Your Professional Development - Certified Negotiation Expert Designation Training.

Tis The Season, For Networking and Building Relationships

2010-12-04T15:07:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

Tis The Season...

Since many of you will be attend holiday parties or maybe you will be attending The Realtor's Triple Play in Atlantic City, NJ I have decided to have themed tips for the next few weeks..

Networking and Building Relationships.
Here Is The First Tip:

At any kind of gathering but especially during holiday party time, do you find yourself struggling to make conversation with strangers?

Well, a wise person once said, “Be interested instead of interesting.”

In other words, the best way to get a conversation going with someone you don’t know is to be interested in them, rather than offering (perhaps over offering) information about yourself.

How do you show you’re interested?
By asking questions that aren’t too personal, and elicit more than a “Yes” or “No” answer.
For instance:

· How do you know our host/hostess?
· What are your plans for the holidays?
· What do you think about (a current event)?
· I’m looking for a new restaurant to try – do you have one you love?
· There are so many movies coming out over the holidays – can you recommend one?

Finally: Listen to the person’s answer, make eye contact, and prompt further conversation by nodding when appropriate and saying “Really?” or “How interesting!” And who knows? That person you were nervous about talking to just might become a friend.
So stay tuned, be on the lookout, listen in, and grab a hold of some valuable information and new ideas on how to network and build better relationships now.

On Your Team
Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, CSSN, WOW
Your Trusted Advisor For Life
347-466-3047

One of the fastest ways to build a successful business is by training. Now, with me, I like to invest significant time immersing myself in training, while some people prefer to take it in bite-size chunks. Whatever your preference is, now is the best time to contact me.

If you have found this tip useful, please share it with any friends, family, colleagues and associates who you think will be interested. Feel free to print it (with credit and subscription information) and continue to enjoy the tips. I am always grateful for any comments, criticisms or other feedback that you may have. Please send them to feedback@jeffreysjournal.com

http://www.yourprofessionaldevelopment.com/
Certified Negotiation Expert (CNE) Designation Training

Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-25T02:45:00.001-05:00

A message from Jeffrey Scott Stanton & Your Professional Development...

As you read this your thoughts, no doubt, are on the upcoming Thanksgiving feast preparations & having time off to spend with family and friends. To each and everyone of you, we appreciate you as, friends, students, graduates & future students of our trainings.

May your stuffing be tasty
May your turkey plump,
May your potatoes and... gravy
Have nary a lump.
May your yams be delicious
May your pies take the prize,
May your Thanksgiving dinner
Stay off your thighs!

Happy Thanksgiving!

On Your Team
Jeffrey Scott Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, CSSN, WOW
Your Professional Development

Negotiation Training
Certified Negotiation Expert (CNE) Designation & Training
Certified Short Sale Negotiator (CSSN) Designation & Training
Neuro Linguistic Programing (NLP) Training for Real Estate Professionals

Have A Plan: Send Your 2010 Client Thank You Letters Now

2010-11-16T13:50:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

Its really easy to be an "A" Player in a "A" Market.
What does it take to be an "A" Player in a "C" Market?

REFERRALS
And A PLAN

So here is my tip for today HAVE A PLAN!

Don't wait...

Send your 2010 client "Thank You" letters now

Don't wait until the end of the year or until January 2011 to thank your clients.
Do it NOW!

Start your "client appreciation" activities in the fall and make them an ongoing process.

The best place to start is with a "Thank You."

Here's an example.

"I would like to take this opportunity to "Thank You" for your business. I truly appreciate your confidence, faith and trust in me and the services of our company.

Thanks to clients like yourself, we can continue to enhance the quality services that you have come to expect and deserve.

We are committed to building our business by your referrals and recommendations.

This is where I need your help and continued support.

If you know anyone who is considering purchasing a home or selling their existing home, I would appreciate if you would pass my name along to them.

I am dedicated to providing them with the same level of outstanding service I provided to you.

Thank You."

Haven’t Stayed in touch with your pre 2010 clients over the years? Send them a Reconnect / Humble Apology Letter.

This is where you begin to re-build your relationship with past clients. It's easy to feel anxious about what you will say when you call or write them a letter after 12 months or even 2 or 3 years of no contact.

Here’s an example to get you started:

“Dear Mr. Smith

I have to apologize!!!

I had an experience recently that compelled me to write you and APOLOGIZE for not keeping in closer contact with you since we worked together on the sale of your home.

This experience made me realize just how important your relationship is to me, so I hope you will forgive me for not being good about keeping in touch.

The realization I'm referring to was due to a recent experience with a client. This person was such a pleasure to work with, I was reminded of you and how much I enjoyed working with you.

I've made a decision recently about the way I do business, and from now on, I only want to do business with people like you!!...”

If you speak from your heart it’s easy to reconnect with past clients.
Select and execute a strategy for the next 3 months that expand your appreciation efforts.
By example:

November:
Invite a Raving Fan Advocate out to coffee, lunch or dinner.
Do two each week.

December:
Gather your referral advocates and best clients for a Client/Advocate Holiday cocktail party at a local restaurant for an hour or two.

January:
Send Looking Forward to 2011 letter.

Make your Client Appreciation efforts a process and ongoing event.

Make the best use of your time by being in contact with people who know you, like you and trust you.

Do it today.
Remember, people buy what's familiar and enjoy being appreciated.

PS. If you need a sample copy of a reconnect or thank you letters just give me a call or shoot me an email jstanton@YourProfessionalDevelopment.com

Thanks for spending 3 minutes with me.....
the best is yet to be!

On Your Team
Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, CSSN, WOW
Your Trusted Advisor For Life
347-466-3047

You read Jeffrey's Journal every week because you, like me want the best for yourself. And you, like me want to build a strong referral based business.Who else like you, like me loves referrals that you can share this blog with right now?

Three Skills For Better Negotiation

2010-02-24T09:32:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

Here are Three Of The Skills For Better Negotiation that we teach in the Certified Negotiation Expert (CNE) designation and training seminar.

Negotiating is a make-or-break skill, whether you’re a CEO in charge of a merger or a parent trying to sort out a sibling squabble. Follow these tips to negotiate agreements productively:

Keep an open mind. Brainstorm ideas. Listen to outlandish proposals. Entertain unusual possibilities. This will expand opportunities for agreement.

Treat people fairly. When people feel you’re being fair with them, they’re more likely to make real commitments. If they think you’re trying to mislead them, they’ll walk away in a huff. You won’t get commitment unless the other party feels you’re sincerely trying to do what’s right.

Listen actively. Don’t plan what you’re going to say while the other side is talking. Pay attention to what they’re saying so you know where they’re coming from and what they really want. When your response makes it clear that you’ve really been listening, they’ll be more willing to listen to your suggestions.

On Your Team
Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, CSSN, WOW
Your Trusted Advisor For Life
347-466-3047

http://www.yourprofessionaldevelopment.com/
Certified Negotiation Expert (CNE) Designation Training

What Are Interest Rates Going To Do? Week of: 2/22/10

2010-02-22T16:15:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

You like me, are asked this question every day. "What Do You Think Interest Rates Are Going To Do?" Now here is a customer focused report for Mortgage Market Direction:

Week of: Monday, February 22, 2010

Presently Market Conditions Are:
“Mortgage rates eased for the second week, while economic data releases suggest that the housing market may be in a slow state of recovery.” stated Frank Nothaft, chief economist for Freddie Mac. He continued by saying “The National Association of Realtors® (NAR) reported that existing home sales rose in 48 states and the District of Columbia between the third and fourth quarters of 2009; 32 states experienced double-digit growth. In addition, 67 metropolitan areas saw positive annual house price growth in the fourth quarter; more than double that in the third quarter, according to the NAR.” “New home construction is also slowly improving. One-family housing starts rose to an annual pace of 484,000 homes in January, which is up almost 36 percent from January 2009, based on the U.S. Census figures. Moreover, homebuilder assessments of market conditions over the first half of 2010 improved in February, according to National Association of Homebuilders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index.”

My Expectations Are:
The economic week will start slowly and end with a flurry of activity. It all starts on Wednesday with New Home Sales along with Fed Chief Ben Bernanke’s speech; Thursday is the release of the Durable Good Orders; Friday closes out the economic calendar with the Existing Home Sales, Preliminary GDP, Chicago PMI manufacturing index, consumer Sentiment and finally the Consumer Confidence report.

As Your Trusted Advisor For Life, My Guidance For You Is:
With the housing market slowly rebounding and rates holding low, now is the best time to meet with your mortgage professional to discuss a mortgage solution to meet your financial goals.

On Your Financing Team
Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, CSSN, WOW
Your Personal Mortgage Consultant For Life.
347-466-3047

The Law of Attraction + The Law Of Action

2010-02-21T14:48:00.001-05:00

Dear Friends,

Do you remember that first spark of hope you felt when you watched The Secret? I clearly remember the desire that filled my heart, knowing that - Yes, I can make my dreams come true - FINALLY!

But how many of you soon saw that hope dwindle into frustration? How many of you (and be honest now) started muttering things like:

- "It seems to work for other people, but I just can't get it right."

- "I'm frustrated that sometimes I can get it to work, but sometimes I can't. What's the trick?"

- "Why am I having so much trouble?"

- "I think the universe is against me."

- "I'm trying very, VERY hard but still nothing is happening!"

Don't worry, you're not alone. About 97% of people also couldn't make the Law of Attraction work for them the first time round.

Think about it, just like anything else, you have to practice many times before you see success. A child doesn't learn to walk without falling over a couple of times.

But in practice, everything is easier said and done. When you're frustrated, it's hard to stay positive; it's especially hard to stay positive when the evidence all around you is screams negativity like the unstable economy or senseless acts of violence.

And do you know what happens when you fail to stay positive? That's right - you start attracting negative things in to your life.

So how can you make the Law of Attraction work for you - without getting frustrated? How do those who successfully implement the Law of Attraction do it with such confidence and finesse?

Well, here are three quick tips so you will never feel frustrated or tired of begging from the universe, because you know how to start manifesting like a pro.

1. Allow Yourself To Receive

Just like a lost child who approaches a police officer and asks, "Excuse me Sir, can you tell me how to go to the post office? Can you? Can you? Can you? Can you? Can you?" Well, if the child goes on and on asking, the police officer can't even give an answer, right?

Well, it's the same thing with your mind. If the only thing your mind is doing is transmit, transmit, transmit, the universe -- which is trying to respond -- can't give you a single thing because you're not allowing yourself to receive!

So, have the confidence in yourself and stop exhausting yourself by running around person to person begging for riches, and then wondering why nobody is dropping a penny in your cup (Hint: It's because you're running away too fast for them before they can even reach for their wallets).

Just think of your desires and leave it out there, go away, and trust that your cup will be filled with gold coins (or whatever it is you asked for) when the time is right.

2. Be Patient With Yourself

Receiving takes time.

Sadly, many people give up just a couple of steps before the finish line because they've decided that if it's not working by now, it's never going to work at all. Worse still are those who throw in more and more energy because they think that with more resources, the results will come faster.

This is like expecting 9 mothers to conceive and deliver a baby in 1 month. You also can't bake cookies in half the time by doubling the temperature. You'll incinerate those cookies to ashes!

In simple terms: Everything in this world has a natural development time, and this fact will not change no matter what resources you throw at it.

So relax and be patient. Remember that you too, as part of the universe, are also governed by the laws of the universe, and you cannot change the natural development time.

If you remember this, you will less likely work yourself up into frustration, or worse, push yourself into a downward spiral of negativity.

3. Support and Educate Yourself

Like the child who is learning how to walk, you need support. You also need to guidance on how to do it, and also the role models to look up to.

Many people give up because they think that "The Secret" is the "be all and end all" solution. Well, it's NOT. "The Secret" is just a small portion. It was never intended, and has never been, the whole answer.

Coming to the conclusion that the Law of Attraction doesn't work when all you ever did to educate yourself was watch "The Secret" 19 times (without looking at changing the habits of other areas of your life) is like coming to the conclusion that exercising is not an effective way to lose weight because all you did is run on the treadmill for 2 hours a day (but you're still stuffing yourself with fried foods and cheesecakes).

So seek and be hungry for new knowledge. Also, make an effort to be amongst people or communities where you can support each other, learn from each other and also share new knowledge that you have found.

While the Law of Attraction is not an overnight delivery service, it will indeed deliver, if you do your part too!

Thanks for spending 3 minutes with me.....
the best is yet to be!

On Your Team
Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, CSSN, WOW
Your Trusted Advisor For Life
347-466-3047

http://www.yourprofessionaldevelopment.com/
Certified Negotiation Expert (CNE) Designation Training

Who I Am & What I Believe Our Relationship Is All About.

2010-02-10T11:45:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

With Valentine's Day drawing near, I wanted to take this opportunity to let you to know who I am and what I believe our relationship is all about.

I have a set of 'Guiding Principles' by which I would like to conduct my life and have a relationship with you.

I hold my 'Guiding Principles' as a very important part of my daily experience.

Since you and I are now entering into a relationship where I serve as your advisor, guide and teacher, I believe it is important you know where I am coming from.

Especially since you are taking advice from me.
It is important you know what my 'Guiding Principals' are.

As you become more familiar with my work and you feel more comfortable communicating with me, I would invite you to email me your thoughts on what guides you in your life.

Here are my beliefs that guide my life and can also guide our new relationship.

Being An Advisor Is For Life

I believe you are seeking advice and counsel that will best serve your life. Therefore, I conduct myself as your Trusted Advisor for life, rather than as writer, author, speaker and trainer who is sending you emails or blogging.

I believe you read my blog for my energy, my insight, my wisdom and my advice. I do not take that role lightly. I am honored that I can contribute at this important level in your life.

I believe that only when I provide you with what you need and have earned your trust, then and only then, will you invest your time and attend my live events.

Connecting With The Heart Is Essential

I believe that the only way genuine communication can be given is when it comes from love.

Love is the best-kept secret of all.

I seek to come from the ‘heart’, which means I really care about you and I am willing to set aside my own agenda for you.

I will share things about my life with you.

You will get to know where my heart is and when you are comfortable, I invite you to share with me where your heart is.

I would love to know who you are and how I can best serve you through my daily writing.

Close Relationships Are Best

I believe that relationship bonding is how I best create lifelong relationships.

When I bond with you, you will then tell me everything I need to know to be successful inside our relationship.

However, if I just serve you as another reader of my blog, you will stick around as long as it is convenient, but will feel no loyalty. Therefore, with Jeffrey's Journal I choose to create a good, strong bond with you and remain professional.

Great Decisions Are Values Based

I believe that my decisions are easy when my values are clear.

Therefore, I will do my best to get clear on my values before I give you advice and insight.

I have experience in my 15+ years of coaching that when I focus on my values I gain clarity, which gives me certainty, which ultimately provides me with the trust that I need to take action.

Speaking The Truth, I Become Trustworthy

I believe you have a hierarchy of trust within every relationship you’re in.

Therefore, for you to trust me, I have to extend myself by being available, by volunteering information, by sharing my personal experiences, and by making connections with my experiences and aspirations of you.

I believe that trusting you encourages you to trust me; distrusting you makes you lose confidence in me.

Building Competencies And Wisdom Is Crucial

I believe that when I combine my competency with common sense, good judgment, and lots of experience, I know you get my best expertise.

Therefore, I am constantly building on my core competencies and my inner wisdom, becoming a lifelong learner, so I can better serve you with daily insight and wisdom to help you become more referable.

These principles have been tested and challenged and continually prove to create enjoyable, healthful businesses and joyful personal lives.

In closing

Everyday I read this a passage from Marian Williamson's book, “Return To Love”.

Each time I read it, it inspires me to be the highest version of myself. I now share with you a copy and invite you to pass it on.

Play Big

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness that frightens us.

We ask ourselves, who am I to be—brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?

Your playing small doesn’t serve the world.
There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.

We were born to manifest the glory of that is within us.
It’s not just in some of us, it’s in everyone.

And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.

As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

~Marian Williamson

I look forward to writing to you daily for as long as you find value. I invite your questions and comments and will respond to each one of them in the timeliest manner possible.

Go For It

On Your Team
Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, CSSN, WOW
Your Trusted Advisor For Life
347-466-3047

Better Referral Partnerships

2010-02-09T11:59:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

As a Real Estate Instructor, Mortgage Banker, and a Licensed Real Estate Sales Person I want to share with you an observation.

Most lenders don't understand the real estate business.

They don't really understand the challenges and obstacles of being a Realtor.

They may not recognize that when you refer a client to them to get a mortgage, you may have been working with our customer for 6 months, or longer, showing 20-30 homes, low offers that weren't accepted and accepted offers that got into bidding wars and were out bid, buyers who just changed their mind about buying at all, customers who bought ended up buying privately......

Finally after the long hours, frustration, undone laundry, missed weekends, phone calls during dinner and hundreds of hours driving all over creation... a signed contract.

This may be their only contract for the month.
It means everything to the customer and to you.
It's that important.

Someone at home may have said, “if you don't sell something soon you're going to have to get a real job."

The Real Estate business is tough, demanding, changing and requires a very flexible focused person to succeed beyond one market cycle.

If you're a Realtor, maybe you can relate to this.

Most Realtors don't understand the mortgage business.

The learning curve for a lender is longer, complex and very detailed. Most mortgage companies have over 100 loan products, a fluid and ever changing interest rate and programs subject to Wall Street, compliance requirements and penalties that makes our industry look like grade school and an internal work system that generally go from a person that opens the loan, another processes the loan, another underwrites the loan and another that closes the loan.
That's a lot of people working on one loan.

Of course Direct Underwriting makes this a lot easier and streamline, but for most Realtors you may not know what Direct Underwriting is and the benefits to the consumer.

For the average lender the frustration of doing pre-qual after pre-qual and not getting the loan because the customer found a rate that was, on the surface, 1/4% lower only to find out that it wasn't quite as advertised.

My point here is simple.

Understand your Referral Partners business.

My observation is this:

The lenders and Realtors whose relationships transcend time and market cycles, based on long standing trust and confidence have a better understand of each others business dynamic.

They can talk about sales, marketing, referrals, industry changes, and market cycles as Partners.

As real PARTNERS.

My tip is this.

Get to know your Referral Partners better.
The understanding leads to a stronger and more effective business relationship.

Here are a few questions that will get the ball rolling.

What are the obstacles and challenges you face in this changing market?
What do you see happening?
How is this affecting you and your company?
What do the other sales people say about the business when they get together?
What can I do to better understand your business?
Is there one thing I can do to improve my service that will immediately improve yours?
What is it that you dislike about your industry as a whole?
What is it that you dislike about our industry as a whole?
How can we work together better to increase your referrals?

You get the point.

We are all working together.

Thanks for spending 3 minutes with me.....
the best is yet to be!

On Your Team
Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, CSSN, WOW
Your Trusted Advisor For Life
347-466-3047

http://www.yourprofessionaldevelopment.com/
Certified Negotiation Expert (CNE) Designation Training

What Is Love?

2010-02-08T11:59:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

In this Valentine’s month, if you find yourself wondering about the meaning of love, just do what the experts did – ask a group of four- to eight-year-olds:

When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth. Billy, age four

Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other. Karl, age five

Love is what makes you smile when you’re tired. Terri, age four

Love is when my Mommy makes coffee for my Daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK. Danny, age seven

Love is when you kiss all the time. Then when you get tired of kissing, you still want to be together and you talk more. My Mommy and Daddy are like that. They look gross when they kiss. Emily, age eight

When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you. Karen, age seven

Love is what’s in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and listen. Bobby, age seven

Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it every day. Noelle, age seven

Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken. Elaine, age five

Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford. Chris, age seven

Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day. Mary Ann, age four

You really shouldn’t say “I love you” unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget. Jessica, age eight

What is Love, to you?

Happy Valentine's Day

On Your Team
Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, WOW
Your Trusted Advisor For Life
347-466-3047

Are You Facing a Setback?

2010-01-26T10:24:00.001-05:00

Dear Friends,

Are You Facing a Setback?

Setbacks are a part of life. The next time you’re facing a setback, here are a few stories about people who used a setback as a set-up for a comeback:

Lucille Ball: She began studying to become an actress in 1927 and was told by the head instructor of the John Murray Anderson Drama School, “Try any other profession. Any other profession.”

Clint Eastwood and Burt Reynolds: In 1959, a Universal Pictures executive dismissed them at the same meeting with the following statements. To Burt Reynolds: “You have no talent.” To Clint Eastwood: “You have a chip on your tooth, your Adam’s apple sticks out too far, and you talk too slow.”

Alexander Graham Bell: When he invented the telephone in 1876, it didn’t ring off the hook with calls from potential backers. After making a demonstration call, President Rutherford Hayes said, “That’s an amazing invention, but who would ever want to use one of them?”

Chester Carlson: In the 1940s, this young inventor took his idea to 20 corporations, including some of the biggest in the country. They all turned him down. In 1947 – after seven long years of rejections – he finally got a tiny company in Rochester, NY, the Haloid Company, to purchase the rights to his electrostatic paper-copying process. Haloid became Xerox corporation, and both it and Carlson became very rich.

Abraham Lincoln: He entered the Blackhawk War (1831-1832) as a captain. By the end of the war, he had been demoted to the rank of private.

J.K. Rowling: Author of the Harry Potter series, Joanne was an aspiring writer and single mother living on welfare with her young daughter in an unheated, mice-infested flat. Her first book was rejected by 12 publishers before the world met Harry Potter in 1997.

And then there was the young man who submitted a paper to his Yale University management professor, and got this response: “The concept is interesting and well-formed, but in order to earn better than a ‘C,’ the idea must be feasible.” The young man was Fred Smith, his paper proposed reliable overnight delivery service, and Fred went on to found FedEx Corp.

Failure is not falling down, but staying down!

Sincerely,

Jeffrey Stanton
Your Trusted Advisor For Life

P.S. Have you experienced a recent setback or are you facing one now? Please email me at feedback@jeffreysjournal.com

What Are Interest Rates Going To Do? Week of: 1/25/10

2010-01-25T09:18:00.001-05:00

Dear Friends,

You like me, are asked this question every day. "What Do You Think Interest Rates Are Going To Do?" Now here is a customer focused report for Mortgage Market Direction:

Week of: Monday, January 25, 2010

Presently Market Conditions Are:
Mortgage rates eased slightly for the third week in a row putting the 30 year fixed rate at 4.99% and .7% discount and the 15 year fixed rate at 4.40% and .6% discount. "Fixed mortgage rates followed bond yields lower for the third consecutive week, pushing 30-year mortgages below 5 percent once more," said Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac vice president and chief economist. "Similarly, ARM rates eased along with shorter-term rates, as the federal funds futures market indicates no increase in the Federal Reserve's target rate following its upcoming committee meeting on January 26th and 27th.”

My Expectations Are:
A lot of economic is due out this week starting Monday with the Existing Home Sales report followed by Consumer Confidence on Tuesday and New Home Sales on Wednesday. Potential market movers could be on Wednesday with the Fed meeting and the State of the Union address Wednesday night. Durable Goods and Jobless Claims are out on Thursday and the GDP and Consumer Sentiment reports close out the week.

As Your Trusted Advisor For Life, My Guidance For You Is:
Rates continue to hold steady. Now is the time to consider a refinance of your existing home or purchase a home at affordable pricing and rates at near historic lows. Call your mortgage professional today to structure a loan to meet your clients financial needs.

On Your Financing Team
Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, CSSN, WOW
Your Personal Mortgage Consultant For Life.
347-466-3047

The greatest business secret in the world can be best learned by the farmer with 3 pigs!

2010-01-12T12:59:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

Once upon a time... There was a farmer.
He had 3 female pigs, sows, and he wanted to mate them.
He loaded the three sows into the back of his pick-up truck and headed to see his neighbor who had the bores.
As the sows and bores were getting to know one another the first farmer asked, "how will I know if my pigs get pregnant?"
The second farmer replies "they'll roll in the grass if it takes, or wallow in the mud if it doesn't."
The next morning the first farmer woke up early to look out back to see if the pigs were rolling in the grass or wallowing in the mud.
They were still wallowing in the mud.
So, he loaded them back up in his pickup and took them over to the bores for a second visit.
The following morning he looked out back and he saw they were still wallowing in the mud.
Undaunted he loaded them up, once again, and drove them over to visit the bores.
The next morning the farmer was away from the farm so he called his wife and asked, "are they wallowing in the mud or rolling in the grass?"

She looked out back and replied, "neither, two of them in are in the back of the pickup and the third one is up front blowing the horn!"

Now if I just told you what the Greatest Business Secret in the World was, you might yawn and say, "I know that" and forget about it.

The reason it's been called a secret is...well, let me ask you this: "How is business out there?"

How do you feel you're often treated as a prospect, customer or client?

