It’s 2010. Chances are you made some New Year’s Resolutions [last January]. A good question to ask is, “Are you paying attention to what really matters?” To determine what matters most in your life, answer the three following questions:

1. Name the three most memorable events in your life.
2. Name the five most important people in your life.
3. Name three things you wish you had more time to do.
4. Name three people you would like to spend more time with (and include the activity where you would be together.)

Did any of these include work? If you’re like most people, probably not. Unfortunately, our society often portrays being a “workaholic” as something noble—”The market is really tough. I have to 16 hours a day if we’re going to succeed!” “We both have to work—the kids would be stuck in a lousy apartment and a lousy school if we don’t!” “My clients need me—I have to be available when they call.”

If you look back on your past, chances are pretty good that your most precious memories are not of work—they’re of times spent doing special things with those you love or times you’ve taken time for you. So the next time you’re considering missing time with loved ones to stay at work or putting off caring for yourself because work is more important, remember what matters.

It’s 10 o’clock Monday morning – do you know where your company’s reputation is? As sites like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook become intertwined with business uses, real estate companies need to establish guidelines and best practices.

Whether we want to admit it or not, companies are learning that social networking, used properly, can be an effective business tool. We know by experience that having your sales associates involved in the community can enhance your company’s reputation and bring in more business. We are now embracing the concept that our sales associates can blog, tweet, and participate in forums and social sites and also increase business — so long as it’s done right.

But how do you monitor the conversation? You need a social media policy that explicitly lays out what is and isn’t permissible, both on the company’s network and outside of it if sales associates presenting themselves as representatives of the company.

If you do decide to take the “easy” way out and just block social networking sites at the company firewall, remember that what people post from home can still affect your company’s reputation.

How to get started

Consider creating a task force with people in your company who understand policy and procedures and others who are responsibly using social media. Together they can create a company platform. As always, before you can develop a policy, you need to define the company’s overall attitude toward social networking. A well executed social media strategy helps consumers and licensees follow an online dialogue protocol that shows promise of a successful outcome for consumers in real estate transactions. Create a statement that reflects the company’s mission statement and commitment to the consumer.

• Do you know what your agents are doing on the web?
• Do you know where your agents are placing their listings and what other listings they are claiming
• Your company’s copyright dos and don’ts
• Logos and company names – Who has the authority to start an online group using a registered trade name?
• Q & A Platforms – Are they generating leads in the discussion thread, or are you putting your real estate license at risk?

Social Media Tools To Monitor and Maintain Reputation Management Controls

Educate agents in the correct use of tools to avoid problems and pitfalls and, engage consumers in a fashion that will BUILD and ENHANCE a company’s reputation online. Remember to always reward responsible interaction online. If you can show examples of online fires doused as well as positive examples of building reputation online your sales associates will be better informed. Consider hiring a social media director for your association or your company.

Brokers and agents need to learn how to use tools to MONITOR their online presence.

Google or Yahoo alerts. Set up alerts based on your company’s name, principals’ names, etc. These alerts will send you an email every time one of your search words is found by the search engines.

http://www.google.com/alerts

http://alerts.yahoo.com/

Twitter Search

http://search.twitter.com

http://tweetbeep.com

StepRep

http://myfrontsteps.com

Yelp

http://www.yelp.com

Here are some other reputation management tools to look at. They charge a fee, but will do the time consuming work for you.

Privacy Gurus

http://www.privacygurus.com/firm.php

Quality Service Certified

http://www.qualityservice.org

Incredible Agents

http://www.incredibleagents.com

Real Estate Ratingz

http://www.realestateratingz.com

If you think it has been a tough year and find yourself thinking from a scarcity point of view, you might find yourself believing that there is little you can do to get more business…Think again!

Before you go with “scarcity thinking”, expert Harvey MacKay gives us 66 creative and meaningful ways to connect with even the most elusive prospects.

MacKay is the bestselling author of “Swim with the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive.” He says, “Anyone can get the order if he’s willing to stretch the truth far enough. Whether you tell the truth or not, you don’t come out a winner just by getting the first big order. The mark of the pro is to get the RE-Order!” That said, ask yourself these questions:

1. What am I willing to do to connect with a prospective client? (Or do I quit after a few attempts?)
2. Am I just trying to get another sale, or are there ways I can make an investment in a long term relationship?
3. What can I offer that will differentiate my service offering and add more value for prospects who will do business with me?

