by andrew | Sep 3, 2018 | Best Practice, Don't Settle, Goal Setting, Mindset For Success, No Regrets, Success, Sucess Goals
What if today was your last?
JP posted and sent an article out yesterday from Steve Jobs commencement speech at Stanford in 2005. As you know, Steve was an American entrepreneur and business magnate. He was the Chairman, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), and a co-founder of Apple Inc., Chairman and majority shareholder of Pixar, a member of The Walt Disney Company’s board of directors following its acquisition of Pixar, and the Founder, Chairman, and CEO of NeXT. Jobs is widely recognized as a pioneer of the microcomputer revolution.
What can we learn from Steve that applies to being the CEO of your real estate practice? Plenty… read on:
When Steve was 17, he read a quote that went something like, “If you live each day as if it was your last, someday you’ll most certainly be right.” It made an impression on him, and since then, for the past 33 years of his life, he looked in the mirror every morning and asked himself, “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?” And whenever the answer has been “No” for too many days in a row, he know he need to change something.
Remembering that you’ll be dead soon is the most important tool Steve Jobs ever encountered to help him make the big choices in life. Because almost everything — all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure — these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way I know to avoid the trap of thinking you have something to lose. You are already naked. There is no reason not to follow your heart.
No one wants to die. Even people who – like me – want to go to heaven don’t want to die to get there. And yet death is the destination we all share. Our time, your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma — which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of others’ opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.
So what’s holding you back?
What action have you been putting off?
What’s the one thing you know, if you took action today would make a positive impact on your business or your personal life?
Do that today, do it NOW as if today was your last.
#WinTheDay
by andrew | Aug 31, 2018 | In The News, JPAR, JPAR News, What's New
JP & Associates REALTORS® is pleased to announce Prakash Matthew has joined the corporate staff as it’s dedicated Director of Business To Business Partnerships.
JP Piccinini, CEO, and Founder said, “Connecting vetted partners with our agents and teams is a powerful way to better serve today’s modern consumer. Agents, teams, and consumers are all looking to make the real estate transaction less stressful and more streamlined and that is exactly our mission in building the JPAR preferred vendor network.”
Read more…
by andrew | Aug 29, 2018 | Best Practice, JPAR, Mindset For Success, Real Estate, Success, Success From Scratch, Sucess Goals, Top Agent, Top Producer
On today’s episode of “Success from Scratch,” we have Sam Lloyd and Tiphannie Clements from the W Lux Properties team. The team is on track to create $50 million dollars in business this year. The dynamic duo was matched together online, similar to “match.com,” yet for business. The culture of the team places great value on encouraging team members to collaborate and serve consumers at the highest level. Potential team members are invited to meet their whole crew to ensure culture fit and work ethic. Learn more by watching now.
“Regardless how big or small the home value, we treat them like a luxury.”
– W Lux Properties, Sam Lloyd and Tiphannie Clements, JP and Associates REALTORS®
by andrew | Aug 27, 2018 | Appointment Setting, Best Practice, BluePrint Of Success, Coaching, Goal Setting, Priorities and My Time, Staying Relevant, Success, Sucess Goals, Top Agent, Top Producer
How would it feel if you could help 50 families buy, sell or invest in real estate every year?
A system will produce what a system will produce… nothing less, nothing more. So I’m curious, what is your system producing for your business? Are you happy with that result or do you want more? If you want more, read on.
Are Your Systems Producing Reliable Results?
Let me clarify. For some of you reading this blog, losing weight might be an example you can relate to. Losing 10 pounds is a GOAL. Changing the way you eat for life is a SYSTEM. Many of you have a goal of helping 20 or more families buy, sell or invest in real estate this year. That is a GOAL. What systems do you have in place to ensure that outcome?
So let’s review first why you need systems in place. Unless you are a hobbyist in real estate, you’ll need systems for:
- Consistent quality – for you, your clients and your partners.
- Simplifying your workload – like a checklist for a pilot, you don’t have to always guess what needs to be done next
- Saving time – less time wondering what to do and more time doing it
- Highlighting inefficiencies – with the right systems in place you can see what’s working and what’s not
- Growing your business – serve more people, make more money
As a real estate broker and later as a real estate business coach, I’ve seen, reviewed and put into practice virtually every system out there. In my current view of the business, the perfect place to start is with Gary Keller’s three L’s from The Millionaire Real Estate Agent: Leads, Listings, and Leverage.
Next-level agents – those that run their business as a business – implement real estate systems to handle each of the three L’s. Let’s dig in.