It must be a secret because remarkable service is more the exception than the rule.

So what lessons can we really learn from this silly little story.

Here we go:

Every behavior has consequences.
Future behavior is largely dependent upon consequences of past or current behavior.

In our story, the pigs were taken to visit the bores, the behavior.

They liked it, the consequences. They wanted to do it again and again

The lesson:
YOU GET MORE OF THE BEHAVIOR YOU REWARD.

When a customer calls, visits, inquires about your service he is behaving like your customer.

If you don't reward him he will begin to act like someone else's customer.

All success in business applies to this lesson.

The greatest secret in the world:
THE REWARDED CUSTOMER BUYS, RETURNS AND TELLS OTHERS.

Here are a few "Movements of Truth" or service opportunities to REWARD your customers. They are taken from Dr Michael LeBouef, author and Quality Service guru from Louisiana State University...

When a customer appears, calls, inquires…reward with prompt, courteous attention.
When a customer is angry...reward with kindness, empathy and understanding.
When a customer has special needs...reward by customizing.
When a customer is indecisive…reward with a specific solid recommendation.
When a customer has objections...reward by acknowledgment and then build value.
When a customer has buying signals...reward by reinforcing.
When a customer refuses to buy...reward with polite appreciation.
When a customer complains...reward with fast, positive action.
When a customer will be disappointed…reward with positive perks.

How ever you do it just remember the Greatest Business Secret in the World.

The rewarded customer buys, returns and tells others.

Thanks for spending 3 minutes with me.....
The best is yet to be!

On Your Team
Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, CSSN, WOW
Your Trusted Advisor For Life
347-466-3047

http://www.yourprofessionaldevelopment.com/
Certified Negotiation Expert (CNE) Designation Training
Certified Short Sale Negotiator (CSSN) Designation Training

What Are Interest Rates Going To Do? Week of: 1/11/10

2010-01-11T11:50:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

You like me, are asked this question every day. "What Do You Think Interest Rates Are Going To Do?" Now here is a customer focused report for Mortgage Market Direction:

Week of: Monday, January 11, 2010

Presently Market Conditions Are:
Mortgage rates eased slightly after five weeks of increases. The 30 year fixed rate ended the week at 5.09 with .7% discount down from the previous week’s price of 5.14. The 15 year ended the week at 4.50 with .7% down from 4.54. "Mortgage rates eased slightly this week after rising consecutively through December," said Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac vice president and chief economist. "Current interest rates for fixed-rate mortgages are just about at their annual average for 2009, while ARM rates are considerably below their averages for last year.”

My Expectations Are:
The Feds plan is to top off its mortgage purchases by the end of March, and will at that time decide whether the economy is strong enough to stick with that plan. "I think the economy is starting its recovery, and there's reason to be optimistic," Thomas Hoenig, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, said Thursday. On the Economic Calendar this week, Treasury auctions will run through Thursday when the Retail Sales Report will come out along with Jobless Claims. Closely watched will be Friday’s Consumer Price Index, Industrial Production and finally the Consumer Sentiment Report.

As Your Trusted Advisor For Life, My Guidance For You Is:
Mortgages are holding at incredibly attractive rates and housing continues to be extremely affordable. Now is the time to meet with your financial professional to structure a mortgage to meet your clients needs.

On Your Financing Team
Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, CSSN, WOW
Your Personal Mortgage Consultant For Life.
347-466-3047

Who Are YOU An Advocate For In 2010?

2010-01-08T09:32:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

Here's an idea to kick off your Referral Business in 2010...with a twist.

We teach people how to treat us by our own behavior.

That's right! We teach people by our actions and words how we want to be treated.

So, here's how you can make this simple rule of interpersonal behavior work in building your referral business.

It is a great start to a new and exciting year ahead.

First you have to know the difference between a:

CUSTOMER
CLIENT
ADVOCATE
RAVING FAN

This will help.

A customer buys, once.

A client buys and returns.

An advocate need not be a customer or client but will speak publicly to others and refer you to their friends, family, neighbors and co-workers 2 to 4 times a year.

Then there's the Raving Fan. This individual need not be a customer or client, but often is, and will not only refer you 5 or more times a year, they will make sure the person they referred makes contact with you.

Raving fans are the people who are compelled to tell others about you and make the referral go through.

Getting back to our question. Who are you and advocate for in 2010?

This is an exercise that you can do once in the beginning of the year and will have lasting results.

Follow these 4 simple steps:

Consider who you are an advocate for
Call them in January
Compliment their service and acknowledge your relationship.
Commit to referring THEM business in 2010

Here's how it works.

Consider and identify 25 people whose business you are an advocate for.

What's an advocate you ask? When you find yourself saying something like this. "If you need an electrician, call Steve Smith, here's his number, and tell him that I referred you." That is an advocate.

We advocate for people all the time.

Consider 25 people you are an advocate for, call them and say something like this:
"Jeff, I just wanted to thank you for always being available and doing a great job for us on our rental properties last year. Everyone I refer you to tells me the same thing. I just wanted to let you know that you can count on my business and on me to refer you at least 4 new customers before the end of the year. I don't know how many advocates you have, but you certainly have one in me. Thanks for the great service."

You get the idea.

It's important to understand the value in this exercise. Don't take my word for it. Find out for yourself.

You are teaching people how to treat you, by treating them the way you want to be treated.

Better said, you are leading by example.

Want better service? Act like a better customer.

Remember, an advocate is someone you know, like, refer, and trust.
For example:

doctors
lawyers
roofer
plumber
accountant
home inspector
handyman
insurance agent
financial planner
banker
mechanic
marine mechanic
computer repairman
painter
lender
Realtor
etc.

We refer because of how we feel we were treated and the likelihood those we refer will be treated the same way.

By this exercise we also come to know how difficult it is to refer others because we have so much to do in our lives, that thinking about others is often put aside. We can renew our respect for those who take the time and refer us as Advocates and Raving fans.

If we can learn this, lesson learned!

Thanks for spending 3 minutes with me.....
The best is yet to be!

On Your Team
Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, CSSN, WOW
Your Trusted Advisor For Life
347-466-3047

http://www.yourprofessionaldevelopment.com/
Certified negotiation Expert (CNE) Designation Training

What Are Interest Rates Going To Do? Week of: Monday, January 04, 2010

2010-01-04T06:27:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

You like me, are asked this question every day. "What Do You Think Interest Rates Are Going To Do?" Now here is a customer focused report for Mortgage Market Direction:

Week of: Monday, January 04, 2010

Presently Market Conditions Are:
“Long-term mortgage rates rose for the fourth week in a row but still remain low by historical standards” stated Frank Nothaft, chief economist for Freddie Mac. He continued by saying “As the last survey of 2009, this marks a time to look back over the last decade. Based on today's median loan amount of $138,000, monthly principal and interest payments for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage are close to one-third less than a decade ago when rates peaked at 8.6 percent in May 2000. This translates into almost 50 percent less in interest payments over the full 30-year term.”

My Expectations Are:
Friday’s Employment report will highlight a fairly busy economic week. Other reports investors will be keeping a keen eye on are the ISM manufacturing index, which will be released on Monday; Pending Home Sales will come out on Tuesday; ISM Services and the minutes from the December 16 Fed meeting will be released on Wednesday; and finally, Construction Spending, Factory Orders and the Treasury announcement of the size of upcoming auctions on Thursday.

As Your Trusted Advisor For Life, My Guidance For You Is:
With rates hovering at historical lows and housing prices remaining extremely affordable, now is the best time to meet with a mortgage professional to discuss a mortgage solution to meet your clients financial goals.

On Your Financing Team
Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, CSSN, WOW
Your Personal Mortgage Consultant For Life.
347-466-3047

Be prepared to make a great connection.

2009-12-08T13:30:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

You have a meeting coming up and you're going to be in a room full of other business people.
It could be a networking meeting, a conference, a convention, a party, my classes or workshops, or an awards night celebration.

You've decided that you're going to network a little.
Expand your contacts, meet someone who may lead you to a new business.

So, you're thinking "should I plan ahead or just let things happen spontaneously?"

Wouldn't it be great if great connections happened spontaneously?
Unfortunately what happens is a conversation more like this.
"Hi, how are you?"
"I'm fine, how about you?"
"Just great, what's new?"
"Not much. Busy. What are you up to?"
"Same old stuff. Nothing new."

That is a conversation in search of a topic.

Instead BE PREPARED to be spontaneous.

Plan your answer to the question, "What's new?" or "How are you?"

Here's a few tips you may want to consider.
Have a plan to meet someone new.
Ask a couple of provocative questions.
Listen intensely.
If you did maybe your conversation would be more like this:

"Hi, are you Jeff Stanton? My name is Dawn Jackson. I've heard a lot about you and the great work you're doing and wanted to meet you. The people in my office are still buzzing about your training. Can I ask you a quick question?"

(Some sample opening questions)

"What advice could you give me. I'm new to the business."
OR
"What is the best way for me to get started in building my referral business?"
OR
"How did you get started?"
OR
"Could I get your opinion on something?"
OR
"Could you give me a little direction on a specific situation?"
OR
"What's the best thing I could do in today's market?"
OR
"How do you keep in touch with your clients?"
OR
"What one thing can I do to build a better relationship with my co-workers?"

You get the point!
There is a system working here.

Know in advance who you'd like to meet. It should be 2 or 3 people. You may not meet them all but at least plan to. Think about what they do and what you could like to learn from them.

Relax and have some fun.
Yes, I said fun.
Be honest.

How much fun is listening to the same old, same old, conversation?

Be prepared to quickly recognize, acknowledge and compliment what they do. Ask an open-ended question to a specific issue. Be precise. It helps to get a directed answer.

People like to talk about what they do and how they help others. They are comfortable with it. It makes for good conversation. They really like having their opinion asked. This is how relationships are built.

Spice it up and ask some planned, well thought out, questions of some interesting people you would like to meet and speak with.

This means all you have to do is know a few simple questions to ask.
They'll do all the talking.

Simply asking:
Could I get your thoughts on this?
Could I get your opinion on a situation?
Could I get some advice on an issue?"

Now listen.
Focus your attention on them.
Don't fool with your drink or gaze around the room while they're talking. Listen with your eyes and your body language.

Repeat back a brief recap that may begin with:
"Let me make sure I understood what you said" or
"In other words you said...."

Briefly repeating comments to how it may relate to you makes the connection. "So what that means to me is....is that right?"

That my friend is the point to meeting someone new.

Making Great Connections is all about relationships.

Thanks for spending 3 minutes with me...
The best is yet to be!

On Your Team
Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, CSSN, WOW
Your Trusted Advisor For Life
347-466-3047

http://www.yourprofessionaldevelopment.com/
Certified negotiation Expert (CNE) Designation Training

Communication Is All About Listening

2009-12-07T07:17:00.001-05:00

Dear Friends,

How important is it to be a great listener?
Since many of use will be attending holiday parties over the next few weeks, you will be meeting new people and reconnecting with old friends, listening the greatest skill you can have.

All of these qualities and many more begin with LISTENING.

understanding
acknowledging
recognizing
problem solving
customizing
adapting
responding
influencing
building rapport
feeling special
respecting
feeling safe
trusting

How well do you listen?

There are many issues to overcome our sometimes inability to really listen.

First, the average person speaks at about 150 words per minute, yet we have the capacity to think at 600 words per minute.

So, when you catch yourself thinking about what you're going to say when the other person finishes instead of listening, relax, It's completely normal.

It's in our physiology.

There is however a few simple things we can do to improve our concentration on what the other person is saying.

This will help you to become an active listener.

We have all been in situations where we knew the other person understood us, what we were feeling, what we really wanted and maybe couldn't articulate it well, but yet we knew they knew what we meant.

Was it because the other person was a great listener or did they share a similar experience and could relate empathically?

In context, what is important to the other person can only be as important to you as the other person is to you.

In plain language, if you don't like the other person you won't really care about their problem.

You'll go through the motions and maybe slide by and even get their business...once.

Building a solid referral business is about relationships and solid relationships are about listening.

You know when people aren't really listening to you don't you?

They're eyes are looking past you or to the side at other things.
They seem unfocused on what you're saying.
They respond to your issue from a script.
They want their position known more than wanting yours to be understood.
They may even have that glazed look like they're someplace else.

How can you show someone that you're listening, really paying attention, and encourage them to tell you more?

To become an active listener is easy with a few simple tips. Use them at a upcoming party or networking event.

1. Use your body language to show interest.
Lean forward, make good eye contact and simply pay attention

2. Ask questions that relate to what they're saying.

3. If they're explaining a problem or situation, repeat back, (paraphrase) what they said to ensure understanding. (i.e. "Let me make sure I understand what you said"...or "What I just heard you say was....")

4. You can vocally acknowledge with a "uh-huh," "yes," or "mmm," every 15-20 seconds so that they know you're listening. If your on the phone and you hear them say "Are you still there?" you were too quiet.

5. In person, take notes. This will slow the conversation and evidence your attention.

6. Don't interrupt.

7. Don't clip the end of their sentences

8. Acknowledge what they said before changing direction in the conversation.

These simple exercises will demonstrate that you are an active listener.
It just takes a little practice.

Often we may hear the same problem over and over but from different people. If you've been in the business for any longer than a couple years, you think you've heard it all.

It's important to remember that each persons situation is brand spanking new to them and to give them the space and emotional environment to express their needs and wants.

Here's what you want others to think to themselves or say to one another after speaking with you:

"He knows what I want and what I don't want"
"She knows what's important to me and why"
"I'm finally understood. He gets it"
"I feel he can get us where we want to be"

In today's fast paced, high speed, what's next world giving someone the gift of your undivided attention and really listening is so powerful.

You may want to remember it this way: ATT

Attention + Time = Trust

Now repeat back what you've read in this "3 Minute Referral Tip" - practice starts now!

Thanks for spending 3 minutes with me.....
The best is yet to be!

On Your Team
Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, CSSN, WOW
Your Trusted Advisor For Life
347-466-3047

http://www.yourprofessionaldevelopment.com/
Certified negotiation Expert (CNE) Designation Training

What is Consciousness?

2009-12-03T13:51:00.001-05:00

Dear Friends,

How many sales people, when speaking to a client or to anyone for that fact, talk all about themselves?

Webster says consciousness is awareness, sensitivity, and the ability to perceive the relationship between oneself and one's environment.

We use our conscious mind when we are thinking logically or carefully. Your referability resides inside your conscious referable behavior.

I was at a holiday party recently, while standing at the bar the gentleman next to me started up a conversation, just some idle chit chat. (I'll call him "John" to protect the innocent till proven guilty) 15 minutes into a conversation all about him, the host made an announcement that dinner would be served and to return to our seats. I said my goodbyes to “John” and told him it was a pleasure speaking with him.

I sat down, guess who sat besides me, yep it was “John”. We stated talking again, more about him.

He is a Realtor in NY, has his Associate Brokers License, 3 small children, 2 cats, and a puppy named Cookie... He finally asked me if I had any children. I told him I did not.

After about 30 more minutes of him talking about himself during dinner he asked me what type of business I was in.

Ok here was my chance.

I explained that I am speaker/sales trainer for real estates offices and associations mostly training on building referral based business. “Oh you’re a realtor?” he asked.

I explained to him who I am, what I do, and how I help people.

He continued to talk… asked me what I thought of coaching. I explained that I do personal coaching, and then he asked me for some advice on getting more referrals.

Over the past years, I have compiled a list of over 1,000 ways to improve your referability.
So I gave him 10 quick thoughts that came to mind that are referable behaviors.

These are the ones I shared with him:

Tell the truth, no matter what
Be on time
Make no assumptions and always ask the question behind the question. Find out what is truly important to the other person.
Check your thinking
Acknowledge people frequently with notes.
Quickly admit when you’re wrong.
Say 'please' and 'thank you'.
Give people permission to share how they feel about your service. Be hungry for feedback.
Speak with confidence and passion, do your homework and never wing it. If you don’t know the answer, say so.
Be more interested then interesting

I brought into his consciousness, that referable relationships have and equal amounts of give and take.

It was painful for him at first to recognize this; however, after a few minutes of playing the question game, “John” became aware of how unskilled he was at being interested.

He was unconscious to the fact that he wanted to be interesting more then he wanted to be interested.

How many sales people when speaking to a client or to some one at a party talk all about themselves?
They may talk about what those letters are after their names (ABR, ABRM, ALC, CCIM, CIPS, CPM, CRB, CRS®, CRE, GAA, PMN, RCE, XYZ, MNLOP, ect...).
They may tell them why they should list with them, why they are the best, how fast they sell houses, and how nice the home is, among many other things.
The sales person thinks that they are taking about the customer or having a conversation, but they are really just talking about themselves.

How many sales people are more interested the other person then they want to be interesting? Not many…

That the difference between being a transactional based sales person and relationship based consultant.

So, look at the list of ten behaviors that I gave to “John”.

Which ones can you bring into conscious constructive behavior?

Rain falls as a result of a change in the temperature, so in a like manner, a change in your referability happens as a result of a change in your state of consciousness.

Today’s 3 Minute Referral Tip: You Must Develop A Referability Consciousness, and Please Be More Interested Then Interesting.

Thanks for spending 3 minutes with me...
The best is yet to be!

On Your Team
Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, CSSN, WOW
Your Trusted Advisor For Life
347-466-3047

http://www.yourprofessionaldevelopment.com/

Tis The Season, For Networking and Building Relationships

2009-12-03T09:35:00.000-05:00

Here Is The First Tip:

At any kind of gathering but especially during holiday party time, do you find yourself struggling to make conversation with strangers?

Well, a wise person once said, “Be interested instead of interesting.”

In other words, the best way to get a conversation going with someone you don’t know is to be interested in them, rather than offering (perhaps over offering) information about yourself.

How do you show you’re interested?
By asking questions that aren’t too personal, and elicit more than a “Yes” or “No” answer.
For instance:

· How do you know our host/hostess?
· What are your plans for the holidays?
· What do you think about (a current event)?
· I’m looking for a new restaurant to try – do you have one you love?
· There are so many movies coming out over the holidays – can you recommend one?

Finally: Listen to the person’s answer, make eye contact, and prompt further conversation by nodding when appropriate and saying “Really?” or “How interesting!” And who knows? That person you were nervous about talking to just might become a friend.

So stay tuned, be on the lookout, listen in, and grab a hold of some valuable information and new ideas on how to network and build better relationships now.

On Your Team
Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, CSSN, WOW
Your Trusted Advisor For Life
347-466-3047

http://www.yourprofessionaldevelopment.com/
Certified negotiation Expert (CNE) Designation Training

Homebuyer tax credit extension and expansion update

2009-11-10T13:44:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

On November 6, President Barack Obama signed into law the extension and expansion of the current homebuyer tax credit, an important step in ensuring a real estate and economic recovery.

The measure extends the present $8,000 tax credit program for first-time homebuyers through April 30, 2010.It expands the program, effective November 7, 2009, to include current homeowners, who are now eligible for an up to $6,500 tax credit (10 percent of the purchase price) through April 30, 2010 provided they have lived in the home they are selling, or have sold, as principal residence for five consecutive years in the past eight years.

If potential homebuyers have a binding contract on or before April 30, they will have until June 30 to close the transaction.

Income limits for eligible homebuyers are expanded to $125,000 for single buyers and $225,000 for couples. The purchase price of the home cannot exceed $800,000. To help guard against fraud, buyers are required to attach documentation of purchase to their tax return.

Click here http://www.realtor.org/fedistrk.nsf/files/government_affairs_tax_credit_ext_chart_110409.pdf/$FILE/government_affairs_tax_credit_ext_chart_110409.pdf for detailed information about the legislation.

On Your Team
Jeffrey S. Stanton
Your Trusted Advisor For Life
347-466-3047
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

New Approach To Problems

2009-11-01T08:38:00.000-05:00

Dear Friends,

At work, at home, even on vacation, there are always problems that need solving. Some problems are easy to solve with the same solutions that have always worked. Others call for a fresh thinking, an original approach. Try these tips for generating exciting, new ideas:

Rephrase your problem. Turn your problem around by describing it in different words. Instead of “How can we produce more widgets?” ask, “What’s preventing us from producing X widgets a week?”

Dig deeper. Instead of focusing exclusively on the present situation, explore the background. When did the problem start, for example? What changed? Or, what are some of the underlying causes? What could you do about them?

Avoid either/or thinking. Don’t limit the possibilities. Instead of “We can either raise revenues or cut costs,” look for ways to do both, or find additional options. Maybe you have time to work on only one project, for example, but instead of neglecting the other, perhaps you can find someone else to get it started.

Ask for help. No matter how smart you are, an extra brain will usually help you find options you wouldn’t have considered on your own. Someone else’s eyes may see angles you hadn’t spotted before. Go outside your usual circle of advisors for a different perspective.

Keep a log. Carry a small notebook and get into the habit of writing down your ideas as they occur to you, so they’ll be accessible when you need them. Don’t worry about how practical your ideas are in the beginning, or what they might apply to. Just looking through your list may spark a thought you wouldn’t have found before.

Thanks for spending 3 minutes with me...
The best is yet to be!

On Your Team
Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, CSSN, WOW
Your Trusted Advisor For Life
347-466-3047

http://www.yourprofessionaldevelopment.com/
Certified negotiation Expert (CNE) Designation Training

Home Buyers Tax credit making progress in Senate

2009-10-31T09:17:00.002-04:00

Dear Friends,

The Senate is expected to vote, Monday evening, for a "Motion to Invoke Cloture." If 60 Senators vote yes on the cloture motion, the Senate will then be able to schedule a vote on the bill that contains the homebuyer tax credit expansion.

Once the Senate acts, the tax credit must still go to the House of Representatives for action.

NAR has an active, nationwide Call for Action on the federal homebuyer tax credit. REALTORS are asked to tell their members of Congress to "expand and extend the tax credit" in order to keep the housing market moving in the right direction.

The credit needs to be extended for an additional period of time and expanded in order to build upon the progress that's been made. Uncertainty about the future of the credit will dampen consumer demand. The best way to assure continued housing activity is to extend and expand the credit and to do that now.

Please take a few minutes to respond and take action now!
http://takeaction.realtoractioncenter.com/campaign/hbtc?rk=n7AWhl9al5hHE

On Your Team
Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, CSSN, WOW
Your Trusted Advisor For Life
347-466-3047

http://www.yourprofessionaldevelopment.com/
Certified negotiation Expert (CNE) Designation Training

Senate negotiators reached a tentative deal to extend a tax credit

2009-10-29T10:18:00.001-04:00

WASHINGTON -- Senate negotiators reached a tentative deal to extend a tax credit for first-time home buyers, but its passage remains uncertain.

The agreement would extend the existing credit for first-time home buyers, worth up to $8,000, while offering a new credit of up to $6,500 for some existing homeowners, Senate aides said. The reduced credit would be available to all home buyers who have been in their current residence for a consecutive five-year period in the past eight years.

The new provisions are aimed at broadening availability of the credit beyond first-time buyers and giving the weakened real-estate market a bigger boost while preventing real-estate investors from benefiting.

Many property experts have cited the credit as a reason for signs of recovery in the housing market in recent months. But that recovery was somewhat undercut by the September drop in new-home sales reported Wednesday.

The credit would be extended from its current expiration date of Dec. 1 to all contracts entered into by April 30, and closed before July 1. It is expected that income limits on people claiming the credit would be increased to $125,000 for singles and $250,000 for couples, from the current $75,000 and $150,000, aides said. The credit phases out for people making more than those amounts.

While Senate lawmakers appear to have reached a deal on the substance of the tax credit, they are still at odds over how it would be brought to the Senate floor. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D., Nev.) hopes to add it to a bill currently on the Senate floor to extend federal unemployment insurance benefits. But agreement on that hasn't been finalized.

While Senate Republicans are likely to support the measure, House Democrats have raised concerns that it carries a high cost to the government. The Internal Revenue Service is examining the program for alleged abuse.

The Power Of A Two-Letter Word

2009-10-17T13:36:00.002-04:00

Dear Friends,

There will always be someone out there who’s going to ask you to do something you don’t have time to do or something you can't do.

In an effort to please everyone, you may say “yes.” This is a recipe for increasing your stress, and falling short of completing any obligation well.

So everyone, including you, might be better served if you invoke that powerful, two-letter word and just say “no.”

How can you do that?

Start with this advice and today's tip:

Don’t say anything when you’re on the spot. Take some time to think it over. It’s OK to say, “Let me get back to you about that this afternoon.”

Be direct. Tell the truth about why you can’t do what’s asked of you. There’s no need to make up what might be deemed a “better” reason.

Be polite, but firm. Don’t build false hope about what you can do. Don’t say, “I’ll try.” You’ll just worry about squeezing the request into your schedule or how you’re going to say in the end that you didn’t get it done.