A great lesson from MacKay’s book is found in Lesson #3 – He says, “Knowing something about your customer is just as important as knowing everything about you or your product”.

MacKay was so passionate about wanting to know all he could about his customers; he is famous for developing his MacKay “66” question profile for each of his salespeople to fill out on their customers. He is adamant that when we know more about our customer, we enjoy a huge advantage when they know we care about them, their needs and ultimately then we have earned the right to work with them.

All too often, we fail the first step many high-paid coaches, consultants and top performers know and teach: Do a deep and thorough needs analysis of what THEY want, and not what you HAVE. But first you have to get the appointment and be willing to accept the challenge of winning their business.

Asking questions and then clarifying the answers is one of the most powerful ways to establish confidence and begin building a bridge of trust between you and your prospect. They want to know that you know not only what they want, but most importantly, why they want it. It is only when you act as their sales leader that you can help them determine what the appropriate solutions to their needs will actually be.

Many times we approach our buyers and sellers with a barrage of self-serving information about our experience, tout top testimonials and are convinced that WE are the answer to their needs, when in fact, that may not be the case at all! Regardless of your outstanding sales volume, negotiating acumen and years of experience, if they need a salesperson who can speak Vietnamese, you may not be their best choice!

The battle cry for successful sales that will never go out of style – RELATIONSHIP selling is the key to more sales. Ask well thought out questions, be a skilled, active listener, and craft solutions with your prospects for best results. You may not subscribe to doing a MacKay “66”, but knowing all the facts, motivations, limitations and best solutions for your customer will pave the way to create raving fans and endless referrals.

“Show me a man who cannot bother to do little things and I’ll show you a man who cannot be trusted to do big things.” ~Lawrence Bell

It was a just a s’more.

Yes, I’m talking about a graham cracker, a little chocolate, and a marshmallow. It probably had a cost of a half-cent to the business offering it, but that s’more made an impact. It symbolized a small act of kindness and generosity – with no expectations attached – that made a lasting impression.

And THAT, my friends, is what each of us MUST replicate if we want OUR businesses to last and thrive in today’s unpredictable economy.

People are interesting, aren’t they?

The personalities, the opinions, the baggage we all carry. But this “s’more experience” I’m going to tell you about reminded me of just how simple we can be…how little it actually takes to make us happy and to make a lasting impression. Let me explain.

If you’re ever in La Quinta, CA, you MUST eat at The Homestead Restaurant. Not only will you have one of the best meals of your life, but you’ll also get a massive lesson in true, lasting and meaningful customer service (from the welcome, to the goodbye). No matter what your profession, take note!

As we walked into the lobby of The Homestead for dinner, it was crowded, very crowded. Always a good sign for a restaurant. But, I didn’t feel like I was in a restaurant. I felt like I was in a comfy country resort just relaxing the day away.

While waiting to be seated at our table, they placed us in front of a quiet fireplace with calming music playing in the background. I noticed young families, older couples, middle-agers, twenty-somethings…all types and ages of people around me. Another good sign.

Here’s where it starts getting really brilliant.

A nice young woman soon came around with a tray full of graham crackers, chocolate squares and marshmallows. You guessed it – complimentary s’mores while you wait.

We roasted our marshmallows together over the fire, and we had fun with that simple task. The gooey fingers, the delicious hot marshmallow melting into the cool chocolate and the crunchy graham cracker…makes your mouth water just thinking about it, doesn’t it?

Now, if that was not memorable enough, it got even better.

There was an elderly couple sitting next to us while we waited. The hostess recognized them because they’d come in and had lunch there that same day (she even remembered they’d had the chicken pot pie!).

As she was helping them get their ingredients off the tray, the elderly woman – rather sheepishly – told the hostess that they’d only come back to have a s’more. They weren’t going to eat supper as they were still full from lunch but just needed a little something sweet.

The hostess then made a decision that will dramatically increase revenue for The Homestead Restaurant, guaranteed.

She said, sincerely, “You all come in ANYTIME for a s’more – it doesn’t matter if you eat a meal or not. We just love seeing you!”

You could tell they were so pleased and touched by her kindness. It was evident on their faces.

Now, you may be thinking, “How could THAT dramatically increase revenue? It was just one older couple and a s’more.”