LEADS
Leads are the lifeblood of your real estate practice. Without leads, you have no clients and no deals. Systemizing your lead generation and conversion processes will result in more clients and more successful transactions. One such system is outlined in The Millionaire Real Estate Agent, which outlines a system to move prospects from your outer circle to your inner circle.
In the book, we learn 2 prospecting categories and 11 marketing categories to choose from and implement. Exploring all of them would spread you too thin, yet having a plan to start with one and “add one” each quarter is a solid process to build a strong real estate practice.
Lead systems include:
- Eight by eight – everyone you meet goes into a campaign with the purpose of establishing a relationship. Once a week for 8 weeks you make some type of meaningful contact. Text, follow up call, email, social media direct message, handwritten note. Get creative and systematize it.
- Thirty-Three Touch – everyone you know goes into the 33 touch program. 18 touches via newsletter, cards or drop-offs; 8 thinking of you touches; 3 telephone touches; 2 birthday touches (both partners); 1 touch each for a special holiday. Get creative – old media and new media – and systematize it.
- Twelve Direct – for those people you have not met in your target market area. 12 direct contacts a year. Get creative and systemize it.
Move Prospects From Your Outer To Your Inner Circle.
Your business is just math – depending on market conditions, your skills and results you will need to increase or decrease your formula:
For every 12 people on your “met” contact database – when you follow this system – you can reasonably expect to net 2 sales… either a direct sale or a referral for a sale. Do you want to do 5o sales this year? Then a solid database of 300 people using this system can produce that result.
For every 50 people in your “not met” database you can reasonably expect 1 sale. You want to do 5o sales this year, then you’ll need 2,500 people in your not meet database.
LISTINGS
If you want to run an efficient real estate business, focus on gaining more listings, not more buyers.
Listings require less time and allow you more scheduling flexibility… you don’t have to work around the clients’ schedules nearly as much as with buyers. You can also be more confident in your ability to collect payment as a seller’s agent than as a buyer’s agent. We’ve all had buyers cut us out of a deal at one time or another. And even with a buyer’s brokerage agreement, forcing payment of commissions can easily get contentious. It’s a headache you just don’t need.
One of the best resources I’ve run across for a listing system is Hoss Pratt’s book LISTING BOSS
So work with well-qualified, sense-of-urgency buyers, but focus your efforts on earning listings from sellers.
Listings systems include:
- Creating Home Value and Neighborhood Activities campaigns
- Listing presentations: what can you show prospective sellers during your listing presentation that will distinguish yourself from your competition and help your sellers feel comfortable contracting with you?
- Staging: how will you help your sellers stage to sell?
- Property marketing: how will you promote your new listings? In our market, your marketing needs to be like the new home builders.
- Client communication: when and how will you be in touch with your sellers while the property is on the market and under contract?
LEVERAGE
Leverage is all about finding and utilizing resources to help you scale your business.
Perhaps you could spend more time landing more listings if you hired a transaction coordinator to manage the paperwork for your pending deals. Or you could spend more time on income-generating activities if you hired an assistant to handle the administrative aspects of your practice.
Leverage your resources to help you serve more clients and increase your revenue.
Leverage systems include:
- Assistants: what tasks can you delegate to an assistant (as an employee or even as a freelance virtual assistant)?
- Buyer agents: as your business grows, you may find you need a designated Buyer’s Agent to handle your buyers.
- Automation software: can some of your tasks, like social media posts or email campaigns, be handled by automation software?
- Your CRM… without a solid CRM and CRM process you are not in business you simply have a hobby.
Feeling overwhelmed? Good, that’s the place where all growth begins. Break it down into small chunks and get started today. If you have not read my article Delegate, Automate or Eliminate, now would be a good time.
Need a business coach? Schedule a consult with us today.
#WinTheDay
by andrew | Aug 22, 2018 | Best Practice, Goal Setting, Success, Success From Scratch, Sucess Goals, Top Agent, Top Producer
Kandi Pound joined us for today’s episode of “Success from Scratch.” Her exceptional customer service has led to consistent and loyal repeat customers. She credits her success to great customer service. “For me, it stopped being about money a long time ago. It started being about helping people,” she said. She encourages agents to focus on the quality of their service, and it will take off from there.
“Your clients don’t choose you because of your brokerage, they choose you based on the customer service you give them.”
-Kandi Pound, Business Development Manager, JP and Associates REALTORS®
by andrew | Aug 17, 2018 | In The News, JPAR, JPAR News, What's New
For the second consecutive year, JP & Associates REALTORS® Ranks No. 746 on the 2018 Inc. 5000.