Suggest alternatives.
Perhaps you know of someone who has the time or is better suited to fulfill the request. Or perhaps you yourself will have time in the future.
If so, say, “Bob may be the better person to help you, lets call him together” or, “I don’t have time to do that this week, but I can do it next Thursday if you can wait.” Be honest, though.
This tactic shouldn’t be used merely to get the person off your back or to postpone an inevitable “no.”

I invite you to consider the memorable scene in the classic movie "Miracle on 34th Street" when Kris Kringle, as Santa Claus at Macy's, refers a customer to Gimbals, a "rival" department store because he knows that the customer would find the exact item they are looking for right there.

Kringle recognizes that it is in Macy's best interests to serve the needs of the customer... even if it means losing the sale to another retailer. He knows that he is building a reputation among his customers that Macy's is the first place to shop. If Macy's doesn't have it, they will know who does.

Remember is always in your best interests to server the needs your customer or client, even if that means saying "NO".

Thanks for spending 3 minutes with me...
The best is yet to be!

On Your Team
Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, CSSN, WOW
Your Trusted Advisor For Life
347-466-3047

http://www.yourprofessionaldevelopment.com/
Certified negotiation Expert (CNE) Designation Training

Systems and Strategies for Success - October Dates - 15hr CE in NYS - FREE to SIBOR Members

2009-10-13T14:14:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends,

I would like to invite you to attend our Systems and Strategies for Success (15 Hours CE in NYS) on 10/22, 10/23, 10/27, 10/28, 10/29 9:00am - 5:00PM at the Staten Island Board Of Realtors. This is the 2nd time that we will be holding the class this year. This class is FREE to SIBOR Realtor members

Systems and Strategies for Success (15 Hours CE) covers everything you need to know as licensee to position yourself for success as a true real estate professional.

In this class you will learn systems and strategies to:
· Generate credible leads.
· Set goals and effectively manage your time.
· Understand your local market and property values.
· Define characteristics of buyers and sellers.
· Conduct effective listing presentations.
· Develop consultative selling techniques.
· Gain buyer clients.
· Negotiate offers and manage a transaction to a successful closing.
· Secure market share.
· Market properties successfully.

Get the key skills you need to jump-start your career and build your clientele today

This agent training program will help you:

· UNDERSTAND the essential elements of a transaction and how to manage the process to a successful closing.

· LEARN how to develop a systematic process to identify prospects and generate reliable leads.

· UNCOVER marketing techniques and technologies to sell yourself to prospective clients and maximize property exposure.

· NETWORK with fellow licensees and position yourself to generate future idea exchanges and referrals.

Systems and Strategies for Success
( Download Brochure )
Staten Island Board of Realtors.
1535 Richmond Avenue Suite 3
Staten Island, NY 10314
10/22, 10/23, 10/27, 10/28, 10/29
Must attend all 5 Days to receive CE credit
9:00am—5:00pm
FREE to SIBOR MEMBERS
$199 for non-members
Log onto IMS.SIBOR.COM to register
Or call Debbie (718) 979-0007 ext. 1523
Download Registration Brochure

When would now be the best time to register?
On Your Learning Team
Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CNE, WOW
Your Trusted Advisor For Life
347-466-3047

Course Outline:
MODULE 1: BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
Session One: Lead Generation
Session Two: Goal Setting / Time and Self Management

MODULE 2: UNDERSTANDING THE CLIENT
Session One: The Marketplace
Session Two: The Consumer

MODULE 3: SELLERS
Session One: Listing Checklist
Session Two: Presenting Your Value Proposition

MODULE 4: BUYERS
Session Two: Buyer Checklist
Session Two: Agreement through Closing

MODULE 5: MARKETING
Session One: Your Properties
Session Two: Yourself & Your Services

What Are Interest Rates Going To Do? 10/12/09

2009-10-12T13:59:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends,

You like me, are asked this question every day. "What Do You Think Interest Rates Are Going To Do?" Now here is a customer focused report for Mortgage Market Direction:

Week of: Monday, October 12, 2009

Presently Market Conditions Are:
Rates fell slightly the first part of last week but the weak demand for the longer term treasuries negated the downward push and as of Friday the 30 yr rates remained relatively unchanged. Currently the rate is close to the historic low of last spring.

My Expectations Are:
The financial markets will be closed on Monday and the rest of the week is light on economic data. The reports with the most significant impact will be Wednesday’s Retail Sales report and Thursday’s Consumer Price Index. There are mixed reviews as to whether rates can hold the current low but according to Greg McBride, senior financial analyst for Bankrate.com “If a huge auction of government debt won't drive yields higher, they'll stay near record lows awhile longer. If corporate earnings beat expectations, that could be the catalyst for higher rates.”

As Your Trusted Advisor For Life, My Guidance For You Is:
We’re back to all time lows. If you missed out last spring, don’t hesitate now. This is the best time to get with your mortgage advisor and structure a loan to meet your clients financial needs.

On Your Financing Team
Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, CSSN, WOW
Your Personal Mortgage Consultant For Life.
347-466-3047

Upgrade your referrals

2009-10-07T14:43:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends,
I received this email from a reader that I would like to share with you:

Dear Mr. Stanton,
I've been licensed Realtor for about 5 years.

I get referred quite often by clients and friends.

What I don't understand is why my conversion of referred prospects is so low?

I call immediately after getting the lead and follow-up on a regular basis until I get through, but I don't feel I get as many appointments as I should considering they are referrals.

What can I do to increase my percentage of appointments of referred clients?
Best Regards,
TK

Dear TK,

Upgrade your referrals before you call them.

First lets look at the reasons people may refer you.

Some people want to be a hero and a referral can be a way to enhance their status.

Others want you to experience the better service they experienced possibly as a way to reaffirm their decision.

They most probably like you, trust you and genuinely want to help you.

Letting others know how pleased we are with our decisions, reaffirming our choices, telling others by way of a referral is only natural.

Here's my point...the act of referral is not always about the needs of the person being referred.

Because we all have given referrals, received referrals and have been the prospect of referrals we know this to be true.

Upgrading your referrals is a process.

We'll look at the two most important parts of this simple process today.

Know more about the person you're calling.
Ask the referrer to call the referral first.

Here's what normally happens:
You get a name and number and permission to call and then say "Thanks for the referral, I'll call them right away."

What a waste.

The first way to upgrade your referral is to know more about the person you're calling.

Questions you may want to consider asking first:

How do you know this person?
What is your connection with (name)?
What do you admire most about (name)?
Does (name) have any special interests?
What are some challenges (name) is facing right now?
Why did you think of (name) first?
Do you know where (name) is in the process?
Why do you think we would be a good match?
Does (name) know you’re referring him/her to me?
How do you think (name) will respond to your giving me his/her name?
Is there anything else about (name) that would be helpful for us to know?

IMPORTANT
If you're referred to help solve a problem, a serious problem, ask this question.
"How do you think he or she will react and feel about discussing their problems? Can I bring them up or should I be less direct?”

Remember, referral selling is about building and protecting relationships.

When given a referral there if there isn't time or you are not in the appropriate situation to ask all these questions, just call back the next day and ask before you call the referral.

You are teaching people how important relationships are by your very behavior.

The second part of upgrading your referrals, after you' ve asked these questions, is to ask the referral source to call first.

It might sound like this.

"Mike thanks for helping me meet Anthony. I was wondering, maybe he would appreciate hearing from you first, just to know that you're not sending some salesperson to attack him. Would that be Okay?" (pause)
“I don't want this to be a hassle for you, so if you get his voice mail a quick message about why you think it would be good for both of us to meet would be just fine."

"Mike thanks for trusting me to help your friend. How can we let him know how I can help him also?” (pause)
“Could we give him a call now to let him know that I will be contacting him tomorrow and why you think it would be good for both of us to meet?"

That's it.

Upgrading a referral is more about a genuine and sincere desire to better understand who you might be talking to before you pick up the phone.

With this understanding, your words, tone, style, temperament and manner are transferred to the referral to create a more comfortable conversation, leading to a desire to meet.

Thanks for spending 3 minutes with me.....
the best is yet to be!

On Your Team
Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, CSSN, WOW
Your Trusted Advisor For Life
347-466-3047

One of the fastest ways to build a successful referral based business is by training. Now, with me, I like to invest significant time immersing myself in training, while some people prefer to take it in bite-size chunks. Whatever your preference is, now is the best time to contact me.

If you have found this tip useful, please share it with any friends, family, colleagues and associates who you think will be interested. Feel free to print it (with credit and subscription information) and continue to enjoy the tips. I am always grateful for any comments, criticisms or other feedback that you may have. Please send them to feedback@jeffreysjournal.com

What would be the one most important tip you would give, if you could only give one?

2009-09-29T08:38:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends,
I received a question from a reader and thought I would share my response with you...

Dear Jeff,

I have a question. I hope you will answer this.

First, I want you to know how much my team enjoyed your training.

We've been to a lot of seminars over the past years and this was by far the best.

I have some new people joining my team and I added what I learned from you into their training.

Thank you!

I like to break things down into an order of importance and try to keep it simple.

New agents get so much thrown at them so fast I give them a priority list of the most important thing to remember as they learn and develop throughout their first year.

Looking back over your experiences what one thing would you tell a new agent coming into the real estate business about building a referral business for themselves?

What would be the one most important tip you would giveif you could only give one?

Thanks,
BT

Dear BT,

You must be a good trainer, because you have learned to ask great questions.

The answer is simple, very simple.

Always speak as if your customers are listening.

That's it. It's really just that simple.

Practicing this one tip will increase your agents refer-ability.

By example. If you're talking to another agent on the phone about your listing speak to the agent as if your sellers are listening on the other line.

If you're in the office talking to another agent about your buyers, speak as if your buyers can hear ever word you say.

When speaking about your customers or clients (past, current or future) in your office, at a board meeting, a training seminar, on a caravan, open house, anywhere or any time, imagine the people you are talking about can hear you.

What do you want them to hear?
Always, always respect your relationship.

What you say about others speaks volumes about YOU.

It's not easy sometimes.

It's OK to have an unexpressed thought.

If you don't like the way someone is acting or responding to the challenges of the marketplace, keep it to yourself.

Take time to understand what the other person is going through.
Give them the benefit of the doubt.

As top agent and dear friend put it 10 years ago, "I don't have to like my clients, I have to love them."

In 10 years I have never heard him say anything about his customers that he wouldn't want them to hear.

Is it a coincidence that his business is 100% referral based and his production is in the top 10% of the industry for 10 consecutive years?

He has the respect of his peers, friends, business associates and anyone who has been in contact with him.

He embodies a deep and sincere respect for his client no matter what. This teaches us the single most important lesson of any referral based business strategy. You get what you give.

So when you ask, "what would be the one most important tip you would give if you could only give one?"

My answer is... Always speak as if your clients are listening.

Thanks for spending 3 minutes with me.....
the best is yet to be!

How to write a memorable THANK YOU note…in less than one minute.

2009-09-23T09:26:00.001-04:00

Dear Friends,

Want to increase your referability?
Do it with thank you notes....

Taking the time to acknowledge someone for something is good; making it memorable takes a little effort; following these 3 steps makes it quick.

You've heard me say that the speed of implementation is the No. 1 quality of a "high achiever."
With that spirit let’s learn how to write or say thank you in a way that will be appreciated, respected and memorable ...in less than one minute.

Here we go....

First I want to thank all of you for reading the “3 Minute Referral Tips” each week. I know it takes time out of your day and I hope you find them informative and interesting.
It also takes courage to be willing to learn and try new things. This speaks to your character as a person and the professional you are.
Your clients are fortunate to have you serving them. I look forward to continuing our learning experience together.

Respectfully,
Jeffrey

The note you just read follows a pattern of 3 steps.

1. Thank you
* thank the person for what they did

2. Acknowledge the character behind their action
* have a list of characteristics and virtues that you can find, recognize and compliment in others

3. Keep the relationship open and ongoing
* be specific to the next contact or future of the relationship

Here's how it works by example.

1. Thank you…
for your time
for speaking with me
for considering our company
for choosing us
for using our services

2. It's always nice to...
work with fun people
be with creative people
work for considerate people

3. I'll be speaking to you...
soon
next week
next Tuesday at 2:15

or

looking forward to working with you...
in the future
again
next time

It's that simple. Here are the three components needed in writing a memorable “Thank You.”

The event
See the character
Keep the relationship open

Below is a list of characteristics and virtues that you can find and recognize in your clients and customers.

You'll also support and reward the behavior you want more of.

To have some fun with this and help you create your own list answer these questions. The answers will reveal what you want more of in others.

I wish my wife was more.......
I wish my husband was more...
I wish other drivers on the road were more...
I wish my neighbor was more.....
I wish my boss was more.....
I wish my coworkers were more...
I wish my best friend was more....
I wish my customers were more...
I wish kids were more...

You get the point. We know what we want more of.

Keep a list of what you want more of from all the relationships you encounter.

Leave it in plain view or keep it on a 3 X 5 card for quick reference.

When people do things that really need to be recognized and appreciated you'll have the skill and practiced ability to make it memorable.

Here's my list:

Honest, Punctual, Understanding, Decisive, Loyal, Cooperative, Successful, Considerate, Attentive, Congenial, Supportive, Ethical, Gracious, Energetic, Integrity, Empathy, Persistence, Sincerity, Consistency, Enthusiasm, Courteous, Insightfulness, Commitment, Modesty
Along with many more…

EXAMPLE:

Thanks for spending the time to read these tips. It speaks of your character, a willingness to learn new ideas, and the courage to implement them. I look forward to working together with you in the future.

Thanks for spending 3 minutes with me...
The best is yet to be!

What Are Interest Rates Going To Do? 9/21/09

2009-09-21T11:18:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends,

You like me, are asked this question every day. "What Do You Think Interest Rates Are Going To Do?" Now here is a customer focused report for Mortgage Market Direction:

Week of: Monday, September 21, 2009

Presently Market Conditions Are:
Rates dipped slightly last week. According to a survey of national lenders the 30 year fixed rate mortgage fell 2 basis points to 5.38%. The results of the Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey have the 30 yr ending the week at 5.04% with .7% point.

My Expectations Are:
The economic calendar is light this week with Treasury auctions Monday through Wednesday. Jobless claims will be posted Thursday along with Existing Home Sales followed by New Home Sales and Durable Goods Orders on Friday. “Interest rates for fixed-rate mortgages eased for the third consecutive week and remained at 3-month lows,” said Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac vice president and chief economist. “Interest rates for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages have averaged just above 5 percent through mid-September, which is roughly a percentage point below last year’s average and suggests that 2009 may reach a record annual low since the survey began in 1971.”

As Your Trusted Advisor For Life, My Guidance For You Is:
Now is the time to take advantage of low rates and affordable housing. Meet with your mortgage advisor today to structure a loan to meet your financial needs.

On Your Financing Team
Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, WOW
Your Personal Mortgage Consultant For Life.
347-466-3047

What Are Interest Rates Going To Do? 9/14/09

2009-09-14T12:37:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends,

You like me, are asked this question every day. "What Do You Think Interest Rates Are Going To Do?" Now here is a customer focused report for Mortgage Market Direction:

Week of: Monday, September 14, 2009

Presently Market Conditions Are:
Mortgage rates continued to inch lower according to the results of the current Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey. The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage (FRM) averaged 5.07 percent with an average 0.7 point for the week ending September 10, 2009, down from last week when it averaged 5.08 percent. Last year at this time, the 30-year FRM averaged 5.93 percent.

My Expectations Are:
While the economic calendar is relatively light this week, look for the monthly inflation reports to carry the most heavily weighted data. The Producer Price Index (PPI) will come out on Tuesday (along with Retail Sales) followed by the Consumer Price Index (CPI) on Wednesday (along with Industrial Production). “Even as the economic data continues to improve, there was still evidence of some concern about the sustainability of the recovery as evidenced by the massive rally in the long end of the U.S. yield curve,” said Eric Lascelles, chief economist and rates strategist at TD Securities Inc. in Toronto.

As Your Trusted Advisor For Life, My Guidance For You Is:
Rates continue to be at historical lows and home prices are incredibly affordable. Now is the opportune time to meet with your mortgage advisor to structure a loan that will meet your financial needs.

On Your Financing Team
Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, WOW
Your Personal Mortgage Consultant For Life.
347-466-3047

What Are Interest Rates Going To Do? 9/07/09

2009-09-07T09:05:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends,

You like me, are asked this question every day. "What Do You Think Interest Rates Are Going To Do?" Now here is a customer focused report for Mortgage Market Direction:

Week of: Monday, September 07, 2009

Presently Market Conditions Are:
“Mortgage rates followed bond yields slightly lower last week, with fixed mortgage rates falling to three-month lows.” stated Frank Nothaft, Chief Economist for Freddie Mac. He continued by saying “Low mortgage rates have helped pushed housing affordability to new highs. Seven of the top eight most affordable months occurred during this year, according to the National Association of Realtors'® (NAR) Housing Affordability Index, which dates back to 1971. As a result, pending sales of existing homes rose for the sixth straight month in July, a trend not seen since the NAR began reporting data in 2001. Moreover, July's sales were the strongest since June 2007.”

My Expectations Are:
This will be a light week for economic data with the mortgage markets being closed Monday in honor of Labor Day. Treasury auctions on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday will highlight the week, however, investors will also keep a close watch on the Import Prices and Consumer Sentiment reports which will be released on Friday.

As Your Trusted Advisor For Life, My Guidance For You Is:
With housing prices and mortgage rates remaining affordably low, now is the best time to meet with your mortgage professional to discuss your best financial options.

On Your Financing Team
Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, WOW
Your Personal Mortgage Consultant For Life.
347-466-3047

Certified Negotiation Expert (CNE) NY Dates

2009-09-02T17:57:00.001-04:00

Dear Friends,

I am excited to announce the Staten Island Board of Realtors will again be hosting The Certified Negotiation Expert (CNE) Designation & Training on September 29th-30th 2009

I would like to invite you to attend this powerful 2-Day Professional Negotiation, Designation & Business-Building Seminar.

The normal cost for the CNE Designation & Training is $299. By special arrangement with The Staten Island Board Of Realtors this class will only be $50 for SIBOR Reator Members and $179 for non-members.

In this 2-Day Professional Negotiation & Business-Building Seminar you will learn:

Professional Negotiators..– What they do differently vs. average negotiators and how they get better results for their clients and themselves
Competitive Bargaining..– Understand the “tough” approach to negotiating, when to use it, and how to handle that highly competitive hard bargainer across the table
Collaborative Negotiating..– Learn collaborative negotiation techniques and why this “win-win” approach leads to better outcomes for both parties
Persuading and influencing others..– Learn proven persuasion techniques that will help make you a much more effective negotiator
Psychology of Buying..– The “whole brain” approach to influencing the buyer’s (and seller’s) decision-making process
Planning for Negotiation Success..– You have a marketing plan, an open house plan and a lead generation plan; now you will have a negotiation plan to give your clients confidence in your ability
Confidence Building..– Gain confidence in dealing with any negotiation situation – in real estate or outside real estate (these approaches work for any negotiation situation)
Innovative Business Building Approaches..– Expand your thinking and value offerings with new client protection approaches and service fee options
Getting Answers..– Learn how to ask the right questions that get the answers you need in your real estate negotiation
Immediate Real Estate Application..– All examples, case studies, and role plays are real estate negotiation situations

CNE designation awarded at end of 2nd day for immediate marketing advantage.
300 pages of negotiation and CNE marketing materials provided at no extra charge.

For more information on the CNE Training & Designation and a full class outline please click HERE

The Certified Negotiation Expert (CNE)
Seating is very limited.
Class Date:
Tuesday, September 29th 2009 and
Wednesday, September 30th 2009
Class Time:
9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Check In:
30 minutes prior to start
Location:
Richmond County Real Estate Institute
of the Staten Island Board of Realtors®
1535 Richmond Avenue, Suite 3
Staten Island, NY 10314
Price:
SIBOR Realtors $50
All Others $179
SIBOR members register on:
IMS.SIBOR.Com
Or View/Download the registration flyer HERE
http://www.scribd.com/doc/19359136/CNE-SIBOR-September-09
Return to: Debbie Lerner, Director of Education
Tel: 718.979.0007 ext. 1523 • Fax: 718.928.3225

If you are interested in a Private CNE training for your office or association please send me a email.

On Your Learning Team
Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, CSSN, WOW
Your Trusted Advisor For Life
347-466-3047

http://www.yourprofessionaldevelopment.com/
Certified negotiation Expert (CNE) Designation Training

Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly.

2009-09-02T11:39:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends,

Anything worth doing is worth doing poorly.
That's right, doing poorly.

I know we've all heard that anything worth doing is worth doing well or right or good.

We were told this by our teachers in class to improve our penmanship; our parents to improve our homework; our coaches to improve our play; our instructors to better our lessons; our Pastors, Priests and Rabbis might have said this to better our prayer and religious studies and maybe even your spouse has said these words to you.

Chances are we heard "anything worth doing is worth doing well" from just about anyone in authority in an attempt to help us to better whatever we were doing at the time.

The irony is that these 7 simple words are one of the most disabling thoughts we can say.

It de-motivates us the older we get.

WHY?

We tend to think that if we can't do it well, than we shouldn't do it at all.

And we do just that.
We do nothing.
We don't attempt new things because we may not do it right and could embarrass ourselves by trying.

We are subconsciously reminded of all the caring and supportive people in our past who said "anything worth doing is worth doing well."

They didn't mean any harm by it, but it does harm you.

So, when you're introduced to a new idea, a new learning, you may think that you're too old to learn, too set in your ways, too tired, too scared you'll fail, or too afraid you'll look stupid if you try something new.

Let's reframe this old saying into something more proactive and creative.

Anything worth doing is worth doing, poorly at first, and then again, still poorly, and then a little better, and then even better until you feel accomplished and comfortable with your learning of something new.

Remember theses words "there is no such thing as failure, it's only feed back"

I am reminded about an article about Madonna that I read a few years ago. She wanted to play guitar on stage at her concerts. She had the highest ticket price of all performers and I suspect could probably do what ever she damn well pleased.

The problem was she didn't know how to play guitar. She took lessons, and began and started playing, poorly at first, and then a little better, and then even a bit better.
Until one year later she played on stage at one of her concerts as if she'd been playing for years.

Life is an adventure.

The interesting part of all this is the people who excel in business the fastest are the ones who try things quickly after hearing a new idea.

They, without knowing what will exactly happen, put things into action.

I've heard it said this way, "the insecure way is the secure way."

I usually finish my training program with this question.

What is the single most important characteristic of a high achiever?

There are so many right answers like:

flexibility
persistence
intelligence
decisive
energetic
focused
integrity
humility
self discipline
resourcefulness
steadfastness
boldness
fun
reliability
enthusiasm
effort
honesty
courage
sincerity
strength
skill

As well as many more great, insightful and very valuable qualities and characteristics of a high achiever.

The single most important quality of a high achiever is "Speed of Implementation."

It is the speed in which you hear and learn something new and attempt to experience the new learning. It's your ability to act quickly on what you've learned even if you do it poorly, at first, but to experience what you learned.

The human intellect is significantly expanded through the experiential learning of a new idea.

Those who possess the "Speed of Implementation" not only learn faster and experientially they improve, innovate and assimilate new practices into their word patterns and create new productive habits.

Some people hear an idea and have to study it, play with it and surgically dissect it in order to see how it works and what they have to do to get ready to try something new.

As Tom Peter's once said "Ready, Fire, Aim."
Today's markets change quickly.

One of the companies I've been working with over the past few weeks has a number of individuals who by the end of each training day implement new ideas into their database, personal marketing and referral business strategy.

They put new learning's into action quickly and are responsible for elevating the collective talents throughout the company.

It's a pleasure to watch and be part of.

They Just Do It! They Play Big!

You guys know who you are. Kudos to all.

"Speed of Implementation" is contagious.

It is the single most important quality of high achievers.

You have heard me say it before... Referrals are all about relationships.

And the most important relationship is the one we have with ourselves when it comes to our own learning and development.

So, no matter what you learn, from whom you learn it, or even how you learn, the speed of implementation is the one quality that will leverage all the rest.

Thanks for spending 3 minutes with me...
The best is yet to be!

Fair Housing 101 - 3 CE in NYS

2009-09-01T13:26:00.000-04:00

For All My Realtor Friends In NY,

Did you know that NYS Real Estate licensees are required to successfully complete 22.5 hours of approved real estate continuing education within their two year license term, prior to renewal? AND Effective for renewals on or after July 1, 2008, the 22.5 hours must include at least three hours of instruction pertaining to fair housing and/or discrimination in the sale or rental of real property or an interest in real property?http://www.dos.state.ny.us/lcns/realest.html

Lets Play A Game:

I am happy to anounce that you can now fufill these requirements with my Fair Housing Class given at the Richmond County Real Estate Institute.

