name tag; slap a magnetic business card on the side of your car; hand out business cards; conduct open houses and invite ALL the nosy neighbors. Spark discussions about real estate with everyone you meet. And then be prepared with your U.S.P. Your unique selling proposition… (google it!). Finally, develop your network of professional relationships who you can cross-refer business.
Keep in mind, I learned early on that “what you say matters.” I can’t emphasize enough the importance of role-playing and practicing. Agents who rehearse the buyer presentation, rehearse their listing presentation and rehearse the most common objections simply outperform those agents who don’t. It’s just that simple: practice with someone in the office NOT on your potential customer.
SPEND
I’d rather say “invest” but it doesn’t start with an S! You have to spend, to invest money to make money. And every spend should have a direct ROI (return on investment) back to you. Be smart, be strategic but have a budget each month that is invested in tried and true lead generation and set aside a budget to always be testing something new and innovative.
Limited money? Check equity or sweat equity… it’s your choice, just be resourceful in how you spend your time, talent and treasure. For example, in some cases, you can door drop and save money on direct mail. Whatever you do, however, you choose to do it remember the purpose of all real estate marketing is to get an appointment. Get the appointment is your money ball!
Most agents don’t even have a budget. Create one now, and work toward increasing the spend monthly, not reducing it. The more you spend toward lead gen, marketing the more appointments you can create.
A scared money will never make you real money. Look at where top producers spend their money in lead gen and outspend them over time to take their place. Simple enough.
SET GOALS
Life rewards the specific and punishes the vague. You tell me, which agent is going to make more money this year:
Agent 1: “how much money would you like to make this year?”
As much a possible!
Agent 2: “how much money would you like to make this year?”
I’m going to serve 50 families this year to either buy, sell or invest in real estate. By talking with 10 people a day (4 I know; 4 I don’t know, and 2 from previous lead follow-ups) I’ll make 4 appointments a week and sign 1 new contract each week.
Which agent of these agents is going to win at the end of the year?
You are a business owner now and business owners don’t wing it. Set big goals that motivate you to take big actions.
EVERY. SINGLE.DAY. You should have a checklist of things you want to accomplish towards the master goal. Don’t quit the day until you have those things done.
As an engineer, I was given a Franklin Covey planner. I had one of those in my days selling real estate and to this day I carry a notebook. I want to check things off my list daily. It’s fulfilling. It’s personally rewarding.
SERVICE
You can specialize, solicit, spend all day long, but in the end, the willingness to help people and be active in your community carries more weight than gold in our business. Get involved in your church, your community events. Volunteer in your kid’s groups and local organizations like the Junior League, or Women Leagues, or Rotary club. It will take some time to get business from those circles, but if you have a genuine approach and take time business will come.
Zig said it best. You can have everything you want in life if you just help enough people get what they want.
Make it happen each day, use the 7 S formula and success will flow. If you didn’t catch my previous post on the 7 Things I Wish My Broker Had Told Me, then check it out.
