The Power Of Rapport...

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

How Well Are You Serving Your First-Time Buyer Clients?

Dear Friends,

I don't need to tell you if your first-time buyer clients purchased or plan to purchase their home between April 8, 2008, and July 1, 2009, they may be eligible for up to a $7,500 tax credit, because you already know.

The First-Time Homebuyers Credit, which more or less serves as an interest-free loan from the government paid back over a 15-year period, gives prospective buyers a tremendous incentive to buy, and rewards those who have already purchased their home with a substantial credit at a time when many people could certainly use a little extra cash on-hand.

If you are not well-versed on this tax credit or ensuring that your qualifying clients receive the credit they are entitled to, you are missing out--and potentially letting your clients miss out on a terrific reward.

To help you get up to speed on the credit, we have uploaded a First-Time Homebuyers Tax Credit FAQ sheet, which can be used for your reference and shared with your potential and existing first-time buyer clients.

Additionally, you can downloand IRS Form 5405, the form your clients must submit with their tax returns to receive their tax credit. Be certain to direct them to this form so that they can claim their credit.

I encourage you to learn as much as you can about this valuable incentive, which can not only boost your business, but help your first-time buyer clients in a way they won't soon forget.
I you would like additional information on the The First-Time Homebuyers Credit please give me a call.

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

Lowering your Commission?

Dear Friends,

I would like to share a conversation and experience that I recently had with a real estate Broker.
I was sitting in his office about to begin our weekly coaching / consulting session when one of his agents "Tara" walked in.

Tara said she had a great property that she had just finished a listing presentation on, and the home owner wanted her to drop the commission.

The Broker in no uncertain terms said NO.

Tara began to explain all the reasons why they should cut their commissions.
The market...
The competition...
The area...
The house...

We have all heard or given the reasons before.

The conversation between the Broker and Tara got heated, then the Broker looked at me and said "What do you think?"

This in my Tip for today and what I said to them.

Your sales force and your customers may scream that you need to lower your commission.
It's not true.

YOU DON'T NEED TO LOWER YOUR COMMISSION

YOU NEED TO INCREASE YOUR VALUE!

If people don't want to pay, it's because you're not delivering enough value for the money you're charging.

You're not selling a commodity unless you want to.

As we teach in our 5 Step Sales Process Workshop, If you have a customer or client that wants you to lower your commission, Stop and go back and establish the value for your solution to their problem.

It's that simple, increase the value of what you are offering and you can increase your rate of pay.

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

Remove your "buts" from your selling vocabulary

Dear Friends,

There are some TOXIC words that you should never use, especially in sales.
I go over all of the words you should never uses in our workshop, SkyRocket Your Sales: The 5 1/2 Step Sales Process. For those of you who have already attend the workshop, here is a refresher, and if you haven't attended yet, here is a preview, and today's tip:

Remove your "buts" from your selling vocabulary

I heard what you said, but...
I know what you mean, but...
I agree with you, but...
That's one way to do it, but...
Yes, that's a good product, but...
Honey those jeans do look good on you, but...

Whenever we use the word BUT we really mean DISREGARD WHAT I JUST SAID so I can say what I really mean!

We often don't recognize when and how often we use the but word. And rarely do we so overtly tell another "I'm right and you're wrong," especially in a selling situation. We use the but word instead.

Try this...
I heard what you said, and I don't see it the same way.

I know what you mean and I really don't agree.

I agree with you and I have another thought as well.

That's one way to do it and I might do it this way.

Yes, that's a good product and I know of a manufacturer who makes the same product.

Honey, those jeans do look good on you and I really like the pair you wore yesterday.

You get the point.
It's simple.
It requires practice.
It's subtle.
It's got to be real.
I'm not saying don't use the but word. It has it's place.
What I am saying is use it less in your selling vocabulary.

The process of and is a building word. It takes the stance of "collaborative" instead of "competitive."

All working or selling relationships have 4 primary stances.
Combative
Competitive
Cooperative
Collaborative

These 4 primary peer stances are evident in the workplace and selling place. For now, suffice to say, that COLLABORATIVE is the highest form and the one most likely to produce a WIN-WIN relationship.

Using the and word instead of the but word resemble the collaborative, synergistic and healthy relationship between you and another.

Practice using the AND word by replacing the BUT word for one week and notice the difference yourself.

Effective business strategies is a process of often seemingly insignificant changes in your DEEDS, DIALOG, and DATABASE that helps to shape perception and increase your refer-ability.

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

Agents Appeal to Environmentally-Conscious Buyers

Dear Friends,

Are you looking for a way to turn your sales red-hot?

Go green. As your market’s eco-friendly real estate professional, you’ll be riding the growing green wave of homebuyers who want to live in energy-efficient homes that are easy on the environment.

Consider that the American Institute of Architects recently reported that 90% of the respondents they surveyed said they would be willing to pay $5,000 or more to build or buy a house that would use less energy. This switch to green is especially noticeable among affluent buyers.