Seating Is Limited

FAIR HOUSING (3 CE Hours In NY)
September 13
10:00am – 1:00pm
Richmond County Real Estate Institute
Staten Island Board Of Realtors
1535 Richmond Ave, Suite 3
Staten Island, NY 10314
Attention: Debbie Learner
718.979.0007

This courses is FREE to SIBOR members in good standing.

Non-members cost $30

On Your Fair Housing Team
Jeffrey Stanton
Your Trusted Advisor For Life
347-466-3047

What Are Interest Rates Going To Do? 8/31/09

2009-08-31T09:27:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends,

You like me, are asked this question every day. "What Do You Think Interest Rates Are Going To Do?" Now here is a customer focused report for Mortgage Market Direction:

Week of: Monday, August 31, 2009

Presently Market Conditions Are:
30 year fixed mortgage rates barely moved last week. "Long-term mortgage rates were barely changed this week, remaining historically low, which is helping to sustain a high level of affordability in the home-purchase market," said Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac vice president and chief economist."

My Expectations Are:
The major news in economic announcements this week is Tuesday’s Pending Home Sales Report, Thursday’s Jobless Claim and Friday’s Non-Farm Payroll. The lingering question is where rates will go. “The bond market does not believe we will see rapid robust rates of growth,” said Jeffrey Caughron, an associate partner in Oklahoma City at The Baker Group Ltd., which advises community banks investing $20 billion. “The deleveraging of the consumer will act as a drag on growth, which will keep inflation to a minimum and interest rates relatively low.” Most experts agree to keep a close eye on inflation as a major indicator.

As Your Trusted Advisor For Life, My Guidance For You Is:
As home prices remain affordable and interest rates remain low, now is an ideal time to meet with your mortgage advisor to structure a mortgage solution to meet your needs.

On Your Financing Team
Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, WOW
Your Personal Mortgage Consultant For Life.
347-466-3047

Trash Your Mail!

2009-08-19T13:08:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends,

Do you Trash Your Mail?

If you are seriously interested in having your direct mail read try this simple and effective technique.

What is "trashed" mail you ask?

Trashed mail is a handwritten note, greeting, salutation or message of regards on a business form letter, postcard or newsletter that is used in any direct mail client data base marketing effort.

In simple terms it's taking the time to write a few words of greeting to your close personal friends, family, best clients, advocates and raving fans on your preprinted form mail.

It personalizes direct business mail.

If you use direst mail for any type of Data Base Marketing trashing the mail is as simple as this.

By example let's say you are sending out 300 pieces of direct mail every month.

Select the people you feel are special like close friends, family, ongoing business associates, neighbors, customers and clients.

Write a few words like:
Hi Bob, how's golf?
Hello Alan, how's the family?
Steve, thanks for the help last week.
Hi Bill and Amy, how's the new home?
Hi Ed, I learned a lot from your session, Thanks!
Hello Jim and Maria, how are the twins doing in college?

Hand write on the bottom of the letter, or in the margin of the postcard. Use a different color ink. If your handwriting is lousy, all the better. Be personal and brief.

You get the point.
First, it's personal. Relationships are everything in a referral based business.
Second, it shows that you are paying attention.
Third, it makes people feel special.

That's how you get your mail read.

We know it's a form letter or postcard or newsletter.
Remember, it's not what you do it's how you do it.

There is nothing more unequal that treating unequal people equally.

Your close relationships are not all the same even if your mail is.

Thanks for spending 3 minutes with me...
The best is yet to be!

You know you're stressed out when...

2009-08-18T14:11:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends,

You know you're stressed out when you come to the sudden realization that everyone around you is an idiot...

This tip is about stress.

One of the first signs of stress is talking back to office equipment.
One of the most definite signs is the awareness that everyone around is nuts.
Of course there is a common denominator, and it isn't the other guy.

We've all done it.

We sometimes get all stressed out when things don't go as planned.

Yelling at the fax machine or computer is just the visible expression of our often hurried lives.

Since these tips serve as an aid to further develop the competencies that contribute to an effective referral business, what can be more important to our own referability than our mental outlook.

I was going through some old notes and found this.

First let me say this.

Stress is cumulative. It doesn't go away with sleep. It adds up, and up and up. You can't wish it away.

Each day we carry yesterday's stress and the days before, and so on.

It doesn't take a medical doctor to see the symptoms and the results of mounting stress, whether it's in the workplace or on the roadways.

Here are 10 ways to relieve and reduce, and even eliminate, stress in our hurried lives which I do believe will make us more referable and easier to do business with.

Ten Ways to Reduce Stress in Our Lives.

1. Set aside a little time each day to recover.
Sleep - Know your body, get what you need
Nutrition - Low fat, low salt, low sugar
Exercise - Punch a bag, workout, stretch
Humor - Laugh 50 times a day, or as often as you can
Music - Play something you like even if it's just a short while
Active/passive rest - Read, pray, sex (not in any order)
Needs fulfillment - Pay attention to your personal needs

2. Don't accept gifts of anger, abuse, and resentment.
What people think of you is none of your business.

3. Make a list for the day. Write things down, the brain is for thinking, not storage.

4. Don't take yourself so seriously, laugh at yourself.

5. Keep your eyes on the prize. Your overall wellness - physically, spiritually. mentally, financially.

6. Learn to say no…"I'd really like to help you but I can't give you the time you deserve, may I find someone else?"

7. Give yourself extra time.

8. Crisis - We are all going into a crisis, are in a crisis, or have just come out of one. All the time. Be gentle with yourself and others, you don't know where they are.

9. You teach people how to treat you by your own behavior.
Watch what you give out, because that's what you get.

10. You can't control others.
You can only control your own behavior and response. Between the stimulus (what happened) and your response is space. The space given to you to choose your response. This gives new meaning to response-ability -- your ability to choose.

I don't remember where these all came from so Ill give credit others.

Thanks for spending a few minutes with me each week and I hope the tips have become useful in your enhancing your own referral business.

Thanks for spending 3 minutes with me...
The best is yet to be!

What Are Interest Rates Going To Do? 8/17/09

2009-08-17T11:52:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends,

You like me, are asked this question every day. "What Do You Think Interest Rates Are Going To Do?" Now here is a customer focused report for Mortgage Market Direction:

Week of: Monday, August 17, 2009

Presently Market Conditions Are:
Rates ended the week slightly lower on positive news for the financial markets with strong Treasury demand and modest inflation data. The market “move is all about the decline of stocks globally that’s clearly leading the market higher as safety flows move into the market,” said Martin Mitchell, head of government-bond trading at the Baltimore unit of Stifel Nicolaus & Co.

My Expectations Are:
The economic news this week will be relatively light with Housing Starts and the Producer Price Index released on Tuesday, Jobless Claims on Thursday and the week will close with Existing Home Sales posted on Friday. Thursday the Fed will also announce the upcoming Treasury auctions. No changes have been announced to the MBS purchase program which currently has kept rates low. The program is scheduled to finish at the end of the year and the path the Fed takes will likely have an impact on the direction of rates.

As Your Trusted Advisor For Life, My Guidance For You Is:
Rates continue to be at all time lows and housing remains incredibly affordable. Meet with you mortgage advisor today to structure a deal to meet your financing needs.

On Your Financing Team
.Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, WOW
Your Personal Mortgage Consultant For Life.
347-466-3047

What Are Interest Rates Going To Do? 8/10/09

2009-08-10T10:19:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends,

You like me, are asked this question every day. "What Do You Think Interest Rates Are Going To Do?" Now here is a customer focused report for Mortgage Market Direction:

Week of: Monday, August 10, 2009

Presently Market Conditions Are:
Mortgage rates ended slightly higher last week due to most of the economic data released beating the consensus forecast. This indicates that the economy is improving more quickly than expected. While current inflation levels remain low, faster economic growth generally leads to higher future inflation, which is could negatively impact mortgage rates. However, Freddie Mac’s Chief Economist Frank Nothaft stated that “Homebuyer demand has improved, aided by high levels of housing affordability. The first half of this year contained the top six months with the most affordable housing conditions since the National Association of Realtors® (NAR) began calculating its Housing Affordability Index in January 1971. As a result, pending existing home sales rose for five consecutive months ending in June, a trend not seen since July 2003.”

My Expectations Are:
The Fed meeting on Wednesday will be the highlight on investor’s calendars during this busy week. Investors will also keep a sharp eye on are the Treasury auctions, Consumer Price Index (CPI), Retail Sales and the Industrial Production report which is due out Friday.

As Your Trusted Advisor For Life, My Guidance For You Is:
With housing prices at affordable low and rates hovering at historical lows, now is the best time to meet with you mortgage professional to discuss a mortgage solution that meets your financial goals.

On Your Financing Team
.Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, WOW
Your Personal Mortgage Consultant For Life.
347-466-3047

What's Going on with Inflation and Interest Rates?

2009-08-07T12:29:00.000-04:00

What's Going on with Inflation and Interest Rates?

If you've seen the news lately, you know concerns about inflation are increasing. But what does it really mean to you?

The fact is, inflation is a very serious issue, and it will likely be on the rise as 2009 proceeds...and along with it, home loan rates will rise too.

To help you learn more about this important topic, I want to share a short video, featuring the nation's foremost mortgage industry expert. In this video, you'll learn how inflation impacts interest rates and what the outlook is for down the road.

View Video Here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4LKjaQY4aU
Because home loan rates will be on the rise, if you or any of your family, friends, neighbors or co-workers have been considering a purchase or refinance, now's the time to act.

Please feel free to forward this video along to others that you think might benefit from it as well.

On Your Team
Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, CSSN, WOW
Your Trusted Advisor For Life
347-466-3047

Can you build rapport on the phone?

2009-08-05T12:36:00.001-04:00

Dear Friends,

I have a standing invitation to everyone who reads http://www.jeffreysjournal.com/ or www.yourprofessionaldevelopment.com to ask me to write about what you want to learn more about. Taylor M had the following question:

Jeff,
I have been reading your last few tips on rapport and persuasion, and I was wondering if you could go into how to generate rapport over the telephone. I have spoken on the phone to other sales people trying to sell me stuff. I have felt more at ease talking to some of them than I do with my customers or soon-to-be clients, even people I have known for years. It is fantastic and I'm not sure how exactly how it happens or how they do it....

The answer is… well, a bunch of things.
First of all, I don’t know exactly what the people Taylor has spoken to have been doing, or what Taylor is not doing himself, but I do know that there are a number of things which will help you to get rapport, put people at ease and have more fluid, enjoyable telephone conversations.

The first thing is to know what you want with regard to a particular conversation.

With regard to some upcoming phone conversation, what do you want?

And how will you know when you’ve got it?

Having a clear idea of what direction you want to go in will allow you to get good feedback about whether or not you’re on track. Obviously, the amount of time you spend figuring out what you want with regard to a call will depend on how important the call is to you.

Get in a good state.
I’ve heard my mentor say repeatedly "If you want to get someone into a good state, go there first yourself." If you want other people to feel relaxed & at ease, make sure you feel relaxed & at ease.

Establish rapport
Now, there are many ways to establish rapport. Some of the behavioural ways you can do this on the phone include the following:

Talking at the same rate as the other person
Modulating your voice tone so that it is similar to theirs
Modulating voice pitch so it’s similar to theirs
Using the same sensory words as them
Talking at the rate they’re breathing

Personally, I find it difficult to breathe at the same rate as someone else if they’re talking.
I do, however, like talking at the same rate that someone is breathing.

How do you know what rate they’re breathing at?

Listen to them talk (if they’re talking, they’re breathing out.)
Listen to them breathe
Can you hear someone breathe over the phone?
Sure, if you listen.

Make a mental image of the person
Another trick of the trade is to make a mental image of the person you are speaking to. See the expressions on their face, notice how they respond to what you say. And whatever you do, start by pretending / believing that the call is going to have a positive result for you both.

Be curious about & interested in the other person
Of all the points, this is one of the most powerful. Some of the most powerful messages you can give to someone are "I am interested in you", "I care about your well being" and "You are important to me." And the quickest way to get these ideas across in your communication is to mean it. When you mean it, you come across congruently, and the communication can flow.

Sometimes, people get so caught up in the technology of rapport (matching eye blinks etc) that they don’t remember what it’s about: connecting with another human being.

The behavioral elements of rapport are just a way to allow that connection to emerge more rapidly.

Thanks for spending 3 minutes with me...
The best is yet to be!

What’s Between You and Your Goal?

2009-08-04T11:11:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends,

What’s Between You and Your Goal?

Do you know how to keep your eye on your goal – even when you can’t see it?

Florence Chadwick was an ace swimmer. She set a world record in 1950 when she swam across the English Channel from France in 10 hours and 20 minutes. The following year, she swam from England to France and made history as the first woman to swim the channel from both shores.

But in 1952, Florence learned a powerful lesson when she decided to swim the 26 miles between Catalina Island and Palos Verdes, California. The water was frigid that day and sharks trailed her. But these factors didn’t diminish Florence’s resolve; something else did.

After 15 hours of swimming in rough waters, there was no sign of the coastline – there was no sign of anything because fog had shrouded the area. With her goal out of sight, Florence lost the desire to continue and climbed aboard an escort boat, not realizing that she was less than half a mile from shore.

When asked why she decided to stop, she explained, “It was the fog. If I could have seen land, I could have finished. But when you can’t see your goal, you lose all sense of progress and you begin to give up.”

This setback was a set-up for a comeback, however. A few months later, Florence made another attempt to swim the same waters. The same thick fog set in, but this time she kept an image of the shoreline in her mind. And with her goal clearly “in sight,” Florence swam into a new world’s record.

Something to remember when shark-infested, rough waters are between you and your goal – or at least, it seems that way!

On Your Team
Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, CSSN, WOW
Your Trusted Advisor For Life
347-466-3047

One of the fastest ways to build a successful referral based business is by training. Now, with me, I like to invest significant time immersing myself in training, while some people prefer to take it in bite-size chunks. Whatever your preference is, now is the best time to contact me.

If you have found this tip useful, please share it with any friends, family, colleagues and associates who you think will be interested. Feel free to print it (with credit and subscription information) and continue to enjoy the tips. I am always grateful for any comments, criticisms or other feedback that you may have. Please send them to feedback@jeffreysjournal.com

http://www.yourprofessionaldevelopment.com
Certified Negotiation Expert (CNE) Designation & Training
Certified Short Sale Negotiator (CSSN) Designation & Training

What Are Interest Rates Going To Do? 8/3/09

2009-08-03T09:41:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends,

You like me, are asked this question every day. "What Do You Think Interest Rates Are Going To Do?" Now here is a customer focused report for Mortgage Market Direction:

Week of: Monday, August 03, 2009

Presently Market Conditions Are
Rates rose from the previous week closing around 5.5%. “Bond yields rose slightly higher this week on market optimism that the economy may be stabilizing somewhat, and mortgage rates followed those yields,” said Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac vice president and chief economist.

My Expectations Are:
The economic calendar begins the week with Monday’s ISM Manufacturing Index and Construction Spending reports. Tuesday’s highlight will be Pending Home Sales (a leading indicator for the housing market) and the week ends with the Employment report with data on the unemployment rate and wage inflation.

As Your Trusted Advisor For Life, My Guidance For You Is:
Rates continue to hover at all time lows and housing remains favorable. Now is the opportune time to meet with your mortgage advisor to structure a loan to meet your financing needs.

On Your Financing Team
.Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, WOW
Your Personal Mortgage Consultant For Life.
347-466-3047

How To Get Your Message Heard

2009-07-29T09:28:00.002-04:00

Dear Friends.

We live in a busy world, and there are thousands of messages vying for people’s mental bandwidth each day. There is more and more competition for each person’s attention, so you may be wondering how you can increase the odds that the messages you send will reach their targets.

In The Power Of Rapport, we looked at ways to use the natural phenomenon of rapport to meet people at their model of the world through our behavior. Today we will discuss the meta-pattern of pacing and leading to explore how you can meet people at their map of the world with language, before leading them somewhere else.

Meet them at their map of the world

St Francis of Assisi spoke of seeking to understand before seeking to be understood. A technique used in ancient Greece to settle disputes had those involved state the opposition’s case to the satisfaction of the opposition before they stated their own case. Whenever you set out to influence someone, there is great value in meeting them at their ‘map of the world’ before you start the process of leading them somewhere new.

In sales, this process is referred to as ‘pacing and leading’; making statements (for instance) about the current ‘reality’ for an individual or group before directing their attention somewhere else. For example…

Every Friday at 7am, I go to a business networking group where I get the opportunity to do a 60 second ‘commercial’ for services that I offer. I will often start my commercial with something like the following:

"We’re here at business networking group , it’s Friday morning, and it’s early, and you may be wondering what I’m going to tell you about today… because we’ve all come here for a reason, and the reason is to build our businesses, so I know you’re going to be interested in helping me build mine etc… "

On the face of it, this is a fairly ordinary intro, with nothing particularly notable about this, but as you look more closely at the way the statements are structured, you may begin to notice that there is a mixture of things that are ‘true’ and things that are more ‘speculative’.

‘True’ – Pacing Statements

We’re here
it’s Friday morning
it’s early
we’ve all come here for a reason
the reason is to build our businesses

‘Speculative’ – Leading Statements

You may be wondering what I’m going to tell you about today
I know you’re going to be interested in helping me build mine

1) Practice making verifiably true statements about where you are right now (for instance, "I am sitting in my office, the sun is shining, it’s 2003, it’s Tuesday etc.) Continue until you have made at least 10 statements.

We like a sense of the familiar, and as you sit here, making these statements aloud, you may start to feel pleasantly relaxed. If it’s difficult to make the statements aloud initially, write them down.

2) In a low-risk situation (eg. with a friend), practice making some pacing comments to another person, and notice what effect they have (people will often nod or say mmm-hmmm in response.)

Creatures of habit

What you are doing as you make the pacing statements is setting up a response pattern of ‘that’s true’ in the other person’s mind. Human beings are creatures of habit - we like what’s familiar. The human brain seeks pattern and, having established a pattern, likes it to continue. When the brain has said ‘that’s true’ three times, it’s likely to say it the fourth time.

When pacing and leading is done elegantly, it is possible to move from saying mostly things which are ‘verifiably true’ to saying mostly things which are ‘made up’ without the listener(s) noticing the transition. The overall shape / structure is as follows:

Pace – pace – pace - lead

Pace – pace – lead – lead

Pace – lead – lead – lead

Lead – lead – lead – lead… (+an occasional pace for good measure)

3) Set yourself a goal for communication in a low-risk situation (eg. to persuade the other person to go for a coffee.) Use pacing and leading to seamlessly lead them to that goal.

Pacing and leading often sounds ‘clunky’ at first, but as you practice it more and more, you’ll begin to find yourself doing it spontaneously, without even planning it consciously.

4) Begin to identify all the areas in your life where you can start using pacing & leading to persuade others more effectively, then use it!

This approach may seem basic, but I’ve used in hundreds of situations, including getting the attention and interest of a hostile audience, winning the trust of a skeptical client, and comforting a hurt child (and stopping them crying in under a minute.) As usual, this is a powerful technique – ensure you use it to help yourself and others. When you are acting in someone else’s best interests, it comes across.

More advanced

You can use this technique to turn around situations that seem to oppose you directly. I was once coaching someone in a large organization who had been told to see me by his boss. He started out by saying "I’m normally skeptical of this sort of thing, but you come highly recommended." My gut feeling was that he was still highly skeptical, despite his protestation. I said "Well you should be skeptical about me." He looked puzzled and asked why. I said "Because until you’ve seen for yourself just how quickly I can help you get great results, you’ve got no reason to be anything other than skeptical." He relaxed immediately and we began.

I met him at his map of the world, and threw in a double bind for good measure (in order for him to be skeptical of me, he would have to be skeptical about what I was telling him ("be skeptical"), so on some level he had to consider being sceptical of his own skepticism. I know this is a bit confusing – that’s part of why it works!)

Pacing and leading is a powerful way to influence others…

All Related Topics: 3 Minute Rapport/Persuasion

Thanks for spending 3 minutes with me...
The best is yet to be!

Do You “Spring Back”?

2009-07-28T09:05:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends,

You’re probably familiar with the phrase, “Spring forward, Fall back,” in terms of Daylight Saving Time. But there’s also a time when it’s good to “spring back” – that is, to be resilient. The dictionary defines resilient as “springing back; rebounding; recovering readily from illness, adversity, or the like.” Here are some tips on how to master the skill of being resilient and springing back as you navigate through our ever-changing world:

Learn from experience. Resilient people reflect on what happens to them – good and bad – so they can move forward without illusion.

Accept setbacks and losses. You’ve got to face the reality of what happens in order to get past it.

Recognize emotions. Resilient people don’t hide from their feelings. They identify what they’re feeling and express their emotions appropriately.

Keep time in perspective. Past, present, and future are separate. Don’t mix them up by letting what’s in the past determine your choices in the here and now.

Think creatively and flexibly. Find new ways to solve problems and face challenges.

Take care of yourself. Resilience is based on good physical and mental health. Get enough rest, eat sensibly, and spend time with people who support you.

Ask for help. Resilient people don’t try to do everything themselves. Accept that you’ll need to ask others for assistance, and learn how to do this graciously and effectively.

The dictionary also defines resilient as “returning to the original form after being bent, compressed or stretched.” Lots of that going on these days!

On Your Team
Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, CSSN, WOW
Your Trusted Advisor For Life
347-466-3047

One of the fastest ways to build a successful referral based business is by training. Now, with me, I like to invest significant time immersing myself in training, while some people prefer to take it in bite-size chunks. Whatever your preference is, now is the best time to contact me.

If you have found this tip useful, please share it with any friends, family, colleagues and associates who you think will be interested. Feel free to print it (with credit and subscription information) and continue to enjoy the tips. I am always grateful for any comments, criticisms or other feedback that you may have. Please send them to feedback@jeffreysjournal.com

http://www.yourprofessionaldevelopment.com
Certified Negotiation Expert (CNE) Designation & Training
Certified Short Sale Negotiator (CSSN) Designation & Training

What Are Interest Rates Going To Do? 7/27/09

2009-07-27T11:46:00.000-04:00

Government Regulation Clogs the Pipes

2009-07-16T19:33:00.001-04:00

Dear Friends,

It's no secret that many facets of lending and real estate have changed as a result of the credit crisis. In addition to tightened lending practices that resulted from rising mortgage elinquencies, Washington has been heavily involved in altering the way lenders do business today.

Two individual pieces of legislation impacting our business need to be taken into account when determining closing dates for purchase transactions.

Home Valuation Code of Conduct – The Home Valuation Code of Conduct (HVCC) went into effect May 1, 2009. Intended to shield appraisers from undue influence from loan officers and lenders, this legislation installed a "firewall" between those individuals directly involved in the origination of the loan from the selection of and contact with appraisers.

HVCC also requires that borrowers receive a copy of the appraisal a minimum of three days in advance of closing. Part of the kicker here is that "received" is considered, in effect, three business days after the appraisal has been mailed to the borrower. As HVCC requires a firewall between the originator and the appraiser, the time to receive an appraisal has increased, in some cases by as much as two weeks or more. While this may not always be the case, it is important to takeinto consideration when considering closing dates. Today, conservative closing dates are mandatory to properly manage expectations of all parties.

Housing and Economic Recovery Act – The Housing and Economic Recovery Act (HERA) amends and impacts several aspects of obtaining a mortgage, the disclosures required for borrowers, and the timing of their delivery. This impacts the minimum time required to close, and should any changes be made to a loan application that could impact the Annual Percentage Rate (APR), this could impact the closing date.

Other than paying for a credit report, lenders may not accept any additional fees from a borrower until four business days after disclosures have been provided to or mailed to a borrower. This has the potential to delay several aspects of the application process.

Finally, upon making application, a borrower is provided a Truth in Lending (TIL) statement, detailing the total expected costs that could be incurred over the life of the loan. Should anything change in the loan application that could change the APR by more than .125%, a new TIL must be reissued to the borrower a minimum of 3 business days before closing. Items impacting the APR could include a borrower accepting a higher interest rate than initially qualified by floating their rate at application, a change to the loan amount, a change in product, a change in closing date, and any changes to fees.

What Now? – While there is more we can discuss on the specifics of these legislative implications, I felt it important enough to let you know now that I would not recommend you write purchase contracts with short closing time frames.

I will be preparing additional information you can provide both your buyers and sellers to help explain the rationale behind not scheduling closing dates in advance of 30 days at a minimum and ideally not less than 45 days.