Inc. magazine today revealed that JP & Associates REALTORS® is No. 746 on its 37th annual Inc. 5000, the most prestigious ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies. The list represents a unique look at the most successful companies within the American economy’s most dynamic segment—its independent small businesses. Microsoft, Dell, Domino’s Pizza, Pandora, Timberland, LinkedIn, Yelp, Zillow, and many other well-known names gained their first national exposure as honorees on the Inc. 5000.
Read more…
by andrew | Aug 15, 2018 | Best Practice, Coaching, Don't Settle, Success, Success From Scratch, Sucess Goals, Top Agent, Top Producer
In this week’s episode of “Success From Scratch” Coach Travis Robertson shares the 5 limiting beliefs that hold most people back from achieving their dreams. Watch this episode to get some tips to create your own personal breakthrough and more. And if you are ready for a free 1-hour breakthrough session, schedule that NOW at www.travisrobertson.com/jpar
“If I’m not afraid, I worry, because it means I am not stretching myself.”
-Travis Robertson, Founder “Don’t Settle Group”
by andrew | Aug 13, 2018 | Burn Out, Life On The Wire, Rest, Sharpening The Saw, Stress, Work
I’ll rest when I’m dead…as driven business owners we’ve probably all said this phrase at some point in our careers.
JP and I were reflecting the other day on the amazing group of teams, agents, and staff that have joined us to create their business within the business. We are blessed to be surrounded by the best of the best. We are blessed to work in an industry of such dedicated, loyal and giving professionals that provides so much opportunity and fuels so much of our economy. Yet as self-employed, driven entrepreneurs many of us live life on the wire and are highly prone to burn-out.
Normally we write about increasing productivity, tips and hacks to make you more productive. Yet today, let’s review rest: the power of rest… the necessity of rest and the purpose of rest.
Consider this… if you are not fully rested and charged you can’t serve your clients at the highest level. Yes? So taking time to sharpen the saw, to rest and recharge is a way of better serving your clients. And if that’s not a good enough reason for you, then consider that science has proven that working too much can be counterproductive and even hazardous to your health. Any testimonies?
So as self-employed entrepreneurs – with no guaranteed paycheck – how do we balance work and non-work activities? It’s not easy, yet in his book “Life On The Wire” my friend Todd Duncan contends the last thing we need amid life’s inherent imbalance is another attempt at a how-to formula for perfect balance… equal parts work and life. In fact, he argues that such a holy grail does not exist. Instead, he has issued a more pragmatic formula he calls purposeful imbalance: the process of purposefully leaning toward work without sacrificing life and purposefully leaning toward life without damaging your business. It is precisely the way a tight-rope walker makes his way across a one-inch rope without falling.
I’ve turned to FORBES magazines council of coaches for some advice and here is what they have to say.
7 Practical Tips To Avoid Burnout and Reduce Stress
1. Get Curious About Self-Care
One strategy to reduce stress is to get curious about self-care. Self-care is about getting clear on what’s important to us and what will recharge our batteries. An easy way to do this is to explore a hobby we have been interested in, and approach it with a sense of curiosity instead of mastery. Allowing ourselves to “just play” can open up space we never knew we had. – Coach Jean Muhlbauer
2. Set Time Aside For Quiet Reflection
Set time aside daily for quiet, inner reflection in silence and solitude, followed by planning and organizing your day. Assess the actual value of your priorities and activities. Practice discipline in your focus to avoid distraction. Each morning, evaluate your past day’s success and adapt accordingly. – Coach Jay Steven Levin
3. Spend At least 15 Minutes A Day In Meditation
One practical strategy a modern professional can easily incorporate into their life to reduce stress is to schedule at least 15 minutes a day to meditate. This may sound like an overused idea, but that does not diminish its impact or effectiveness. While there is empirical data to support the positive effects of meditation, one does not need data to experience it first hand. Give it a try. – Coach Sharesz T. Wilkinson
4. Develop A Personal Daily Ritual
One strategy that just about everyone can do to help reduce stress is to develop a personal and practical ritual that you can do every day. For one of my clients, it’s having tea first thing each morning at a table or location away from her work desk. Some of my clients have incorporated nightly journaling or even an afternoon 20-minute nap. The key is to find something relaxing and stick to it! – Coach Trellis Usher
5. Hit The Pause Button More Often
Do you hit the pause button often enough? When you do, you can think through and adjust a communication, determine if you are working on the right priority versus just working, and most importantly, see the forest versus being caught in the trees. – Coach Janine Schindler
6. Accept That Stress Is Of Your Own Making
Our work with very successful CEOs and senior executives allows them to appreciate that stress is of our own making against some ideal, what we perceive others think of us, or unrealistic expectations. We have the same amount of time as everyone else and freedom on how we choose to use that time. Most importantly, we have freedom in how we choose to perceive our own performance and accomplishments – Coach Dave Garrison
7. Live In The Now
Living in the now is a great way to reduce stress. Focusing on the future creates anxiety, and thinking about the past creates regret. Furthermore, the future does not exist because when it arrives, it arrives in the present moment. The only thing that exists is right now, and focusing on the present moment and situation directly in front of you can significantly reduce your stress. – Coach Jason Johnson
So there you have it – 7 practical steps – from 7 world class coaches. Do you have something to add to the list? Share it in the comments below. For me, I frequently rely on what’s written in Matthew 11:28-30.