Here’s the deal:

You know as well as I do that that couple will tell absolutely EVERYONE they know about their experience at The Homestead Restaurant in La Quinta, CA. However, the other 30-plus other people who were in the lobby waiting and listening will as well – me being one of them. Heck! I’m even writing a blog about it that thousands will read!

That small act of kindness, that inexpensive s’more – and those kind words will come back to that business ten-fold.

What are the “s’mores” of your business? And, no, I’m not saying to give your clients or agents or students s’mores every time you see them! You know what I mean.

What are the small touches, the meaningful words, the spirit of sincerity you offer that make a lasting and memorable impression on people?

For our clients, we simply send them a book we know they’d like. Not an expensive one, just one we know would mean something to them based on what we’ve learned about them.

But these things, the small touches, don’t have to cost money. In fact, some of the best ones don’t!

For example, we also make a point of being sure that every single communication people have with us, or from us (whether in person, by phone or by e-mail), is kind and personalized. For instance, you wouldn’t believe the compliments we get simply because we take a few extra seconds to add personal touches and comments in our e-mail communications with people.

Here’s the bottom line:

If you want repeat clients…

If you want referrals…

If you want word-of-mouth marketing working for you…

If you want to be trusted with the “big things” in people’s lives…

Or, if you just want to be a good person…

Practice the “s’more” style of customer service.

Give – with no expectations.

Do those little things and you WILL be trusted with the big things.

Are ‘dual career’ agents hurting you and your business? In Stefan Swanepoel’s publication, Trends Report 2010, he calls the real estate licensee with another job the ‘dual career’ agent. That’s what we used to call the ‘part-timer’. Although ‘dual career’ sounds much more important than ‘part-time’, the result is the same:

Less time to devote to the consumer. The conflict that an agent feels when he has another job is causing the consumer to rate our service lower than ever before.

Dual Careerists Are a Growing Trend

More and more real estate agents are getting second jobs to make ends meet. In fact, the 2009 National Association of REALTORS® Member Profile says that 26% of REALTORS® stated that real estate was not their only occupation. (I’m sure that many more licensees that aren’t REALTORS® have other major sources of income). In addition, less than half of all REALTORS® surveyed reported that real estate was their primary source of household income.

Is the Dual Careerist Doing the Industry More Harm than Good?

Having been an agent, manager, and owner a long time, I know how difficult it is at times for an agent to ‘hang in there,’ put their heads down, and keep working through tough times. It’s a great temptation, and a relief for many to take that other job just to ‘tide them over.’ From the broker’s perspective, too, keeping the agent at least licensed with the brokerage to get that one transaction seems to be better than losing that one transaction. Several problems accrue, when the agent gets another job:

• The agent’s mind, energy, and dollars drift away from the needs of the consumer because the agent must focus on another job
• The agent can’t keep up on the technical, legal, and business developments
• The consumer demands just can’t be met when the agent is unavailable for large blocks of time
• The broker must carry a much bigger responsibility for the agent’s transactions

What We Need to Do About This Trend?

Managers: Set standards so you are living out that vision you took all that time to write in that business planning course! Do you have agents with you who are not dedicated? Do you have agents who don’t practice in the way your company wants? If so, you are ‘shattering your image’ and greatly hurting your chances to recruit. Fix it while you can.

Agents: Go to your manager and ask why the ‘dead wood’ (a horrible term, but, the consumers have told us to get rid of them, and we’re not listening.) is still there. What benefit do they provide you? What benefit do they provide the company?

Short-Sided: It May Destroy

Our Industry Unfortunately, our industry has spent too much time on the immediate, and not enough time on the long-term. One of the easiest ways to see this is to look at the low producers and part-timers we’ve kept as licensees. Why? Because we think they may sell a home or two before they get discouraged.

There is Leadership Showing the Way

There is a growing trend to upgrade the industry. Take a look at what industry leaders are doing right now. They are putting standards in place, training and coaching to get people to their standards, and are counseling out those who just aren’t meant—or committed—to a career in real estate.

Support on Putting Standards in Place

For the last year, I’ve done lots of work in helping companies put standards in place. Although it’s challenging, it’s absolutely critical if we are to protect our business models as we like them!

Note: See Four Steps to a Stunning Standards-Based Organization, a webinar I did for the National Association of REALTORS® Learning Library.

What Do You Think? Do you believe managers should keep anyone who wants to be kept? Let me hear your opinion–and, if you have a solution, let’s share it with our industry!