Thank you again for your business and if you have any questions, please pick up the phone and call me.

As Always...
On Your Team
Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, CSSN, WOW
Your Trusted Advisor For Life
347-466-3047

One of the fastest ways to build a successful business is by training. Now, with me, I like to invest significant time immersing myself in training, while some people prefer to take it in bite-size chunks. Whatever your preference is, now is the best time to contact me.

If you have found this tip useful, please share it with any friends, family, colleagues and associates who you think will be interested. Feel free to print it (with credit and subscription information) and continue to enjoy the tips. I am always grateful for any comments, criticisms or other feedback that you may have. Please send them to feedback@jeffreysjournal.com

http://www.yourprofessionaldevelopment.com
Certified Negotiation Expert (CNE) Designation & Training
Certified Short Sale Negotiator (CSSN) Designation & Training

Travel Tips: the Art of Packing

2009-07-16T13:02:00.003-04:00

Dear Friends,

I don't need to tell you that I travel a lot both on business & pleasure, because you already know that. As I pack today for yet another trip, I thought I would share some of my packing tips with you....

With airlines increasing fees for checked and even carry-on baggage, mastering the art of
packing has never been more important for today's smart travelers. The following tips will
help you pack smarter and arrive with everything you need.

Prepare for Success
The first step for the smart packer is to turn on the computer. That's right, don't do anything
until you first visit the Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) website for its latest list
of prohibited items. You can be the best packer in the world, but it won't matter if the items in
your luggage are not TSA-approved. While you're there, be sure to take a look at
TSA-approved locks as well, and avoid further delays.

Check with Your Airline
While you're online, visit your airline's website for the latest luggage restrictions. After all, before you can make the most of your luggage space, you have to know exactly what you're working with: the maximum number, weight, and size of both carry-on and checked bags.

The 4-1-1 on the 3-1-1
Start with toiletries, and be sure to follow the TSA's "3-1-1 Rule." According to this rule, liquids and gels of three ounces or less must be packed in a one-quart-sized resealable plastic bag, with one bag per person. Pack this bag in a separate, side compartment to limit any messy accidents and to make it easy for inspection if necessary.

Have a Game Plan
Think about what you're going to be doing and what you're going to need and bring only what is necessary. Color coordinate your wardrobe by mixing and matching garments from a single color palette. Remember, you can always dress things up or down with the right accessories.

Start Packing!
Wear your bulkiest shoes and pack any others first in your bag. Be sure to utilize the space within your shoes – socks and other pliable items – and then wrap your shoes in shoe bags.

Roll or bundle similar garments to help organize and minimize space. For example, start with a shirt or jacket and lay it out flat on your bed with its arms flat. Then add a similar garment on top but inverted between tissue paper. Fold all arms in and carefully roll. Do the same for pants or other items. Do not pack garments in plastic bags and alternate bundles in flat layers.

For some large or odd-sized items, like golf clubs or surf boards, shipping might be cheaper and safer than bringing them along. If you do choose to ship any luggage, be sure to let the hotel know beforehand. Note the date of arrival clearly on the package and indicate that you are a guest. This will ensure prompt service once your bags arrive.

That's it, you're all packed and ready to go. Have a great trip. And when you get back, give us a call and let us know of any other packing tips we should add to our list.

On Your Team
Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, CSSN, WOW
Your Trusted Advisor For Life
347-466-3047

OK, so you want to improve your persuasion power right?

2009-07-16T12:55:00.001-04:00

Dear Friends,

Last week I started a 3 Minute Tip: The Power Of Rapport and I received a HUGE amount of feedback and questions. So for the next few weeks we will dive deeper into the subject of Rapport and Persuasion. Persuasion is one of the key elements taught in our Certified Negotation Expert Designation and Training Classes

If you missed last weeks tip click HERE .

On to Today's Tip:

OK, so you want to improve your persuasion power right?

Why? What's your intention?

As you know your intent directs the flow of energy in your interactions with others. So doesn't it just make sense to have in mind a really clear and strong intent before you engage in your powerful persuasion mission.

If you were to think about the person(s) you want to persuade what comes to mind in regards to the benefits they will gain from your persuasion?

Of course your 'persuasive pitch' will be received much more receptively if your intent is strongly biased to their benefits.

So stepping into their shoes what benefits can you perceive from their angle and looking at the situation as if you were watching a movie what other ideas come to mind?

Having some idea of what the other person(s) want and keeping that positive intention nice and strong in mind when interacting with the person(s) will automatically create a 'good vibe' between you, thus creating that well known fundamental persuasion skill - Rapport!

Now in your interaction with the other party you would increase your persuasion parlance greatly by asking well focused questions. Basically you want to ask questions that get the other person to open up so that you can discover one of the very powerful motivators-to-action in humans known as 'values.'

This is another aspect of the very fascinating way in which the human mind works because you find yourself becoming increasingly curious about people's values as your persuasion power increases, doesn't it.

Now an important point to remember in this curious adventure is when you have got them talking: You Shut Up! AND Listen!

Isn't that cool, you just sit there and listen as they give you loads of high quality information that you can then use to powerfully persuade and guide them!

By paying attention you will notice that people use certain words which have a lot of emotional value for them personally. You could call these words their personal trance words.

Let me give you an example to clarify what we are talking about. Let's say you are helping someone purchase a home. Now presuming the person has asked you to help
them you can make the process happen even more smoothly by asking them certain questions

So during conversation with this person you could ask them, "Why exactly do you want a new home?" And, "What would having a new home give you?" And also you could
ask, "Why is that important to you about having a new home?" (NOT "What is important in a new home to you?)

As you ask these questions you will notice that they have to access deeper parts of their minds. So by paying attention and listening carefully you will discover some of their personal words.

Some possible examples of their personal words might be: freedom, security, happiness, assertiveness. Keep in mind the important fact that these words could have a deep and
powerful feeling associated with them in their internal experience.

Now what do you suppose would happen if you were to then describe and incorporate those wonderful personal words into your persuasive change 'pitch'?

That's right, they would be much more likely to go along with your persuasive intervention because you are using words which stimulate powerful feelings inside them for the
changes that they really want!

So just what is 'the ultimate truth in persuasion'? Well the fact is in the art of persuasion, or indeed anything, there are many ways of doing things, many perspectives, techniques, methods and tools. The point being, by using it and paying attention to feedback, will it get you the
results you want?

Thanks for spending 3 minutes with me...
The best is yet to be!

What Are Interest Rates Going To Do? 7/13/09

2009-07-13T12:48:00.000-04:00

You like me, are asked this question every day. "What Do You Think Interest Rates Are Going To Do?" Now here is a customer focused report for Mortgage Market Direction:

Week of: Monday, July 13, 2009

Presently Market Conditions Are:
“Interest rates for 30-year fixed-rate mortgages fell for the second week in a row to the lowest level in six weeks amid market concerns over a weakening labor market.” stated Frank Nothaft, chief economist for Freddie Mac. A strong demand for the Treasury auctions along with the declines in the stock market also helped mortgage rates end the week lower.

My Expectations Are:
Retail Sales report will be the highlight on investor’s calendars this week. Retail Sales account for about 70% of economic activity. Other reports that investor’s will be keeping an eye on are Producer Price Index (PPI), the Consumer Price Index (CPI), and the Housing Starts to close out the week.

As Your Trusted Advisor For Life, My Guidance For You Is:
With housing prices remaining affordable low, now is the best time to meet with your mortgage professional to discuss a mortgage solution that meets your clients financial goals.

On Your Financing Team
.Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, WOW
Your Personal Mortgage Consultant For Life.
347-466-3047

The Power Of Rapport...

2009-07-08T06:05:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends,

Researchers at Boston University Medical School studied films of people having conversations. The researchers noticed that the people talking began (unconsciously) to co-ordinate their movements (including finger movements, eye blinks and head nods.) When they were monitored using electroencepholographs, it was found that some of their brain waves were spiking at the same moment. As the conversations progressed, these people were getting into rapport with each other.

The phenomenon of rapport is well-known in the world as a starting-point for influential communication. It’s mentioned in countless influence texts, and comprises a good portion of our Skyrocket Your Sales: The 5 1/2 Step Sales Process training program.

What ‘is’ rapport, and how can you use it to help yourself and others?

What is rapport?

Rapport has been described as what happens when we get the attention of someone’s unconscious mind, and meet them at their ‘map of the world.’ It is more commonly understood as the sense of ease and connection that develops when you are interacting with someone you trust and feel comfortable with. Rapport emerges when people are in-sync with each other.

Rapport is an emergent property of the system (group), like a fit of the giggles or a pregnant pause. As such, it’s not possible to ‘cause’ or ‘do’ rapport; you can however massively increase the likelihood of rapport emerging when you are communicating with another person.

Mirror, mirror…

On a basic level, we like people who are like us. One way to help rapport to develop is to mirror the micro-behaviours of those we wish to influence. Any observable behaviour can be mirrored, for example:

Body posture
Hand gestures
Head tilt
Vocal qualities (pace, rhythm, tonality)
Key phrases
Blink rate
Facial expression
Energy level
Breathing rate
Anything else that you can observe…

To mirror another person, merely select the behaviour or quality you wish to mirror, then do that behaviour. If you choose to mirror head tilt, when the person moves their head, wait a few moments, then move yours to the same angle. The effect should be as though the other person is looking in a mirror. When this is done elegantly, it is out of consciousness for the other person. However, a few notes of caution are appropriate:

Mirroring is not the same as mimicry. It should be subtle and respectful.
Mirroring can lead to you sharing the other person’s experience. Avoid mirroring people who are in distress or who have severe mental issues.
Mirroring can build a deep sense of trust quickly. You have a responsibility to use it ethically.

1. Practise mirroring the micro-behaviours of people on television (chat shows & interviews are ideal.) You may be surprised at how quickly you can become comfortable as you subtly mirror the behaviours of others.

Pacing and leading

Pacing and leading is one of the keys to influencing people. It refers to meeting them at their map of the world (pacing) and then taking them where you want them to go (leading.) Rapport is a basic, behavioural signal that you have met someone at their map of the world. The simplest, most effective test for rapport is "if you lead, they follow."

2. Choose a safe situation to practise mirroring an element of someone else’s behaviour. When you have mirrored them for a while, and think you are in rapport with the person, scratch your nose. If they lift their hand to their face within the next minute or so, congratulate yourself – you have led their behaviour!

Skilled communicators have a wide range of behaviours they can mirror to build rapport. You can find a way to mirror virtually anything you can observe.

3. Increase the range of behaviours that you can mirror, and introduce deliberate rapport-building into situations where it will benefit you and others (Use your common sense and choose low-risk situations to practice in.)

Thanks for spending 3 minutes with me...
The best is yet to be!

On Your Team
Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, CSSN, WOW
Your Trusted Advisor For Life
347-466-3047

One of the fastest ways to build a successful business is by training. Now, with me, I like to invest significant time immersing myself in training, while some people prefer to take it in bite-size chunks. Whatever your preference is, now is the best time to contact me.

If you have found this tip useful, please share it with any friends, family, colleagues and associates who you think will be interested. Feel free to print it (with credit and subscription information) and continue to enjoy the tips. I am always grateful for any comments, criticisms or other feedback that you may have. Please send them to feedback@jeffreysjournal.com

http://www.yourprofessionaldevelopment.com
Certified Negotiation Expert (CNE) Designation & Training
Certified Short Sale Negotiator (CSSN) Designation & Training

What Are Interest Rates Going To Do? 7/06/09

2009-07-06T12:49:00.000-04:00

You like me, are asked this question every day. "What Do You Think Interest Rates Are Going To Do?" Now here is a customer focused report for Mortgage Market Direction:

Week of: Monday, July 06, 2009

Presently Market Conditions Are:
30 year fixed rate mortgages fell 10 basis points last week. Consumers are spending less and saving more thus slowing economic activity. Slower economic activity is generally favorable to mortgage rates. “Lower mortgage rates are helping to support the housing market,” said Frank Nothaft, Freddie Mac vice president and chief economist. “The 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rate peaked this year over the week of June 11 and are now around a quarter-of-a-percentage point lower this week.”

My Expectations Are:
Economic data is light this week and Treasury auctions may have the most influence on mortgage rates. Other data to be released is International Trade, Import & Export prices and Consumer Sentiment.

As Your Trusted Advisor For Life, My Guidance For You Is:
Rates continue to hover at historic lows and the housing market maintains its favorable status. Whether you are investigating a refinance or considering purchasing a home, now is an opportune time to meet with your mortgage professional.

On Your Financing Team
.Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, WOW
Your Personal Mortgage Consultant For Life.
347-466-3047

The Declaration of Independence of the Thirteen Colonies

2009-07-04T08:52:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends,

Happy 4th Of July...
I haven't read the Declaration Of Independence since grammar school, so today I decide to give it a read. It's amazing that this great document was written so long ago. I would like to suggest that you also read this inspirational writing and remember why we celebrate today.

The Declaration of Independence of the Thirteen Colonies
In CONGRESS, July 4, 1776

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America,
When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed. That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.
Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed.

But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain [George III] is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained, and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected; whereby the Legislative powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the meantime exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

He has obstructed the Administration of Justice, by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary powers.

He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone, for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people, and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies, without the consent of our legislatures.

He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil power.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

For protecting them by a mock Trial from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:
For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:
For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:
For depriving us in many cases of the benefits of Trial by Jury:
For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:
For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies:
For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:
For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.
He has abdicated Government here by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our Coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to complete the works of death, desolation and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of cruelty and perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages, whose known rule of warfare is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms. Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren.

We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us.
We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here.
We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence.
They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the United States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by the authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare.

That these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States; that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown,

and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain is and ought to be totally dissolved;

and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce,

and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do.

And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.

The signers of the Declaration represented the new States as follows:
New Hampshire:
Josiah Bartlett, William Whipple, Matthew Thornton

Massachusetts:
John Hancock, Samual Adams, John Adams, Robert Treat Paine, Elbridge Gerry

Rhode Island:
Stephen Hopkins, William Ellery

Connecticut:
Roger Sherman, Samuel Huntington, William Williams, Oliver Wolcott

New York:
William Floyd, Philip Livingston, Francis Lewis, Lewis Morris

New Jersey:
Richard Stockton, John Witherspoon, Francis Hopkinson, John Hart, Abraham Clark

Pennsylvania:
Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Ross

Delaware:
Caesar Rodney, George Read, Thomas McKean

Maryland:
Samuel Chase, William Paca, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll of Carrollton

Virginia:
George Wythe, Richard Henry Lee, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Harrison, Thomas Nelson, Jr., Francis Lightfoot Lee, Carter Braxton

North Carolina:
William Hooper, Joseph Hewes, John Penn

South Carolina:
Edward Rutledge, Thomas Heyward, Jr., Thomas Lynch, Jr., Arthur Middleton

Georgia:
Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton

Have A Great And Safe Holiday

Jeffrey

What is Patriotism?

2009-07-04T02:56:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends,

July 1 is Canada Day, often referred to as “Canada’s Birthday,” and Canada’s main patriotic holiday. July 4 is Independence Day in the U.S., and the United States’ main patriotic holiday.

The celebrations in both countries have their similarities and differences, with “patriotism” as the uniting link. But what is “patriotism”? Dictionary.com defines “patriotism” as “devoted love, support, and defense of one’s country.” Here are some other definitions:

Patriotism is not short, frenzied outbursts of emotion, but the tranquil and steady dedication of a lifetime. – Adlai Stevenson

A man’s country is not a certain area of land, of mountains, rivers, and woods, but it is a principle; and patriotism is loyalty to that principle. – George William Curtis

We on this continent should never forget that men first crossed the Atlantic not to find soil for their ploughs but to secure liberty for their souls. – Robert J. McCracken

Patriotism is easy to understand; it means looking out for yourself by looking out for your country. – Calvin Coolidge

Do not regard the critics as questionable patriots. What were Washington and Jefferson and Adams but profound critics of the colonial status quo? – Unknown

I like to see a man proud of the place in which he lives. I like to see a man live so that his place will be proud of him. – Abraham Lincoln

A real patriot is the fellow who gets a parking ticket and rejoices that the system works. – Bill Vaughan

What’s your definition of patriotism?

Sincerely,

On Your Team
Jeffrey Stanton
Your Trusted Advisor For Life

It takes 99% of your time to be average...

2009-07-01T11:51:00.001-04:00

It takes only 1% of your time to be remarkable!

Dear Friends,

We are all in the same business of creating and keeping customers, as any experienced, intelligent and successful professional will tell you the best way to do this is by referrals and introdustions.

At recent training seminar, I asked the group attending:
"What would compel someone to tell another about what you do?"
There were many different answers given.

Then someone blurted out "Being Remarkable"

My next question to my audience was:
"What makes some people and businesses Remarkable and others not?"

There was silence in the room....

You may now begin to understand what it is to be Remarkable.

A level of service or feeling about someone or something that compels you to tell others about the experience.

It's all about being remarkable.

You do not have to be perfect.
You do not have to know everything.
You do not have to be the best in your field.

But you do have to be remarkable.

Remarkable means simply, to be remarked about.

I recognize that we are all in different businesses with a common purpose: to create and keep customers.

I guess in some fashion we are all in the story telling business.
What stories are people saying about you right at this moment?

Being remarkable isn't as difficult as you may think.

Here's what it looks like to me. Your experiences will be different and personal to you.

For me it's:

Captain Merrill Miller http://www.captainmerrill.com/ a US Coast Guard licensed 100 ton Master Captain with over 30 years of experience. Who helped me pilot my “new” boat a few years ago from NY Yacht Club to Tottenville Marina in Staten Island. Most hired captains are kind of tuff to deal with but Captain Miller was a joy. He not only helped pilot my boat but gave me hands on instruction and advice. My dad was suppose to take the trip with us but couldn't. Captain Miller saw that my dad was kind of bummed about this and offered to take my dad and I out together the following week for free. Every time I see Captain Miller he always remembers my name, the name of my boats, and asks how my dad is doing. All that after only interacting with him twice. He's remarkable.

It's my Aunt Gin, who was 86 years old and always sent a written thank you after a visit, a gift for her birthday, or just a thank you for taking her out to dinner. She always sent a thank you card. She was remarkable.

It's the parts department at Lockwood Boat Works in South Amboy, NJ who always seem to know exactly what part you need. Bring them in an old rusted part that looks like a rock, and they will go in the storeroom and bring you out a shinny new version of the part. If they have to order a part and say is going to be in Wednesday at 1pm. The call you Wednesday at 1pm to let you know the part is in. They have given me parts to try out before even paying for them. They're remarkable.

It's Dr Frank Scafuri, who calls every patient they see the next day to check how they're feeling. The doctor that works on you is the doctor that calls. That's remarkable.

It's my Personal Coach, who will always repeat back to me whatever I said to him, which tells me how well he listens and how well he understands my concern. I've know him for 10 years. We talk on the phone once a month or so and yet he can pick up right where we left off as if it were yesterday. He's remarkable.

It’s the owners of the Mama Mia Italian Restaurant in Hollywood, FL http://www.miagrill.com/ who never fail to greet you with a warm smile, visit you at your table to make sure everything is okay, and shake hands and give a genuine thank you when you leave. They are remarkable.

So, whether it's professional service or product or the behavior of a friend or family member, your relationship is elevated, revered, recognized, acknowledged and appreciated when it's remarkable.

It takes 99% of your time to be average and 1% of your time to be remarkable.

You don't have to be perfect.
You don't have to be great.
You don't have to be always right.

If you want to uniquely differentiate yourself, if you want to be better ...you must be remarkable.

When is now a good time to start being Remarkable?

Thanks for spending 3 minutes with me.....
The best is yet to be!

On Your Team
Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, CSSN, WOW
Your Trusted Advisor For Life
347-466-3047

One of the fastest ways to build a successful business is by training. Now, with me, I like to invest significant time immersing myself in training, while some people prefer to take it in bite-size chunks. Whatever your preference is, now is the best time to contact me.

If you have found this tip useful, please share it with any friends, family, colleagues and associates who you think will be interested. Feel free to print it (with credit and subscription information) and continue to enjoy the tips. I am always grateful for any comments, criticisms or other feedback that you may have. Please send them to feedback@jeffreysjournal.com

http://www.yourprofessionaldevelopment.com/
Certified Negotiation Expert (CNE) Designation & Training
Certified Short Sale Negotiator (CSSN) Designation & Training

Why I Won't Bring My "A" Game

2009-06-30T15:21:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends,

I refuse to "bring my A game."
When I hear someone say, "Bring your A game,"
I cringe.

This is an expression which is supposed to mean "Do your best." An "A" in academics means that you have achieved the top mark, grade, or score in a subject.

The problem with the saying, however, is that it implies that there is a B game, C game, etc. You don't have an A without a B. Just like you don't have a One without a Two.

If there weren't other letters or numbers, you could simply say, "Bring it!" or "Bring it on!" And this is exactly what YOU should bring. It. Your best. Every time.

Why would anyone have different levels of achievement? Is it that in some situations they don't want to try as hard or do their best? Are there any situations in which you would want to "bring your F game"? Well, there must be if you have an "A game."

Why would that be the case? Why would anyone be involved in anything in which they used less than their total capability? The way I see it, you either do your best or you don't do anything. You either go all the way, or you go home. You either shoot for the stars, or you don't shoot at all. You either Play Big or don't play at all.

Sure, there will be times when sickness, weather conditions, other people, etc. cause your best in that moment to be less than your best in another moment. This does not in any way excuse you from doing things to the best of your capability in that moment.

Additionally, this is not a contest against others. The only contestant is YOU. Your best time running a marathon may be a lot slower than that of an Olympic athlete. That's fine. Your best
singing voice may not be as pleasing to as many people as that of a professional singer. That's fine. The point is that you are doing YOUR personal best.

What often happens, and this is a true crime, is that we tend to do as well as the worst examples around us. We do this so that we won't "stand out" or "rock the boat" or disturb "the way things are done around here."

This is all nonsense.

These are feeble fear-based excuses for settling for less than what we really are.

Worse than this, maybe you are the best in your class or field of expertise or office. Maybe you out-sell, out-shine, and out-perform everyone around you. Yet, you know in your heart that you are capable of so much more. You are operating at half-speed while the rest are at their top speed. What a crime! All that wasted, unused potential! Why aren't you doing YOUR best? So what if it puts you way out in front. Guess what - there are more people up ahead in the distance who you don't even know about because you are simply trying to keep ahead of your group.

Get moving! Run at YOUR top speed! Be YOUR best! Reach YOUR potential! We don't want to see what you can do "without even studying" or what you "could do with one hand tied behind your back."

We want to see what you can do when you shine like the Sun, run like the wind, and fight like your life depended on it!

Think about it. Do you really want to reach the end of your life and say, "Wow, I could have been and done so much more."?
NO!
Nobody wants that.

So put down the alcohol, cigarettes, worthless friends, or whatever it is that you have added to your life to slow you down.

Any time I find myself Paying Small, I read a passage from Marian Williamson's book, “Return To Love”.

Each time I read it, it inspires me to be the highest version of myself. I now give you a copy and invite you to pass it on.

Play Big

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

It is our light, not our darkness that frightens us.

We ask ourselves, who am I to be—brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be?

Your playing small doesn’t serve the world.
There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.

We were born to manifest the glory of that is within us.
It’s not just in some of us, it’s in everyone.

And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.

As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

~Marian Williamson

Start believing in yourself!
Get up!
Stand up tall!
Get moving!
And keep moving!
Bring it all, bring it on!
Play Big!
Every time!

Thanks for spending 3 minutes with me...
The best is yet to be!

Playing Big On Your Team
Jeffrey Stanton
Your Trusted Advisor For Life

One of the fastest ways to build a successful referral based business is by training. Now, with me, I like to invest significant time immersing myself in training, while some people prefer to take it in bite-size chunks. Whatever your preference is, now is the best time to contact me.

If you have found this tip useful, please share it with any friends, family, colleagues and associates who you think will be interested. Feel free to print it (with credit and subscription information) and continue to enjoy the tips. I am always grateful for any comments, criticisms or other feedback that you may have. Please send them to feedback@jeffreysjournal.com

What Are Interest Rates Going To Do? 6/29/09

2009-06-29T12:15:00.000-04:00

You like me, are asked this question every day. "What Do You Think Interest Rates Are Going To Do?" Now here is a customer focused report for Mortgage Market Direction:

Week of: Monday, June 29, 2009

Presently Market Conditions Are:
The strong demand in Treasury’s pushed mortgage rates lower last week. “There was fear about central bank selling,” said Jeffry Feigenwinter, head of Treasury trading in New York at primary dealer BNP Paribas Securities. “When they (the Fed) showed up at these auctions, some of those fears were put to rest.”