Our desire this week, and every week is that you take time to rest and recharge… so you can better serve you, your families, your clients, and your community. Rest well, my friends.
#WinTheDay
by andrew | Aug 8, 2018 | BANKCODE, BluePrint Of Success, Success, Success From Scratch, Sucess Goals, Top Agent, Top Producer
In this week’s episode of “Success from Scratch,” Cheri Tree shares how she was making $700 a year and using the science of BANKCODE™ increased her earnings to over $500,000 in a year.
Curious about your code? Crack your own code at https://www.mybankcode.com/jpar/
Want to become an expert? Consider adding full access to the training library with the JPAR preferred program: www.bankcode.com/jpar
“To get more YES’s you’ve got to get more YES’s”
-Cheri Tree, Founder & CEO BANKCODE™.
by andrew | Aug 6, 2018 | BluePrint Of Success, Freedom, Goal Setting, Independence, Master Mind Group, Priorities and My Time, Productivity, Success
As a coach, as a leader both in the military and private enterprise, I’ve often wondered why do people say they want to change yet never do? It seems from my experience, it is our human nature to rely solely on willpower in creating change in our business and our lives…but what if we are thinking about it all wrong?
In Willpower Doesn’t Work, Benjamin Hardy explains that willpower is nothing more than a dangerous fad – a fad that is bound to lead to failure. Instead of “white-knuckling” your way to change, he suggests we need to instead alter our surroundings to support our goals. JP wrote a great outline of how to “alter your surroundings” in the blog article: 7 Steps for Success in Real Estate Sales. Each of these 7 steps is a practical way to alter your surroundings, create confidence and crush your goals.
You see, working with so many of you… I know you want something bigger for yourself… I do, you do, your loved ones do. You want to feel more in control, you want more transformation of your business. If you are relying solely on willpower, here’s what I know: “willpower alone simply is not an effective approach to change.”
Spiritually, I’d rather rely on my higher power than my own power.
Motivationally, I’d rather rely on my WHY power than my willpower.
Behaviorally, I’d rather create environments of positive stress and high demand vs. staying in the status quo.
The story of John Burke… John was nominated for a Grammy for the best new album. One of the songs on this album was titled Earth Breaker. Here’s the interesting thing, Earth Breaker was a song Burke didn’t even know he could write or play when he started it. When he composed the music it was beyond his current musical ability. Yet that is exactly what he wanted. He wrote a song he couldn’t play and then took immediate action to practice and practice, over and over until he mastered it.
Writing a song beyond his skill level was as a “forcing function” for Burke. It created conditions with more advanced rules than he was accustomed to living. He had to GROW into the environment he created for himself. The moment Burke decides he is going to pursue a new project he immediately decides and takes 7 decisive actions.
- He decides when the project will be completed and by when it will be released.
- He works backward from the release date, mapping out all key milestones.
- He calls that day to schedule studio time.
- He pays up front to ensure he gets his preferred studio date and time.
- Organizes his personal calendar and schedule to support the project.
- He passes on other opportunities that would be a distraction from his main project.
- He declares his new project publicly, creating an expectation and accountability from others.
Burke CREATES conditions that force him to succeed by taking immediate and decisive action.
So what’s holding you back?
What action can you take NOW?
If you are not in a weekly mastermind group, I’d encourage you to create one TODAY.
Are you role-playing with a partner the most common questions, the most common objections, and the most common tripwires daily? If not find a partner and start TODAY.
Here is what I know… “the business world rewards action, not thought.”
If you need coaching and accountability… either in a group setting or one on one basis, schedule a consult today at www.travisrobertson.com/jpar
#WinTheDay
