Let’s talk Change

let's talkEvery October our school district takes a couple of days for teacher enrichment classes and gives the students two days off from school. It is almost like an extended holiday weekend here in Minnesota because we all are anticipating the long winter that is coming and so we squeeze the last bit of outdoor fun we can into these few days.  Normally we will try to go “up north” and have some family time hanging out and making pumpkin pies, but this year I have the privilege of accompanying my daughter on some college visits. She is our youngest child and the last to leave the nest. I have been through this before a few times but this time it is very different. It is exciting and nerve racking to watch her make decisions that could affect the next 40+ years of her life. There is the college choice, the degree program, the housing options and the debt… But what is getting to me the most is watching her as she is listening to the presentations. She has such excitement and anticipation in her eyes and I am so happy for her but am also realizing that when she goes to school next fall things will be really different for me. I will still be a Mom but there will be no one home to Mother. I don’t want to let her go. I want to grab her and somehow squish her back down to a little girl again. I want a few more years of helping her and loving her and the truth is I don’t really want my life to change.

Heraclitus, the Greek philosopher,  said that “Change is the only constant in life” and usually I have embraced that change. The president of the brokerage I worked for for 25 years called me the Queen of Reinvention and that really was true. With each shifting market I would adapt my business strategy and figure out how to find clients and thrive.  In business this comes easy for me. It is fun and challenging and my gift. My goal over the next few months is to figure out how to make this a positive transition as I navigate the waters into emptynesterhood.  Today we head down to Iowa to look at another school and I am going to share with her lots of jokes about Iowa since they are our rivals. There are some really good ones about cheerleaders and grazing. She will love that.

If you are struggling in your business and need to make a shift or small course correction in navigating your lead generation and follow up systems I invite you to download my freebie course designed to fill your funnel. You can find it under the tools and downloads tab or by clicking here.

Happy New Year!

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The First day of school feels like a new beginning of the year for me. I start with a new notebook for my to-do lists and I plan out how I will spend my weeks to come.

One of the most effective tools I have used is a form I put together called “Plan Your Perfect Week”.  I adopted this system about 20 years ago and it had been a huge help in time management for me. It is a week at a glance calendar layout. The first step is to determine my time OFF! This may sound counter productive but I am a little bit of a workaholic. My family gets irritated because once I start to focus on something I am gone… I plan out the family schedule first so I can be present when they want me to be.

Plan Your Perfect Week

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Here is a great article by Michael Hyatt

You have a choice in life. 

The first approach is proactive; the second reactive.

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Sure, you can’t plan for everything. Things happen that you can’t anticipate. But it is a whole lot easier to accomplish what matters most when you are proactive and begin with the end in mind.

One of the ways I do this is by plotting My Ideal Week. I was first introduced to this concept by author Todd Duncan in a series of audio recordings he made that eventually became the book, Time Traps: Proven Strategies for Swamped Salespeople.

The idea is similar to a financial budget. The only difference is that you plan how you will spend your time rather than your money. And like a financial budget, you spend it on paper first. Building Champions, the executive coaching company I recommend, refers to this as a “Time Block.”

Time For Inspiration? We love this video.

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While Real Estate Agents might not be typically thought of as entrepreneurs the truth is WE ARE! We wear so many hats as a real estate agents keeping our businesses going. We work long hours, we carry all the responsibility and we care deeply about our clients. Please take a minute to enjoy this wonderful video about the dreams we dream.

 

Who Is Your Perfect Target Market?

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Success in real estate sales involves constant evolution and adaptation to the ever changing market. Over the last 24 years I’ve been fortunate to have found success in a few different verticals within the real estate industry. Looking back I see a common series of steps that were taken to get to the point where the leads were coming in to my team at a steady pace and our sales cycle was even and profitable.

The first step is to determine your target market. This is really important. You cannot be everything to everybody. The more narrow your focus, the more accurate your marketing message will be for your targeted audience. You will have success in generating the right leads that will be seeking you out because you are a specialist in their particular need and you will have more sales as a result.

Get Your Free Download of Think and Grow Rich

I am an avid reader and I can honestly say that of all the books I have read, besides the Bible, this book changed my life. I read it in 1992 while pregnant with my daughter Maria. I have had a handful of defining moments and this was one of them. I remember clearly the moment I took responsibility for my own life and career. The moment I realized that I would take care of my daughter and provide for her and that it was it was up to me.

Please download a free copy of this classic on me.

Here is a great synopsis of Think and Grow Rich by published on Business Insider.