My Expectations Are:
The holiday shortened week ahead yields several leading economic indicators focusing on the employment report, the ISM manufacturing index and consumer confidence all for the June period. However, the data on the number of jobs (the employment report) and wage inflation will be the most highly anticipated economic data of the month. The Fed will be purchasing more Treasuries in the bond market Wednesday while the Treasury has no major debt auctions scheduled.

As Your Trusted Advisor For Life, My Guidance For You Is:
With rates still hovering at historic lows and housing prices remaining extremely affordable, now is the best time to contact your mortgage professional to arrange financing to meet your specific needs.

On Your Financing Team
.Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, WOW
Your Personal Mortgage Consultant For Life.
347-466-3047

Fannie Mae Confirms Short Sales Commissions Policy and Establishes Appeals Process

2009-06-22T22:47:00.001-04:00

Dear Realtor Friends,

In discussions between NAR and Fannie Mae, Fannie Mae has reconfirmed its short sale commission policy and established a process for REALTORS® to follow if issues arise. On February 24, 2009, Fannie Mae sent Announcement 09-03 to its servicers instructing them not to negotiate commissions on short sales below the amount negotiated by the listing agent, unless the commission exceeds 6 percent. The Announcement reminded servicers that third party approvals (i.e., private mortgage insurers) may be required and can affect commissions. In response to concerns raised by NAR that some servicers of Fannie Mae loans are unaware of this policy or believe it is not binding, Fannie Mae has established a process for NAR members when short sale commission issues arise.

Step 1: Determine whether the loan is owned or guaranteed by Fannie Mae. Only the holder of the loan is allowed to do this, so do so in the presence of your client or after obtaining their written permission.

Use this website: www.fanniemae.com/loanlookup, or
If you don’t have convenient internet access, call: 1-800-7FANNIE (8am to 9pm Eastern Time)

Step 2: If the servicer is unaware of or disagrees with the policy, provide Fannie Mae Announcement 09-03 to the servicer and negotiate an appropriate commission based on the listing agreement (up to 6 percent).

Step 3: Contact Fannie Mae if the dispute is not resolved directly with the servicer. Be prepared to provide the property address, name of owner, and Fannie Mae loan number (if available):

Call: 1-800-7FANNIE (8am to 9pm Eastern Time), or
Email: Resource_center@FannieMae.com.

Resources
Fannie Mae Announcement 09-03

On Your Team
Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, CSSN, WOW
Your Trusted Advisor For Life
347-466-3047

http://www.yourprofessionaldevelopment.com/
Certified Negotiation Expert (CNE) Designation & Training
Certified Short Sale Negotiator (CSSN) Designation & Training

Certified Negotiation Expert (CNE) Designation- CA Dates. Hosted by BEAR

2009-06-16T13:35:00.002-04:00

Dear Friends,

I am excited to announce the Bay East Association of Realtors (BEAR) in Pleasanton, CA will be hosting our Certified Negotiation Expert (CNE) designation training on Friday, July 31th & Monday, August 3rd (Lunch is included).

I would like to invite you to attend this powerful 2-Day Professional Negotiation, Designation & Business-Building Seminar.

The normal cost for the CNE Designation & Training is $300.
By special arrangement with the Bay East Association of Realtors (BEAR) the CNE Designation & Training price for Pre-Registration Price (until July 17th) will be as follows:

Education Advantage - $136.00
REALTOR®/Affiliate - $146.00
Non-REALTOR® - $250.00
All prices include lunch for the 2 days
View/Download Registration Form
http://www.scribd.com/doc/16555674/CNE-Designation-BEAR

I don't need to tell you negotiation is one of the primary skills in real estate, because you already know that.

Think about all the different people you negotiate with frequently:

* Other agents (referral fees, co-brokes, Rainmaker splits, contract terms on behalf of your client, etc.)
* Your clients (commission rates, inspection items, staging issues, open houses, offer or listing terms, etc.)
* Your broker (commission splits, desk fees, telephone charges, copy fees, advertising, etc.)
* Other parties (lenders, title companies, inspection companies, appraisers, etc.).

How effective you are at influencing or persuading other people determines your level of success in real estate.

View/Download Registration Form
http://www.scribd.com/doc/16555674/CNE-Designation-BEAR

In this 2-Day Professional Negotiation & Business-Building Seminar you will learn:

Professional Negotiators..– What they do differently vs. average negotiators and how they get better results for their clients and themselves
Competitive Bargaining..– Understand the “tough” approach to negotiating, when to use it, and how to handle that highly competitive hard bargainer across the table
Collaborative Negotiating..– Learn collaborative negotiation techniques and why this “win-win” approach leads to better outcomes for both parties
Persuading and influencing others..– Learn proven persuasion techniques that will help make you a much more effective negotiator
Psychology of Buying..– The “whole brain” approach to influencing the buyer’s (and seller’s) decision-making process
Planning for Negotiation Success..– You have a marketing plan, an open house plan and a lead generation plan; now you will have a negotiation plan to give your clients confidence in your ability
Confidence Building..– Gain confidence in dealing with any negotiation situation – in real estate or outside real estate (these approaches work for any negotiation situation)
Innovative Business Building Approaches..– Expand your thinking and value offerings with new client protection approaches and service fee options
Getting Answers..– Learn how to ask the right questions that get the answers you need in your real estate negotiation
Immediate Real Estate Application..– All examples, case studies, and role plays are real estate negotiation situations

CNE designation awarded at end of 2nd day for immediate marketing advantage.
Plus over 300 pages of negotiation and CNE marketing materials provided at no extra charge.

For more information on the CNE Training & Designation please click HERE

The Certified Negotiation Expert (CNE)
Designation & Training
Seating is limited.
Class Date:
Friday July 31 & Monday August 3
(Must Attend Both Days)
Class Time:
9:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Check In:
30 minutes prior to start
Location:
Bay East Conference Center
7901 Stoneridge Dr., Suite 121
Pleasanton, CA 94588
Pre-Registration:
Until July 17th
Education Advantage - $136.00
REALTOR®/Affiliate - $146.00
Non-REALTOR® - $250.00
(Lunch included)
After July 17th
Education Advantage - $186.00
REALTOR®/Affiliate - $196.00
Non-REALTOR® - $300.00
(Lunch included)
View/Download Registration Form
http://www.scribd.com/doc/16555674/CNE-Designation-BEAR

Seating is Limited... When would now be the best time to register?

On Your Team
Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, CSSN, WOW
Your Trusted Advisor For Life
347-466-3047

http://www.yourprofessionaldevelopment.com/
Certified Negotiation Expert (CNE) Designation & Training
Certified Short Sale Negotiator (CSSN) Designation & Training

What Are Interest Rates Going To Do? 6/15/09

2009-06-15T06:12:00.000-04:00

You like me, are asked this question every day. "What Do You Think Interest Rates Are Going To Do?" Now here is a customer focused report for Mortgage Market Direction:

Week of: Monday, June 15, 2009

Presently Market Conditions Are:
Rates continue to rise and are now at the level seen last November. Higher rates have reduced the number of homeowners who were seeking to refinance their mortgages; however the affect on the recovering purchase market has not been determined.

My Expectations Are:
The purchase of treasuries and mortgage bonds aside, the Fed’s influence on rates has decreased over recent weeks. Jeffrey Lacker, Richmond Fed President, said this week that he doesn’t see the need to increase purchases and this will be debated at the upcoming June 23 & 24 policy meeting. Economic announcements due this week include Housing Starts, Producer Price Index, Consumer Price Index and Jobless Claims.

As Your Trusted Advisor For Life, My Guidance For You Is
The housing market continues to be favorable and rates remain attractive. Now is the time to consult your mortgage professional to discuss financing solutions to meet your needs.

On Your Financing Team
.Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, WOW
Your Personal Mortgage Consultant For Life.
347-466-3047

The Basis Of All Referrals Is Friendship: Send Out the Personal Touch

2009-06-10T08:08:00.000-04:00

Dear Friend,

I was thinking about you teaching my real estate class. About all the hard work it has taken you to get to the point that you are at now. About all the things you know now that these soon to be Realtors have yet to learn. So after all your hard work, I'm going to share with you the simplest of all strategies, yet one what seems to be a secret to most, but is now no longer a secret to you, the basis of all referrals is friendship.

See you soon,
On Your Team
Jeff Stanton

Here's today's 3 Minute Tip:

Personal Note Cards:
Send Out the Personal Touch

The business professional with the most friends WINS! Period. The formula for success is that simple.

The power to attract people is what gauges success. The more people consider you a friend and a business professional, the greater your potential for success. Your existing client base, if managed properly, can become your most treasured outside sales force for referrals, the champions of your cause.

Your style of marketing to these people will profoundly impact their impression of you.

I firmly advise implementing a personalized, hand−written note campaign. It's quite simple: Two cards a day and 10 a week equal 520 notes per year. That's 520 subtle yet powerful marketing opportunities for a very small investment on your part.

It's important that these personalized cards don't mention anything about your business, nor should they contain a business card. Never send them in an envelope with your company name and logo. You wouldn't send your mother or cousin holiday greetings with your business card or company logo. Likewise, if your goal is to create a multitude of friendships, then why jeopardize them by sending business information to a prospective client?

Here's the drill:
Purchase several boxes of blank, inexpensive note cards. Place two blank cards on your desk every morning. Sometime throughout the day, perhaps at lunch, during a break or while on hold for a business phone call, grab a card and write that personalized note to someone in your database. You'll find it most helpful to have your database open when you are ready to draft that note. You might write, for example:

Hi Steve,
I've been thinking about you. Did you catch that Dodger game last night? It went into the 11th inning. Sure was exciting! I hope that you and your son are both doing well. Perhaps we can all go to a ball game sometime this summer and enjoy each other's company. Let me know if that would work for you.
Sincerely,
Jeff Stanton

That note doesn't say "business," it says "friend." Remember, two cards a day and 10 a week equal 520 a year. Ask yourself this: If you reached out 520 times a year to people you know with a friendly note, how many more transactions would be referred to you as a result?

Thanks for spending 3 minutes with me...
The best is yet to be!

On Your Team
Jeffrey Stanton
Your Trusted Advisor For Life
347-466-3047

One of the fastest ways to build a successful referral based business is by training. Now, with me, I like to invest significant time immersing myself in training, while some people prefer to take it in bite-size chunks. Whatever your preference is, now is the best time to contact me.

http://www.YourProfessionalDevelopment.com
Coaching - Training - Consulting - Certified Negotiation Expert Designation

Systems and Strategies for Success- 15hr CE in NYS - Free to SIBOR Members

2009-06-09T14:24:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends,

I would like to invite you to attend our Systems and Strategies for Success (15 Hours CE in NYS) on 6/13, 6/20, 6/27, 6/28 9:00am - 5:00PM at the Staten Island Board Of Realtors. This is the 2nd time that we will be holding the class this year. This class is FREE to SIBOR Realtor members

Systems and Strategies for Success (15 Hours CE) covers everything you need to know as licensee to position yourself for success as a real estate professional.

In this class you will learn systems and strategies to:
· Generate credible leads.
· Set goals and effectively manage your time.
· Understand your local market and property values.
· Define characteristics of buyers and sellers.
· Conduct effective listing presentations.
· Develop consultative selling techniques.
· Gain buyer clients.
· Negotiate offers and manage a transaction to a successful closing.
· Secure market share.
· Market properties successfully.

Get the key skills you need to jump-start your career and build your clientele today

This agent training program will help you:

· UNDERSTAND the essential elements of a transaction and how to manage the process to a successful closing.

· LEARN how to develop a systematic process to identify prospects and generate reliable leads.

· UNCOVER marketing techniques and technologies to sell yourself to prospective clients and maximize property exposure.

· NETWORK with fellow licensees and position yourself to generate future idea exchanges and referrals.

Systems and Strategies for Success
( Download Brochure )
Staten Island Board of Realtors.
1535 Richmond Avenue Suite 3
Staten Island, NY 10314
6/13, 6/20, 6/27, 6/28
Must attend all 5 Days to receive CE
9:00am—5:00pm
FREE to SIBOR MEMBERS
$199 for non-members
Log onto IMS.SIBOR.COM to register
Or call Debbie (718) 979-0007 ext. 1523

When would now be the best time to register?
On Your Team
Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CNE, WOW
Your Trusted Advisor For Life
347-466-3047

Course Outline:
MODULE 1: BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT
Session One: Lead Generation 3 hours
Session Two: Goal Setting / Time and Self Management

MODULE 2: UNDERSTANDING THE CLIENT
Session One: The Marketplace
Session Two: The Consumer

MODULE 3: SELLERS
Session One: Listing Checklist
Session Two: Presenting Your Value Proposition

MODULE 4: BUYERS
Session Two: Buyer Checklist
Session Two: Agreement through Closing

MODULE 5: MARKETING
Session One: Your Properties
Session Two: Yourself & Your Services

What Are Interest Rates Going To Do? 6/08/09

2009-06-08T11:56:00.002-04:00

You like me, are asked this question every day. "What Do You Think Interest Rates Are Going To Do?" Now here is a customer focused report for Mortgage Market Direction:

Week of: Monday, June 08, 2009

Presently Market Conditions Are:
“Interest rates on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages caught up to the recent rise in long-term bond yields last week to reach a 25-week high.” stated Frank Nothaft, chief economist for Freddie Mac. The rate increase was primarily due to investor’s concern about the coming supply of new debt needed to pay for all the government stimulus programs in addition to the economic outlook improving sooner than expected.

My Expectations Are:
Retail Sales report will be the highlight on investor’s calendars this week. Retail Sales account for about 70% of economic activity. Other reports that investor’s will be keeping an eye on are Trade Balance, the Fed's Beige Book, Import Prices and the Consumer Sentiment to close out the week.

As Your Trusted Advisor For Life, My Guidance For You Is:
With housing prices remaining affordable low, now is the best time to meet with you mortgage professional to discuss a mortgage solution that meets your financial goals.

On Your Financing Team
.Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, WOW
Your Personal Mortgage Consultant For Life.
347-466-3047

Mt.Everest & Real Estate: Tips for a successful summit attempt

2009-05-13T12:10:00.001-04:00

Dear Friends,

Many of you know me very well, either from meeting me in person or from reading www.JeffreysJournal.com and you may know that one of my greatest aspirations in life is to climb Mt. Everest. One of my heroes in the climbing and mountaineering worlds is Ed Viesturs.

What you may not yet know is what climbing Mt. Everest and Ed Viestures have to do with real estate, referrals, or business.

Read on and learn

Ed Viesturs: Motivational Speaker
SEEKING THE HIGHEST PLACES: The Quest to Climb the World's Greatest Mountains

Ed Viesturs is widely regarded as this country's foremost high-altitude mountaineer, and one of the all-time "greats" in the world of mountaineering. Familiar to many from the 1996 IMAX Everest Expedition documentary, Ed was awarded the historic Lowell Thomas Award by the Explorer's Club in 2002, for outstanding achievement in the field of mountaineering, along with such notables as Sir Edmund Hillary. Ed has successfully summited all of the world's fourteen 8000 meter peaks without supplemental oxygen. He is one of only a handful of climbers in history (and the only American) to accomplish this.

SEEKING THE HIGHEST PLACES is the inspirational account of Ed's fourteen year pursuit of all the world's peaks above 8000 meters, a goal nearing its culmination. In a presentation tailored to fit the particular concerns of his many and varied corporate audiences, Ed uses spectacular photographs from his 16 years of expedition climbing as breath-taking illustration for his compelling story.

Ed makes a clear and dramatic connection for his audiences between commitment to integrity and superlative achievement. Totally committed to the integrity of his approach to his goals, Ed has elected to forgo using supplemental oxygen on his climbs, making an already extremely difficult endeavor almost beyond human possibility. He does this not to prove anything "macho" or vainglorious, but just the opposite: to climb without oxygen is a direct, often humbling encounter with the true reality of these mountains. "I want to climb the mountain under its own terms," he states. "How I climb a mountain is more important to me than getting to the summit at all costs."

In addition, Ed's fourteen-year quest has encompassed many astounding successes within it, each of which would be the pinnacle of life-time accomplishment for most adventurers. But Ed shares a broader, bigger view of life and of success, with uncommon messages of focus, passion, desire, and patience. These messages, together with Ed's friendly, gently humorous style, make Seeking the Highest Places a deeply inspiring, unforgettable presentation for everyone lucky enough to experience it.

Now that you know who Ed Viesturs is here is his tips for successful summit attempts:

• Set Your Own Goals

Do not be content with normative success. Set a higher standard for yourself and discover your own profound resources of patience, passion, and focus.

• Team Success is Individual Success

Not everyone stands on the summit, but the best, most successful teams reap tremendous personal satisfaction for each team member when the team as a whole succeeds.

• Planning is the Key to Achievement

To fail because of lack of preparation is a huge waste of time, energy, money and talent. Never jeopardize your success by failing to make a comprehensive plan.

• Integrity of Approach is Paramount

How you achieve your goal can be more important than what you achieve. Instead of reducing your goal to make it "manageable" be willing to struggle with the real, objective difficulties in your path, and reveal the best that is in you.

Now you, like me know how one of the worlds greatest climbers achieves his goals and the goals of his team.

These tips can be applied to any aspect of your life... Including your professional Real Estate Life.

I leave you with this question ....

When is now a good time to reach your own personal summit?

Thanks for spending 3 minutes with me...
The best is yet to be!

On Your Team
Jeffrey Stanton
Your Trusted Advisor For Life
347-466-3047

One of the fastest ways to build a successful referral based business is by training. Now, with me, I like to invest significant time immersing myself in training, while some people prefer to take it in bite-size chunks. Whatever your preference is, now is the best time to contact me.

If you have found this tip useful, please share it with any friends, family, colleagues and associates who you think will be interested. Feel free to print it (with credit and subscription information) and continue to enjoy the tips. I am always grateful for any comments, criticisms or other feedback that you may have. Please send them to feedback@jeffreysjournal.com

NEW! - $8,000 Tax Credit Can Be Used for Down Payment !

2009-05-12T18:57:00.000-04:00

HUD Secretary Announces Monetization of Tax Credit at NAR Real Estate Summit WASHINGTON (May 12, 2009) - Shaun Donovan, secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, said that the Federal Housing Administration is going to permit its lenders to allow homeowners to use the $8,000 tax credit as a downpaypment.

Donovan's remarks came in an address to several thousand Realtors® gathered this morning at The Real Estate Summit: Advancing the U.S. Economy, a special daylong session at the Realtors® Midyear Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo here.

Secretary Donovan said that important changes, which the National Association of Realtors® has been calling for, will help consumers purchase a home. "We all want to enable FHA consumers to access the home buyer tax credit funds when they close on their home loans so that the cash can be used as a downpayment," Donovan said. According to Donovan, the FHA's approved lenders will be permitted to "monetize" the tax credit through short-term bridge loans. This will allow eligible home buyers to access the funds immediately at the closing table.

Donovan said the Obama administration plans to further stabilize the housing market. "I do think we have some early signs that the market overall is stabilizing," said Donovan. "Since January we've seen both home sales moving up and down around a relatively stable number and we are seeing the first signs that the rapid decline in home prices is starting to abate."

NAR President Charles McMillan, a broker with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Dallas-Fort Worth, said, "As the leading advocate for housing issues and homeownership, NAR continues to take a leadership role in promoting ideas for improving our economy by stabilizing the housing and real estate markets. Today we have the best of the best to begin a dialogue, develop solutions and initiate action toward real estate and economic recovery."

The morning session included a panel discussion that was moderated by CNBC's Ron Insana. The 13 panelists and Realtors® in attendance examined cutting-edge solutions necessary to promote and preserve homeownership and real estate development, stimulate the economy, and protect the nation's taxpayers. They also shared their ideas on what the role and responsibility of the federal government is in the revitalization effort.

The list of distinguished panelists include Dr. Martin Feldstein, professor of Economics from Harvard University; Dr. Barry Bluestone, professor of Political Economy from Northeastern University; John Taylor, CEO of the National Community Reinvestment Coalition; Maria Kong, president of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers; and Sarah Rosen Wartell, executive vice president for the Center for American Progress.

"Right now the Federal Reserve is the market," said Jay Brinkman, chief economist for the Mortgage Bankers Association. "What will be the effect when the Fed stops buying?" Brinkman explained that an exit strategy must be planned for the long-term; the federal government cannot continue to support the mortgage markets indefinitely.

"We must make sure FHA and the GSEs are supported," added the Wharton School's Susan Wachter.

"We are thrilled that so many high-caliber individuals were able to join us today at this important meeting to promote stability in the housing market and the U.S. economy," McMillan said. "We look forward to an ongoing dialogue and action toward this goal, during our midyear meetings this week and beyond."

The real estate summit is part of the Realtors® Midyear Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo here through Saturday. During the week, more than 8,500 Realtors® will attend meetings, visit lawmakers and inspire action on Capitol Hill.

On Your Team
Jeffrey Stanton
Your Trusted Advisor For Life
347-466-3047

The National Association of Realtors®, "The Voice for Real Estate," is America's largest trade association, representing 1.2 million members involved in all aspects of the residential and commercial real estate industries.

# # # Information about NAR is available at www.realtor.org . News releases are posted in the Web site's "News Media" section in the NAR Media Center.

What Are Interest Rates Going To Do? 5/11/09

2009-05-11T11:42:00.000-04:00

Dear Real Estate Friends,

You like me, are asked this question every day. "What Do You Think Interest Rates Are Going To Do?" Now here is a customer focused report for Mortgage Market Direction:

Week of: Monday, May 11, 2009

Presently Market Conditions Are:
Rates rose slightly last week as the market reacted to positive news about the economy. Housing data released showed pending home sales rose 3% and construction spending also showed gains. Pending home sales are a lending indicator and may signal the housing market may be near the bottom.

My Expectations Are:
In Tuesday’s testimony to Congress, Fed Chairman, Ben Bernanke stated he expected economic activity to "bottom out, then to turn up later this year". April’s Employment report showed large job losses as unemployment rose to 8.9% and Bernanke expects it to peak below 10%. Typically, job market improvement lags behind market indicators signaling economic recovery. Key data to be released this week focuses on inflation reports with the Producer Price Index on Thursday and the Consumer Price Index on Friday.

As Your Trusted Advisor For Life, My Guidance For You Is:
Rates remain low and the housing market is showing signs of stabilizing. Now is the optimal time to meet with your mortgage advisor to discuss your mortgage needs. Whether you refinance your current mortgage or investigate purchasing a home, the market is in your favor.

On Your Financing Team.
Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, WOW
Your Personal Mortgage Consultant For Life.
347-466-3047

The Four Factors Critically Important to Customers?

2009-04-30T00:54:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends,

As part of my coaching and consulting services at www.YourProfessionalDevelopment.com we implement Customer Surveys.

When reviewing theses Customer surveys with my coaching/consulting clients we noticed that they come up with some interesting findings.

If I were to break down the findings of the customer surveys I've reviewed over the past several years they would begin to reveal a pattern. Certain commonalities appear regardless of the industry, product, or service provided.

Although the words used to describe each factor would be a bit different, the feelings behind them would find themselves in four separate and distinct categories.

These are the 4 factors customers care about. This is what's important to them.

In a previous 3 Minute Referral Tip I shared with you the relationship between your Core Service and your Customer Service. Your ability to distinguish between your Core
Service, "what customers see" and your Customer Service, "what customers feel" will open your service delivery to both managing your product and managing the customer's perception.

Both matter!

Your repeat and referral business is the focus on customer service. Your AfterUnit marketing efforts will not produce results in the absence of quality.

So, what do customers really want when it applies to how they want to be treated?

Here are the four primary factors that are critically important to your customers.

Care and Concern

At the top of the list. How do you convey Care and Concern? I'll give you a clue. It's not because
you say you are. It's behaved. It has to be witnessed by the customer. Just as your intentions will not get you out of problems you behaved into, your ability to be reliable, responsive, attentive, empathic, patient, understanding, will be observed by the customer and evaluated to be Caring and Concerned.

Spontaneity

Where did this come from you ask? The ability of a service provider to be flexible and the skill to find a solution that may be outside the normal procedures gives the customer a personalized answer to their personal situation. Customers love this. When a problem comes up that doesn't fit the Standard Operating Procedure book a service provider that has the ability to quickly think and react at their own discretion on the customer's behalf is greatly valued and often referred.

Problem Solving

This may appear to be a "no-brainer" because everyone should know how to execute a solution to a customers specific problem. Whether it's an expertly filed brief, an accurate tax return, a 100% completed 1003 or a properly filled out purchase agreement, depending on your industry,
we all should know the how to. The real skill in problem solving lies in the preparation or diagnosis of a customer's situation. It's knowing what questions to ask that reveal the entire picture. It's not rushing to a solution or sale, it's the effort in listening and understanding the customer's needs and objectives.

Recovery

This may surprise you. It is a very important and a reoccurring concern from the customer's point of view. If something goes wrong, as it often does, will anyone make a special effort to make it right? Will someone go out of his or her way to make amends to the customer?
This is a big one! In our business we used to play "Find the Disgruntled Customer." It was our behavior to call our customer throughout their transaction and after the closing to make sure they were comfortable with the service they were receiving, and after the closing of the home they just bought and moved into. If something was wrong, we wanted to be the ones that
found out. In our world whoever called first won.

We went looking for problems. Ninety five times out of one hundred our customers were delighted and when we found a problem we jumped on it to solve it. Our service reputation was created in a large part by this one single behavior.

The 4 factors critically important to customers...
Care and concern
Spontaneity
Problem Solving
Recovery

I suspect there's nothing really new here, but it does capsulize the 4 areas that customers find important.

As a consumer we know how important they are. On the surface they look different from one another but in actuality there is a common thread.

They are all personal and require the ability to see things from the Other Person's Point of View and the skill to manage the customer's perception.

The more you manage perception, the more you can exceed expectations, and the more referrals you'll get.

Referrals are all about relationships. In any relationship the ability to see things from the other persons perceptive is a common critical factor in its survival.

The longer a referral relationship exists and grows, the better your business referrals becomes.

Thanks for spending 3 minutes with me...
The best is yet to be!

On Your Team
Jeffrey Scott Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, WOW
Your Trusted Advisor For Life
347-466-3047

One of the fastest ways to build a successful referral based business is by training. Now, with me, I like to invest significant time immersing myself in training, while some people prefer to take it in bite-size chunks. Whatever your preference is, now is the best time to contact me.

If you have found this tip useful, please share it with any friends, family, colleagues and associates who you think will be interested. Feel free to print it (with credit and subscription information) and continue to enjoy the tips. I am always grateful for any comments, criticisms or other feedback that you may have. Please send them to feedback@jeffreysjournal.com

Who’s Packing Your Parachute?

2009-04-28T06:14:00.001-04:00

Dear Friends:

I would like to introduce you to one of my heroes Charles Plumb (Former Navy Fighter Pilot - P.O.W. & One of Today's Top 10 Professional Speakers) and share one of his stories with you today, his story is so great I just have to pass it on to the people I care about. Here it is:

Charles Plumb was a U.S. Navy jet pilot in Vietnam. After 75 combat missions his plane was destroyed by a surface-to-air missile. Plumb ejected and parachuted into enemy hands. He was captured and spent six years in a communist Vietnamese
prison. He survived the ordeal and now lectures on lessons learned from that experience.

One day, when Plumb and his wife were sitting in a restaurant, a man at another table came up and said, “You’re Plumb! You flew jet fighters in Vietnam from the aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk. You were shot down!”

“How in the world did you know that?” asked Plumb.

“I packed your parachute,” the man replied. Plumb gasped in surprise and gratitude.
The man pumped his hand and said, “I guess it worked!” Plumb assured him, “It sure did. If your chute hadn’t worked, I wouldn’t be here today.”

Plumb couldn’t sleep that night, thinking about that man. Plumb says, “I kept wondering what he might have looked like in a Navy uniform: a white hat, a bib in the back, and bell-bottom trousers. I wonder how many times I might have
seen him and not even said ‘Good morning, how are you?’ or anything because, you see, I was a fighter pilot and he was just a sailor.”

Plumb thought of the many hours the sailor had spent at a long wooden table in the bowels of the ship, carefully weaving the shrouds and folding the silks of each chute, holding in his hands each time the fate of someone he didn’t know.

Now, Plumb asks his audience, “Who’s packing your parachute?” Everyone has someone who provides what they need to make it through the day. Plumb also points out that he needed many kinds of parachutes when his plane was shot down over enemy territory — his physical parachute, his mental parachute, his emotional parachute and his spiritual parachute. He called on all these supports before reaching safety.

Sometimes in the daily challenges that life gives us, we miss what is really important. We may fail to say hello, please or thank you, congratulate someone on something wonderful that has happened to them, give a compliment, or just do something nice for no reason.

I’m sending you this as my way of thanking you for your part in packing my parachute!!!

On Your Team
Your Trusted Advisor For Life
Jeffrey Scott Stanton

PS: If you’d like a copy of this story to send to a friend, family member or anyone who helps “pack your parachute,” just e-mail me at feedback@yourprofessionaldevelopment.com and I’ll e-mail a copy back to you.

What Are Interest Rates Going To Do? 4/27/09

2009-04-27T09:55:00.000-04:00

Dear Real Estate Friends,

You like me, are asked this question every day. "What Do You Think Interest Rates Are Going To Do?" Now here is a customer focused report for Mortgage Market Direction:

Week of: Monday, April 27, 2009

Presently Market Conditions Are:
The Federal Reserve policy to keep rates low seems to be working. The 30- year, fixed rate benchmark has remained under 5.5% since February with little change last week. This obviously has the attention of homeowners as according to the Mortgage Bankers Association, four out of five mortgage applicants are seeking to refinance their homes at today’s low rates.

My Expectations Are:
As indicated in a speech last week by Fed Vice Chairman, Donald L. Kohn, “it appears that some of the forces that had been holding down growth are starting to abate. In particular, the recent data suggest that the multiyear contraction in home sales and new construction may be nearing an end. At the same time, the improved affordability of homeownership resulting from reduced house prices, low mortgage interest rates, and government programs (including incentives for first-time homebuyers) should boost demand.” It’s a busy week of economic indicators but look for that data to be overshadowed. Massive Treasury auctions begin Monday and may have a bearing on mortgage rates as MBS yields struggle to compete with Treasury yields for investors. Additionally, the Fed’s announcement will be released at 2:15 on Wednesday and is highly anticipated as to its impact on mortgage rates.

As Your Trusted Advisor For Life, My Guidance For You Is:
Low rates, affordable housing and tax credits make this an attractive purchase or refinance market. Meet with your mortgage professional today to discuss your financial goals and structure a plan to meet your needs.

On Your Financing Team.
Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, WOW
Your Personal Mortgage Consultant For Life.
347-466-3047

Systems and Strategies for Success

2009-04-23T11:01:00.000-04:00

When would now be the best time to register?
On Your Team
Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CNE, WOW
Your Trusted Advisor For Life
347-466-3047

Why some people have great referral businesses and others don't even in today's market where all news is not good news.

2009-04-23T06:03:00.001-04:00

Dear Friends,

If you have ever wondered why some people have great referral businesses and others don't then keep reading.

First, let's be sure we have a common understanding on one thing.

What is a Referral?

A referral is a business opportunity initiated by a third party.

It's not just a lead.
It's not just a prospect.
It's not just a customer.
It's not just a client.

It's a business opportunity that involves three parties: you, the referral and the referrer.

Seen as a business opportunity, a referral is an action that will repeat itself if you understand why people refer.

People refer because they know what you do and how you help others.

People refer because of how they feel they were treated and the likelihood those they refer will be treated the same way.

So, let's go back to our initial question. Why do some people have great referral businesses and others don't?

Buckle up. Here's one of the secrets.

EXCEPTIONAL FOLLOW-UP!

How often is it left up to the customer to follow-up or call back?

As a customer yourself, do you ever have to call your service provider over and over when you're wondering what's going on?

Do you refer that person? Probably not.

As a Mortgage Lender, Realtor, Financial Planner, Lawyer, Insurance Agent, or just about any business person, has your customer ever called you to ask "if you got the papers, how the open house went, if you heard anything yet, have I been approved?"

You might respond by saying "I would have called, but there's nothing new" or "I was thinking of giving you a call."

Here's a simple rule:

Whoever calls first wins.

If you call your customer first you win.
If your customer calls you first you lose.

We know it's not a game. When people do business with us they have given us an opportunity. If they like what they experience they'll do it again and tell others.

Remember, a satisfied customer will likely tell only one other person so it's our job to learn how to leverage their advocacy.

Your reputation determines your referrals.

What is your reputation?

What do customers really want from you?

What are the behaviors that evoke in a customer a compelling desire to want to refer you to their friends or family or co-workers?

Your empathic ability to anticipate your customer's needs illustrate that you are paying attention. That's right, paying attention.

In a world that is hurried and over-scheduled, where everyone is on to the next new thing, simply paying attention is the exception. It can uniquely differentiate you from others. In our businesses we all pretty much do the same thing, have the same programs, show the same houses, offer the same marketing media, have access to the same information.

It's not just WHAT you do. It's HOW you do it.

By definition, "ATTENTION" means the act of keeping one's mind closely on something, mental readiness, care or consideration, courtesy, thoughtful consideration for others.

I don't have to go any further, you get it.

All the things customers want. All the reasons that make someone referable. Are you referable?

When I review customer surveys, and having read thousands, here's what customers say over and over:

"she was always there for us, she anticipated our concerns"

"he made us feel like we were his only client"

"they were all so attentive and respectful of our situation"

"kept us informed every step of the way"

"sincere personal attention, courteous and understanding"

"my time is important, his prompt attention to detail was great"

Paying attention is the foundation of exceptional follow-up. It is the behavior that speaks volumes to the customer.

Here's an example:

In the normal course of business when you send a fax or regular mail, call the person you sent it to and say, "I just wanted to make sure you got the information I sent you. If you have any questions let me know."

If you were to receive a fax and the sender calls you to make sure you got what was sent, and was available to answer any questions, what does that simple follow-up call say to you about their service?

Reliable, responsive, attentive? Absolutely!

Now, let's keep it in this context.

Exceptional follow-up involves the ability to anticipate your customers' need, questions, concerns, issues, uncertainties and their desire to be kept informed during a business opportunity and, to some degree, after as well.

You may be thinking this isn't a big secret. You're right, but, if it isn't a secret, than why is it so rare?

I heard it said that "progress is man's ability to complicate the simple things."

Keep it simple.
Pay attention.
Follow-up.

So, why do some people have great referral businesses and others don't?

They do it real well and others don't.

Remember: EXCEPTIONAL FOLLOW-UP

Thanks for spending 3 minutes with me.....
The best is yet to be!

http://www.YourProfessionalDevelopment.com
Coaching - Training - Consulting - Certified Negotiation Expert Designation

A Gift They Won't Forget

2009-04-22T10:45:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends,

Want to make yourself "unforgettable" to your clients and associates?
Try this novel idea...give a book!

One great benefit of giving a book is that it won't get thrown away. Even if it doesn't immediately get read, a book certainly won't get pitched in the trash. Be honest. Like most people, you probably have a stack of books somewhere in your home or office that have not yet been read, but there they sit, patiently awaiting a quiet, relaxing hour of your time.

Books are also flattering to the recipient as an "intellectual" gift. Even if your recipient isn't a big reader, they will be flattered that you thought that they might be! And many people even claim that a house is not a home without a few good books at hand.

Books are cost-effective. Most great books are available for well under $20, and many are even less than $10. You can save yourself even more money - and time - by purchasing several copies of a favorite book to have on-hand, or ordering multiple copies online or through your local bookstore. Book aficionados might even enjoy a trip to browse through the aisles of the local bookstore, but if a fast search and online ordering is more your speed, try www.amazon.com.

Books are also perfect for the whole family. Most parents would agree that the best way to win their hearts is to be thoughtful of their children. Especially if the family is going through a major change such as moving to a new home, don't forget about the kids.

Books can be easily personalized. A simple handwritten inscription inside the front cover of the book such as, "Very best wishes to you in your new home!" or "This is a great read - hope you enjoy it as much as I did!" followed by your signature really makes the book something personal and special.

And speaking of being personalized, if you really want to do something special, select a book on a specific topic you know they will like. If they're into remodeling or just purchased a "fixer-upper," a how-to book would be perfect. If they've recently retired and are ready to hit the road to explore and travel, find a book about ways to plan terrific vacations. Your selection will show how much you care, in a far deeper way than, say, a fruit basket ever could.

Amazon's website has an excellent search feature. Simply enter key words such as "new home," "gardening," or "road trips" and you will be quickly directed to a great selection of books to browse. You can now even "thumb through" the book online, viewing the front and back covers, table of contents and an excerpt from the book, as well as reviews.

One great idea is to purchase regional books that showcase what might be little-known facts and history of your city or state, secret spots for a day trip, pictures of "then and now." For the young and the young-at-heart alike, try Shel Silverstein's The Giving Tree or Dr. Suess's Oh, The Places You'll Go! Simple and understandable, these books are moving, meaningful, and memorable. And for anyone and everyone on your list, George Clason's The Richest Man in Babylon is a home run. It is a quick, easy parable about wealth-building principles, one of the best-selling books of all time.

If there are some books you think I should add to my list, please don't hesitate to give me a call.

http://www.YourProfessionalDevelopment.com
Coaching - Training - Consulting - Certified Negotiation Expert Designation

What Are Interest Rates Going To Do? 4/20/09

2009-04-20T11:00:00.000-04:00

Dear Realtor Friends,

You like me, are asked this question every day. "What Do You Think Interest Rates Are Going To Do?" Now here is a customer focused report for Mortgage Market Direction:

Week of: Monday, April 20, 2009

Presently Market Conditions Are
“Mortgage rates on fixed-rate loans and some ARM products eased this week” stated Frank Nothaft, chief economist for Freddie Mac. He continued to say that “Interest rates for 15-year fixed-rate mortgages are now at a record low since Freddie Mac's survey began tracking it in August 1991, and rates for 5/1 Hybrid ARMs also reached the lowest since the start of the series in January 2005.” Mr. Nothaft further states that “The housing industry is starting to exhibit some positive signs, albeit scarce and too early to tell how permanent. In its April 15th regional economic report, the Federal Reserve reported that better-than-expected buyer traffic led to a scattered pickup in home sales in a number of its Districts over the 6-week period leading up to April 6th. Factors such as homebuyer tax credits, low mortgage rates, and more affordable prices were cited as leading to more potential buyers. This may have added to the rise in homebuilder confidence in April, which rose to the highest level in six months, according to the National Association of Home Builders. Moreover, confidence increased in each of the four regions, led by the Northeast and Midwest where new construction of one-family homes had already increased in March, according to the Department of Commerce.”

My Expectations Are:
With little economic data to go on the first part of the week, the focus will turn even more so to the stock market which is viewed as a leading indicator of sorts. If recent gains continue and strength begins to solidify it could portend economic recovery in about six months or so. The week wraps up with existing home sales and jobless claims on Thursday and durable goods orders and new home sales on Friday.

As Your Trusted Advisor For Life, My Guidance For You Is:
Given the recent positive turn in the housing and mortgage market, now is the best time to meet with you mortgage professional to discuss a mortgage solution that meets your clients financial goals.

On Your Financing Team.
Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, WOW
Your Personal Mortgage Consultant For Life.
347-466-3047

8 Tips That Will Make You A Great Listener...

2009-04-16T13:12:00.001-04:00

Dear Friends,

How important is it to be a great listener?

All of these qualities and many more begin with LISTENING.

understanding
acknowledging
recognizing
problem solving
customizing
adapting
responding
influencing
building rapport
feeling special
respecting
feeling safe
trusting

How well do you listen?

There are many issues over our sometimes inability to really listen.

First, the average person speaks at about 150 words per minute, yet we have the capacity to think at 600 words per minute.

So, when you catch yourself thinking about what you're going to say when the other person finishes instead of listening, relax, It's completely normal.

It's in our physiology.

There is however a few simple things we can do to improve our concentration on what the other person is saying.

This will help you to become an active listener.

We have all been in situations where we knew the other person understood us, what we were feeling, what we really wanted and maybe couldn't articulate it well, but yet we knew they knew what we meant.

Was it because the other person was a great listener or did they share a similar experience and could relate empathically?

In context, what is important to the other person can only be as important to you as the other person is to you.

In plain language, if you don't like the other person you won't really care about their problem.

You'll go through the motions and maybe slide by and even get their business...once.

Building a solid referral business is about relationships and solid relationships are about listening.

You know when people aren't really listening to you don't you?

They're eyes are looking past you or to the side at other things.
They seem unfocused on what you're saying.
They respond to your issue from a script.
They want their position known more than wanting yours to be understood.
They may even have that glazed look like they're someplace else.

How can you show someone that you're listening, really paying attention, and encourage them to tell you more?

To become an active listener is easy with a few simple tips.

1. Use your body language to show interest.
Lean fowarward, make good eye contact and simply pay attention

2. Ask questions that relate to what they're saying.

3. If they're explaining a problem or situation, repeat back, (paraphrase) what they said to ensure understanding. (i.e. "Let me make sure I understand what you said"...or "What I just heard you say was....")

4. Over the phone, vocally acknowledge with a "uh-huh," "yes," or "mmm," every 15-20 seconds so that they know you're listening. If you hear them say "Are you still there?" you were too quiet.

5. In person, take notes. This will slow the conversation and evidence your attention.

6. Don't interrupt.

7. Don't clip the end of their sentences

8. Acknowledge what they said before changing direction in the conversation.

These simple exercises will demonstrate that you are an active listener.
It just takes a little practice.

Often we may hear the same problem over and over but from different clients. If you've been in the business for any longer than a couple years, you think you've heard it all.

It's important to remember that each client's situation is brand spanking new to them and to give them the space and emotional environment to express their needs and wants.

Here's what you want your clients to think to themselves or say to one another after speaking with you:

"He knows what I want and what I don't want"
"She knows what's important to me and why"
"I'm finally understood. He gets it"
"I feel he can get us where we want to be"

In today's fast paced, high speed, what's next world giving someone the gift of your undivided attention and really listening is so powerful.

You may want to remember it this way: ATT

Attention + Time = Trust

Now repeat back what you've read in this "3 Minute Referral Tip" - practice starts now!

REMEMBER: Your customers are always under pressure to move their business elsewhere.

Thanks for spending 3 minutes with me.....
The best is yet to be!

Seeing Without Eyes...

2009-04-15T09:18:00.003-04:00

Dear Friends,

Your mind is an incredibly versatile learning machine.
You are constantly learning whether you know it or not, because your unconscious is always learning isn't it...
I recently saw a remarkable video clip. The kid in the video had his eye removed when he was two years old due to cancer.
The amazing fact is this boy learned to 'see' using echo location, rather like bats do, utilizing sound. In the clip you get to see him playing soccer, skating down a street and playing video games!

Best Video of the Year - Blind Kid Uses Sound to See - video powered by Metacafe

I hope you found that inspiring.
Just imagine, if a person can achieve that, what obstacles can you overcome and how many new learnings can you attain?
What else is possible?
What is your mind really capable of ?
What is stopping you from achieving what you want?

On YourTeam
Jeffrey Scott Stanton

What Are Interest Rates Going To Do? 4/13/09

2009-04-13T06:00:00.000-04:00

Dear Realtor Friends,

You like me, are asked this question every day. "What Do You Think Interest Rates Are Going To Do?" Now here is a customer focused report for Mortgage Market Direction:

Week of: Monday, April 13, 2009

Present Market Conditions Are:
Rates are up slightly as treasuries rose following three weeks of losses. The benchmark 30 year fixed rate market increased by 7 basis points over the previous week’s historic low. The Federal Reserve will continue to purchase government securities in an effort to further cut borrowing costs to the consumer.

My Expectations Are:
“The Fed doesn’t want yields to go up,” said Kei Katayama, who oversees $1.6 billion of non-yen debt in Tokyo as leader of the foreign fixed-income group at Daiwa SB Investments Ltd., part of Japan’s second-biggest investment bank. “They want at least stable, relatively low mortgage levels. The economy will struggle for a while.” Monthly inflation reports will be the most significant of the data released this week. The PPI (Producer Price Index) comes out on Tuesday and the CPI (Consumer Price Index) follows in Wednesday’s report. Retail Sales will also be announced on Tuesday indicating the major portion of economic activity.

As Your Trusted Advisor For Life, My Guidance For You Is:
No one can predict the bottom. As rates continue to remain low, and housing prices seem to have leveled off, there is no time like the present to take advantage of these market conditions. Consult with your financial professional to structure a program designed to meet your specific needs.

On Your Financing Team.
Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, WOW
Your Personal Mortgage Consultant For Life.
347-466-3047

How do you integrate these 2 new MindShifts, CUSTOMER PERCEPTION and ENTREPRENEURIAL PERCEPTION, into your daily activities?

2009-04-08T13:46:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends,

For the past few weeks we've been addressing this question.
What are the 3 commonalities found in those individuals who possess an effective referral based business?

Some people just think differently than others. Choosing the right thoughts and really understanding the power of your thoughts and words is critical.

This week we'll speak to the 3rd MindShift: ACTIVITY FOCUS.

A brief recap:

In the past 15 years I have observed 3 commonalities in thinking or MindShifts shared by those who possess an effective referral business.

Those who possess these commonalities or paradigms often don't even know they have them. But they do. They think differently.
They have an effective referral business that transcends geography, market cycles and time.

They remain at the top of their industry for years. They arenot only more productive, they are happier. They get it.

Business wasn't supposed to rob people of their lives, it was upposed to add meaning.

They think different.

"If you want relatively minor change in your life, focus on changing your behavior or attitude, but if you want quantum significant change, focus on your paradigms."

Focus on how you think.

In this weeks "3 Minute Referral Tip" I will share with you the 3rd Paradigm shift that will effect a quantum increase in your referral business. It's a little "Zen" so you'll have to look carefully or you'll miss the essence.

As I have said before, the subtleties within each of these 3 paradigms often cause the learner to miss the dramatic impact.

It took me years before I saw commonalities in those who I trained and worked with. Then one day I was asked at a seminar "What do those who have an effective referral based
business have in common?'

Boom, it hit! Instantly I came to the realization that they share 3 qualities, commonalities, paradigms, mindshifts. It was like a blinding flash of the obvious.

How could I have not seen it? How did I miss this?

Apparently, I was more focused on what people were doing in common, than HOW they think in common.

For now I want you to embrace the power of your thinking.
Please understand that this has little to do with intelligence or IQ and has more to do with conscious choice and selection.

Here they are:
1. Customer Perception

They manage customer perception as the only reality.
They realize that what uniquely differentiates them from other competitors isn't what they do but rather what others think they do.

2. Entrepreneurial Perception

They see themselves differently as entrepreneurial, or managers of a huge sales organization, and see others not as clients, customers, friends, neighbors, co-workers, family, or business associates, but as "part-time salespeople" who advocate for them.

3. Activity Focus

They focus on the activity not the outcome. They continually develop and implement the activities that, when done superbly, will greatly improve their referral business within the context of their Deeds, Dialog and Database.

Back to the original question:

How do you integrate these 2 new Paradigms, CUSTOMER PERCEPTION and ENTREPRENEURIAL PERCEPTION, into your daily activities?

Develop and implement a SYSTEM.

We all live in systems. Some we created, most we participate in.
Political
Social
Economical
Environmental
Religious
Cultural
Legal

Systems bring us security, they bring order to our lives. We all have general routine systems that we may not be aware of how much comfort and order they bring us.

Do you sleep on the same side of the bed every night?

Get up about the same time every morning?

Have about the same morning routine every day, regardless of the day or the season?

Maybe you have a routine system for weekdays that differs from weekends.

Do you have a routine? This is a system!
Imagine tomorrow you wake up on the wrong side of the bed, get up at a completely different time. Your morning routine of having a cup of coffee, reading JeffreysJournal.com, exercising, or watching the weather is gone. Something new and unexpected is happening.
And you're not even on vacation.

How do you feel? Unsettled? A little off? Out of step? Yes, because your system was changed. Systems bring us a pattern of security.
That's my point.

In training we segment our activities into the 3 broad areas of our system of "The 3 D's." Deeds, dialog and database.

What do those who have an effective referral business have in common?

The real value of the 3rd Referral MindShift is not what they do. It is found in how they think about what they do.

Here it is:
They focus on the activity, not the outcome.
Their priorities are their chosen activities.
Their time management is priority management.
They have a system.
They don't let things get in the way of performing their activities.
They have priorities.
That's it!

Those who have an effective referral business perform activities without being attached to the outcome. They don't stop their direct mailing because they didn't get a call this month.

They don't not follow up with a written thank you note because they got busy or because they know they didn't get the client anyway.

They don't not add new people to their database because the market has changed. They focus on what they are doing.

They don't worry if this will work, or that will work.

They designed a system that works and they work the system.

They don't need faith or hope. They have experience that if they perform certain activities superbly well it will have a great impact on their referral business. They focus on the activity,
not the outcome.

They know that not everyone will be their client, but everyone can be their advocate and they treat everyone with that mindset.

How many of you remember the NFL Playoffs with the Dallas Cowboys last year? In the final seconds Dallas had a chance to win. All they had to do is score with a game winning field goal.

The ball was snapped to Tony Roma, the Dallas QB. He fumbled the snap, looking up at the goal posts rather than focusing on the ball causing the field goal kicker to miss the ball, miss the field goal, and lose the game.

Was he focused on the activity or the outcome?

The 3rd Paradigm or Commonality shared by those who have an effective referral business is Activity Focus.

Think about how not being attached to any outcome frees you and those around you....think about it.

Thanks for spending 3 minutes with me...
The best is yet to be!

On Your Team
Jeffrey Stanton
Your Trusted Advisor For Life

One of the fastest ways to build a successful referral based business is by training. Now, with me, I like to invest significant time immersing myself in training, while some people prefer to take it in bite-size chunks. Whatever your preference is, now is the best time to contact me.

If you have found this tip useful, please share it with any friends, family, colleagues and associates who you think will be interested. Feel free to print it (with credit and subscription information) and continue to enjoy the tips. I am always grateful for any comments, criticisms or other feedback that you may have. Please send them to feedback@jeffreysjournal.com

Social Networking/Media Boot Camp for Real Estate Professionals

2009-04-07T13:52:00.001-04:00

Dear Friends,

Every junior high kid seems to have a FaceBook page.
Why should you, a real estate professional?

I would like to ianounce that the Staten Island Board of Realtors will be hosting our "Social Networking/Media Boot Camp -3 Evening Learning Event for Realtors" on May 4th - 6th 6:00pm-10:00pm

In this Social Networking Boot Camp you will:
Learn about social networking websites, see how other real estate agents have embraced social networking to increase their presence on the Internet to attract more clients, learn about the variety of social networking websites and much more. (Basic understanding of computers and the internet is required)

Session 1 - May 4th
Facebook - Learn how to build relationships and business on FaceBook
- Learn how to use FaceBook to get and close more listings
Session 2 - May 5th
LinkedIn - Learn how to build a referral network with other professionals
YouTube - Learn how to market yourself and your listings with online videos
Session 3 - May 6th
YouTube - Learn how to take, edit, upload videos of yourself and your listings
Twitter - Learn how to stay in touch with your clients, build relationships,
& create more business 140 characters at a time.

You will leave with a full understanding of all the aspects of social networking as they relate to your business.
Please Bring Your Laptop and A Digital Camera or Webcam and leave with:
A presence on all the major social networking sites, a custom of video yourself or one of your listings on YouTube. Plus Much, Much More

Or View/Download the registration flyer HERE
http://www.scribd.com/doc/14132476/Social-Networking-Bootcamp-SIBOR-54-56

Social Networking/Media Boot Camp -
3 Evening Learning Event for Realtors
Class Dates:
Monday, May 4th 2009
Tuesday, May 5th 2009
Wednesday, May 6th
Class Time:
6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Location:
Richmond County Real Estate Institute
the Staten Island Board of Realtors®
1535 Richmond Avenue, Suite 3
Staten Island, NY 10314
Price:
SIBOR Realtors®...........................FREE
All Others.................................................$179
Register for course on IMS.SIBOR.Com
or
Return Registration form to / or call Debbie Lerner @ SIBOR
Debbie Lerner, Director of Education -
Debbie@sibor.com
Richmond County Real Estate Institute
The Staten Island Board of Realtors®
1535 Richmond Avenue, Suite 3
Staten Island, NY 10314
Tel: 718.979.0007 ext. 1523
Fax: 718.928.3225

Window Wisdom

2009-04-06T09:15:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends,

A young couple moves into a new neighborhood. The next morning, while they’re eating breakfast, the wife looks out the window and sees her neighbor hanging the wash on a line in the backyard.

“That laundry isn’t very clean,” she said to her husband. “Our neighbor doesn’t know how to wash correctly. Perhaps she needs better laundry soap.”

Her husband looked on, but remained silent.

Every time her neighbor hung her wash to dry, the young woman would make the same comments.

After about a month, the young woman looked out the window and was surprised to see a nice, clean wash on her neighbor’s line.

She said to her husband, “Look! She’s learned how to wash correctly. I wonder who taught her?”

The husband said, “Honey, I got up early this morning and cleaned our windows.”

How’s the view from your windows?

On Your Team
Jeffrey Stanton
347-466-3047

Congratulations! You are the Owner/Manager of a 250 person part-time sales force.

2009-04-02T08:19:00.001-04:00

Dear Friends,

Congratulations! You are the Owner/Manager of a 250 person part-time sales force.

Wouldn't that be nice?
That would solve all of your problems. You could buy the new home, get the fancy car, pay for your children's college tuition, take a vacation to Paris for a couple of weeks, even buy
that home you were looking at on the beach.

All of this and more is yours if only it were true.

It is true! It's all a matter of perception.

Last week I shared with you the basics of the 1st Mind Shift:
Customer Perception as the first commonalty in thinking of those who have an effective and successful referral business.

Those who have a successful referral business think differently.

This week we will talk about the 2nd MindShift:
Entrepreneurial Perception.

There are three roles within any business.
1. Entrepreneurial/Owner
2. Manager
3. Sales

Where do you see yourself?
As a salesperson how many people are on your team?
Do you work alone?

You might be thinking "no one is going to sell for me, I have to do it all by myself."

Of course there are others in your company that support you either as manager, or owner, or support staff, but "no one is going to create a sale for me but me. It is up to me." If it is going to be done it's up to me."

Sound quietly familiar? That's not the only role you play. Here, look at it this way.

At home you may be the CEO, COO, CFO, and the chief cook and bottle washer. You may schedule the family vacations, the family budget, the family finances, and still find the time to help the kids with their homework and cook dinner.

The point is, we act in many roles within our personal lives and within our business lives as well. If you are a salesperson, you will find yourself in the "salesperson" role in the company hierarchy.

That's not your only role in YOUR business.

Here Is How It Works.

Those who have an effective referral business see themselves as the Owner/Manager of a huge part-time sales force and see others in the sales role. They see themselves as the Entrepreneurs and Managers.

Let me ask it this way.

How many people know you, know what you do, like you, trust you, and might say to someone they know if the opportunity arose, "If you're going to...buy a house, need an attorney, use a home inspector, get a mortgage, buy insurance, invest in the stock market, etc. call Bob Smith he's my nephew, friend, Realtor, Lender, Attorney, etc?

How many people know of you in any of the relationships you live in, or what I call, "neighborhoods?"

These are some of your "neighborhoods" today: family (nuclear/ extended, friends, neighbors, customers, clients, professionals and support staff, alumni, classmates, colleagues, associates, former managers, supervisors, instructors, co-workers, business groups, sports/recreation, children's friends, social organizations, church members, mentors, people you have helped, people who have helped you, people you do business with, wedding guest list, everyone in your family address book, people you do business with, people you give your business to...and the list goes on.

These are the new "neighborhoods" we live in. It's not territorial like it was in the old days.

People know you through the many roles and relationships you play in your life. When my aunt says to her neighbor "Go see my nephew Jeffrey, he'll help you" she is acting like a salesperson
for me.

Yes, she's my aunt but in those brief 11 seconds she is ADVOCATING for me to her neighbor. The word ADVOCATE is defined as "to speak publicly for."

Isn't that the same definition as a salesperson? My aunt doesn't know she is selling for me, but she is. It's a "blind" group. I don't have to sell my aunt, I just keep her informed as to what I do and how I help others.

That's the point.

The 2nd MindShift, shared by those who have an effective referral business, is all about seeing those in their lives as "part-time salespeople."

Keep everyone you know, and who knows you, informed as to what you do and how you help others and you ignite the potential opportunities that might otherwise not exist.

Imagine if everyone who you knew referred one person each year to you. How would business be? Unbelievable?

The subtle and impactful shift of thinking of yourself as the Owner/Entrepreneur of a huge part-time sales force comprised of everyone who knows you, knows what you do, how you help others, likes you, trusts you, is by itself the most significant MindShift you can embrace.

You do not have to look far. It is right under your feet. You already own it.

I believe this quote best defines many salespeople who look to some new advertising to attract new customers to their business...
"Standing on a whale, fishing for minnows."

It is a matter of perception.

MindShift #2. Say It out loud...

I am the Owner/Manager of a (your number) part-time sales force and I'm trying to start acting like the great Owner/Manager I can be.

Congratulations! You are the Owner/Manager of a 250 person part-time sales force.
Now go be the great owner you know you can be.

Thanks for spending 3 minutes with me...
The best is yet to be!

On Your Team
Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, WOW
Your Trusted Advisor For Life
347-466-3047

One of the fastest ways to build a successful business is by training. Now, with me, I like to invest significant time immersing myself in training, while some people prefer to take it in bite-size chunks. Whatever your preference is, now is the best time to contact me.

If you have found this tip useful, please share it with any friends, family, colleagues and associates who you think will be interested. Feel free to print it (with credit and subscription information) and continue to enjoy the tips. I am always grateful for any comments, criticisms or other feedback that you may have. Please send them to feedback@jeffreysjournal.com

http://www.YourProfessionalDevelopment.com
Certified Negotiation Expert (CNE) Designation - Training - Coaching - Consulting

What Can We Learn from Baseball?

2009-03-31T10:00:00.001-04:00

Dear Friends,

What Can We Learn from Baseball?

Here’s a great story about baseball – and perspective:

A little boy was overheard talking to himself as he strutted through the backyard, wearing his baseball cap and toting a ball and bat. “I’m the greatest hitter in the world,” he announced. Then he tossed the ball into the air, swung at it, and missed.

“Strike one!” he yelled. Undaunted, he picked up the ball and said again, “I’m the greatest hitter in the world!” He tossed the ball into the air. When it came down he swung again and missed. “Strike two!” he cried.

The boy then paused a moment to examine his bat and ball carefully. He spit on his hands and rubbed them together. He straightened his cap and said once more, “I’m the greatest hitter in the world!” Again he tossed the ball up in the air and swung at it. He missed. “Strike Three!”

“Wow!” he exclaimed. “I’m the greatest pitcher in the world!”

Either way – he’s right. Isn’t perspective a wonderful thing?

Sincerely,
On Your Team
Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, WOW
Your Trusted Advisor For Life
347-466-3047

What Are Interest Rates Going To Do? 3/30/09

2009-03-30T08:40:00.000-04:00

Dear Realtor Friends,

You like me, are asked this question every day. "What Do You Think Interest Rates Are Going To Do?" Now here is a customer focused report for Mortgage Market Direction:

Week of: Monday, March 30, 2009

Presently Market Conditions Are:
“Mortgage rates fell sharply to low levels not seen in six decades following the Federal Reserve’s announcement on the Treasury bond and mortgage-backed securities purchase programs.” said Orawin Velz, Associate Vice President of Economic Forecasting for the Mortgage Bankers Association. Mortgages and corporate securities are outperforming Treasuries for the first time since June and before the downfall of Lehman Brothers. According to Bankrate.com, these are the lowest rates since the Eisenhower administration!

My Expectations Are:
Look for spreads to move as institutional investor’s direct money away from Treasuries. “We don’t think Treasuries are very thrilling,” said Barr Segal, a managing director at Los Angeles-based TCW Group Inc., which holds $90 billion in fixed-income assets. This may help the Fed as it fights the “credit market dysfunction” that currently hampers efforts to stimulate the economy. Economic news data this week will include Consumer Confidence, Construction Spending & Factory Orders with close attention to Wednesday’s Pending Home Sales and Friday’s Non-Farm Payroll reports.

As Your Trusted Advisor For Life, My Guidance For You Is:
If you are considering a refinance of your current mortgage or in position to purchase a home, talk to your mortgage professional. The housing market has shown some signs it is rebounding and rates are at all time lows. Don’t pass up this opportunity, find the mortgage solution to meet your financial needs today.

On Your Financing Team.
Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, WOW
Your Personal Mortgage Consultant For Life.
347-466-3047

Shall We Celebrate Spring?

2009-03-20T08:12:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends,

Today is the the first day of spring, but as writer Henry Van Dyke put it, “The first day of spring is one thing, and the first spring day is another. The difference between them is sometimes as great as a month!” Here are some more quotes, in celebration of spring:

Spring unlocks the flowers to paint the laughing soil. – Reginald Heber.

I will always plant a large garden in the spring. Who can resist the feelings of hope and joy that one gets from participating in nature’s rebirth? – Edward Giobbi

Spring is when you feel like whistling even with a shoe full of slush. – Doug Larson

Science has never drummed up quite as effective a tranquilizing agent as a sunny spring day. – W. Earl Hall

Never cut a tree down in the wintertime. Never make a negative decision in the low time. Never make your most important decisions when you are in your worst moods. Wait. Be patient. The storm will pass. The spring will come. – Robert Schuller

My favorite weather is bird-chirping weather. – Loire Hartwould

If we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome. If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant. – Anne Bradstreet

No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn. – Hal Borland

It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: When it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade. – Charles Dickens

Spring is nature’s way of saying, “Let’s party!” – Robin Williams

Wishing you all the joys that spring can bring.

Sincerely,

On Your Team
Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, WOW
Your Trusted Advisor For Life
347-466-3047

P.S. What do you like most about spring? Please email me at feedback@jeffreysjournal.com or call me at 347-466-3047

What uniquely differentiates you from your competitors in ways that benefit the customer?

2009-03-19T13:16:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends,

What uniquely differentiates you from your competitors in ways that benefit the customer?

How you answer this question will reveal how you think.

How you think will precede what you do.
What you do will determine your referral business.
Your referral business will be a result of how you think!

Before I continue I need to explain the foundation of what I call a Referral Mindset.
If you have ever attended one of my workshops you have heard me speak of the 3 Commonalities/Patterns or Mindshifts that are found in those individuals who have an effective referral based business.

This week I'll go into a little more detail on one of the Commonalities - CUSTOMER PERCEPTION.

Here is a quick over view of what those who have an effective referral business have in common.

1. Customer Perception
They manage customer perception as the only reality. They realize that what uniquely differentiates them from other competitors in ways that benefit the customer isn't what they do but rather what others think and feel they do.

2. Entrepreneurial Perception
They see themselves differently as entrepreneurial, or as managers of a huge sales organization, and see others, not as clients, customers, friends, neighbors, co-workers, family, and business associates, but as "part-time sales people" who advocate for them. It is not what you do, it is to whom you do it!

3. Activity Focus
They focus on the activities, not the outcome. They continually develop and implement the activities that when done superbly well will greatly improve their referral business within the context of their Deeds, Dialog, and Database.

Now, lets get back to the original question...

What uniquely differentiates you from your competitors in ways that benefit the customer?

Okay, what was your first or second response? Don't over engineer it. Just say out loud what you thought. Now write it down.

In the past 17 years that I have asked this question, of professionals in a variety of industries, here's what I've heard.
I'm experienced
I'm knowledgeable
I'm hard working
I'm customer focused
I'm sensitive to the needs of others
I speak four languages
I know the market better than anyone
I know how to establish a rapport
I went to the best law school
I have all the best designations
I've been doing this for 30 years
I'm caring and attentive
I specialize
I listen well
I work 7 days a week
I'm always available
I do what I say I'm going to do
I'm in the top 5% of my industry
I sell more than anyone else in my town
I have a sense of humor
I'm patient
I'm just real good at what I do

All good responses. Did you find yours there?
We tend to focus on what we do well as what uniquely differentiates us from our competitors. We think it makes us unique and separates us from our competitors.

But not for those who have an effective referral business. They tend to answer this question in the most unusual way.

When asked "What uniquely differentials you from your competitors in ways that benefit the customer?" they respond:

"NOTHING uniquely differentiates me from my competitors EXCEPT what others think of me."

"It is not what I do, it's what others think and feel I do. It's how they see me. Customer perception is the only reality and I choose what I do to help shape that perception."

"Nothing, read this word carefully, NO THING makes me different. It's not about the things you do, but about how the things you do effect people's perceptions of you."

Of course those who have successful referral businesses possess the qualities and virtues listed above but they also recognize that others in their field possess them as well...and therefore they are not unique.

Think of it this way.
If you are a Realtor...
You can show the same homes as a competitor
You have access to the same lenders
You can use the same attorney
You can use the same title insurance companies
You can use the same home inspectors
You have business cards, your competitors do too
When you list a home you put it in MLS, they do too
You put a "for sale" sign on the property, they do too
You advertise in the newspaper, so do they
You advertise in Harmon homes, so do they
You have a great web page, so do they
You're nice, so are they
You're knowledgeable, so are they
You speak 4 languages, so does someone else

You get the point - parity is the rule!

In all fairness, I could probably find a number of good, competent, qualified people just like you, who might even provide the same service for less. You may not like that but it's true.

This is a bitter pill to swallow, and the more experience you have the harder it is to accept and shift your thinking.

If you really look at what we do from a consumers perspective we all look like we do about the same thing.

If you are a lender you have about the same 30 year fixed rate loan as the next Fannie Mae lender down the street. It's not as if you have 4% and the rest of the world is at 6.5%.

If you are an attorney, home inspector, Realtor, lender, insurance agent, or investment advisor, it's not what you do that differentiates you from others, it's really what others think you do.

It's how they feel about you...and that my friends is the subtlety in the first and most important MindShift.

Those who have a successful and effective referral business understand the tremendous impact in their shift of thinking to "It's not what I do, it's what others think I do. Therefore I have to manage their perception on a daily basis as well as maintain the core competencies of my field."

Here's an example.
When you fax something to a client immediately follow-up and say something like this, even if you leave a voicemail message, "Hi Bob, I just wanted to make sure you got the fax I sent you. If you have any questions, let me know."

If you mail something to a client call and say something similar. We all know that faxes and mail sometimes get lost.

How would you feel if your attorney or accountant or doctor immediately and consistently followed up after sending you a fax or a piece of mail?

How would you describe their level of service based on a follow-up call after a fax or mail?
Attentive?
Great follow-up?
Concerned?
Reliable?
Caring?

Ahh..now you've got it!

It's not about the fax or the mail. It's about how you feel about the service provider's attention. It's special, it's different, it manages your perception of them.

It's NO THING!

The more you can manage their perception in a positive way, the more you'll invite a compelling advocacy and have a great referral business.

What uniquely differentiates you from your competitors in ways that benefit the consumer?

Nothing - except what others think about you. It's how they see you.

Of the 3 Commonalities shared by those who have an effective referral business the first is the subtle shift to focus your efforts to managing Customer Perception.

Managing Customer Perception is far greater than the linear tasks found in customer service. Customer service is more akin to your core service.

Managing customer perception is based on other people's point of view and requires a totally different mindset and strategy.

Thanks for spending 3 minutes with me.....

The best is yet to be!

The seats are almost full!

2009-03-18T13:53:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends,

I hope you have secured your seat for the upcoming The Certified Negotiation Expert (CNE) Designation & Training hosted by the Staten Island Board Of Realtors on 3/31 & 4/01

We are almost completely full, and if you haven’t registered yet you may be left out.

SIBOR members be sure to go to the following site and reserve your seat:
http://IMS.SIBOR.com

Non-SIBOR Members or those with our IMS access please View/Download the registration flyer here:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/12942796/CNE-Registration-form-SIBOR-03310401

Return Registration form to / or call Debbie Lerner @ SIBOR
Debbie Lerner, Director of Education - Debbie@sibor.com
Richmond County Real Estate Institute of the Staten Island Board of Realtors®
1535 Richmond Avenue, Suite 3
Staten Island, NY 10314
Tel: 718.979.0007 ext. 1523
Fax: 718.928.3225

If you are interested in a Private CNE training for your office or association please send me a email.

On Your Team
Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, WOW
Your Trusted Advisor For Life
347-466-3047

Those Canny Canines!

2009-03-17T14:07:00.001-04:00

Dear Friends,

If dogs were teachers, here’s what we’d learn:

When a loved one comes home, always run to greet them.
Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride.
Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.
When it’s in your best interest, practice obedience.
Let others know when they’ve invaded your territory.
Take naps. Stretch before rising. Run, romp, and play daily.
Thrive on attention and let people touch you.
Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.
On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass.
On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.
When you’re happy, dance around and wag your entire body.
No matter how often you’re scolded, don’t buy into the guilt thing and pout – run right back and make friends.
Delight in the simple joy of a long walk.
Eat with gusto and enthusiasm. Stop when you’ve had enough.
Be loyal.
Never pretend to be something you’re not.
If what you want lies buried, keep digging until you find it.
When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently.

Come to think of it – dogs are great teachers!

On Your Team
Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, WOW
Your Trusted Advisor For Life
347-466-3047

What Are Interest Rates Going To Do? 3/16/09

2009-03-16T09:48:00.000-04:00

You like me, are asked this question every day. "What Do You Think Interest Rates Are Going To Do?" Now here is a customer focused report for Mortgage Market Direction:

Week of: Monday, March 16, 2009

Presently Market Conditions Are:
“Mortgage rates moved lower across the product spectrum last week, following declines in long-term Treasury and corporate bond yields,” stated Frank Nothaft, chief economist for Freddie Mac. He continued to say that “Fixed-rate loans are close to the 50-year lows of early January.”

My Expectations Are:
Economic news will be focused around the Fed meeting on Wednesday. However, with the Fed Rate close to zero, a cut really isn’t an option so look to the Fed to announce alternative measures to stimulate the economy. Other economic data being released this week like the Producer Price Index (PPI), Consumer Price Index (CPI), Industrial Production and Housing Starts could also play a part in the investor’s outlook.

As Your Trusted Advisor For Life, My Guidance For You Is:
Given the recent historically low mortgage rates, homeowners have a strong incentive to try and refinance. Now is the best time to meet with your mortgage professional to discuss a mortgage solution that meets your clients financial goals.

On Your Financing Team.
Jeffrey Stanton ITI, CLC, CNE, WOW
Your Personal Mortgage Consultant For Life.
347-466-3047

Small changes, change your ways. Quantum leaps, change your paradigms.

2009-03-11T14:21:00.000-04:00

Dear Friends,

One of my favorite books of all time is "The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People" by Dr. Stephen R. Covey. Dr. Covey's book sometimes takes a few times to read before fully grasping what he is talking about but once you do, you will be fully awakened into a world of success.

One of the first topics that he covers in his books is paradigms. A paradigm is basically the lens that we look through when we view the world. He maintains that if you want to make small changes in your life, change your ways. But if you want to make "quantum leaps" as he calls them toward a more enriched life, change your paradigms.

He tells a story about getting on a quiet train one Sunday morning. Some people are asleep, others are reading the paper, and some are chatting softly. All of a sudden, the door opens and a man gets on the train with his kids. The kids are extremely obnoxious; running around screaming and yelling. Dr. Covey and a few others on the train can't help but to look over at the man to see if he is going to discipline them in some way, shape or form.

The man however, is just sitting there staring into space with a blank look on his face; almost oblivious to the way the children are behaving. After a few more minutes of the disturbance and the man's lack of action to do anything about it, Dr. Covey felt obliged to say a few words to the man.

He asked him if he was going to do anything about the obnoxious behavior and began pointing out exactly how erratic the children were in fact acting.

The man looked over at the children and then looked over at Dr. Covey and said "you're right, they are acting obnoxious but after all, they did just come from the hospital where their mother passed away a few hours ago."

Shocked and then instantly embarrassed, Dr. Covey's feelings immediately changed from the need to instruct the man to the need to console him and show him empathy for his loss.

What had happened was Dr. Covey's paradigm changed. The situation remained exactly the same. The train was still silent. The children were still disrupting everyone and the man was still doing nothing about it. What changed was the lens that Dr. Covey was viewing these events through.

The point is this. Many times people can look at the same thing and see different things. The reason for this is that we all the see the world through a different paradigm.

People who preserve their health by eating the right foods and exercising see their health through a different paradigm than those who do not. The funny thing is that many people who do not preserve their health actually want to because they are unhappy with themselves but they simply cannot because their paradigms won't allow them to.

The same goes for any other area of one's life including building wealth. Most people I know want to be financially independent. They have big dreams but they still wind up having to work for a paycheck for the rest of their lives.

Then you have people that seem to do almost nothing and wind up rich. Is luck a factor? Perhaps.

But I think a more realistic description of why stuff like this happens has to do with the paradigms that wealthy people see the world through versus the ones poor people see the world through.

The sad fact is that no matter how many programs, tapes, cd's, courses, videos, affirmations, goal setting techniques, time management resources you use, if your paradigm is not set for
success and building wealth, you will either never achieve it or your results will be short lived.

When is now the best time for a paradigm shift.

I would like to offer you my expert experience that will guide you now to a paradigm shift. It's not a secret... I'm On Your Team.

Thanks for spending 3 minutes with me...
The best is yet to be!

On Your Team
Jeffrey Stanton
Your Trusted Advisor For Life