“We’re seeing a lot of demand, particularly on the high-end of the market,” said Jerry Howard, CEO of the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB).

As eager as you might be to turn green over night, think about easing into it. For instance, start shopping for a more energy-efficient car, especially if you currently chauffeur clients around in a gas-guzzler. Among the many cool gifts you give your clients, add a durable, but dressy, grocery tote to your list.

Meanwhile, give yourself a green education. For starters, go to the NAHB (http://www.nahb.org/), and under “Publications,” you’ll find a wide range of green topics on everything from lot preparation to water conservation. Also, EcoBroker International (http://www.ecobroker.com/), based in Greeley, Colorado, offers a designation program for licensed real estate professionals on energy and environmental issues, as well as strategies for capitalizing on the growing green market. Energy Star (http://www.energystar.gov/) is another rich source to mine for ideas on saving money and protecting the environment through energy-efficient products and practices.

As you become greener, you’ll become even more valuable to your clients, helping guide not only their green real estate transactions, but also their green remodeling, furnishing and decorating ideas.

When you can offer that much new value, you’ll quickly turn green into gold.

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

How to get your message heard

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 behaviour. 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), practise 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 sceptical 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 organisation who had been told to see me by his boss. He started out by saying "I’m normally sceptical of this sort of thing, but you come highly recommended." My gut feeling was that he was still highly sceptical, despite his protestation. I said "Well you should be sceptical 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 sceptical." 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 sceptical of me, he would have to be sceptical about what I was telling him ("be sceptical"), so on some level he had to consider being sceptical of his own scepticism. I know this is a bit confusing – that’s part of why it works!)

Summary

Pacing and leading is a powerful way to influence others…

1) Practice making verifiably true statements about where you are right now (Eg. I am sitting in my office, the sun is shining, it’s 2007, it’s Thursday etc)

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

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.

4) Begin to identify all the areas in your life where you can start using pacing & leading to persuade others more effectively.

All Related Topics: 3 Minute Rapport/Persuasion

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 ,

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

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.
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!

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

The Power Of Rapport

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 crops up in most sales training programs. Yet 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 (nb. Use your common sense and choose low-risk situations to practice in.)

Summary

Building rapport through mirroring is a powerful way to build a sense of trust and connection…

1) Practise mirroring the micro-behaviours of people on television (talk shows & interviews are ideal.)

2) Choose a safe situation to practise mirroring an element of someone else’s behaviour.

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
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

Quick Short Sale Tip

Dear Friends,

I wanted to share another brief short sale tip that I think will help you:

If your local Multiple Listing Service guidelines allow with regard to a "subject to third party
acceptance" sale contingency, ensure your listing remains in "active" status prior to formal
written third party acceptance.

This tactic will accomplish two things:

1) It will provide continued maximum exposure to your listing in order to generate stronger
purchase offers AND

2) It will create a listing history which can prove tantamount to building a strong value
support case in the future.

If you would like more information on Short Sales click here for my short sale tips

Are you interested in a Non-CE Short Sale Workshop tailored to your office?
Please call me or email jstanton@0downaskmehow.com

On Your Team
Jeffrey Stanton
Your Trusted Advisor For Life

PS. 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

Short Sale Tips: Dealing with the Lender

Dear Friends,

Representing a client in a short sale will require negotiating with the lender (or lenders if there is a first and second mortgage on the home) to accept a payoff less than the balance due on the loan.

As you already know the Richmond County Real Estate Institute of the Staten Island Board of Realtors will be hosting my Short Sale/ Pre-foreclosure Secrets Revealed Work Shop on Wednesday, November 28th, 2007 9:00am - 12noon.

Here is part of what you will learn on Wednesday, November 28th, 2007 at 9:00am, since the class is filing quickly (this may be your last chance, reserve your seats now) this will also help those of you who haven't called yet here are a few quick tips and items to be aware of when dealing the lender.

• Get the sellers to send a brief letter to all mortgage holders, giving them permission to speak with you. Otherwise, privacy laws will prevent them from talking to you about the loans.
  
• Ask for details of the loan by sending a loan information request letter signed by all sellers.
  
• Finding the decision maker is one of the biggest initial challenges for the short sale agent.
  
• Be sure you contact the lender’s (bank’s) loss mitigation department, which will be the group to decide whether to accept a short sale, rather than the collection or customer service department, which is only interested in recouping past due loan payments.
  
• Before the mortgage lenders will consider a short sale, they need to know financial information about the seller and why the seller cannot pay the loan. The seller will need to submit information to the lender to assist the lender in deciding whether to accept a short sale.
  
• The seller should submit a package which includes:
  W-2 forms from employers (or a letter explaining the seller is unemployed)
  bank statements
  two years of tax returns
  other financial documents with income and debt obligations
  
• The sellers should also submit a "hardship letter", explaining the circumstances that make it impossible for them to pay the full amount of the loan. The sellers must show true financial hardship before the lender will agree to a short sale.
  
• The bank will also need comps or a broker’s price opinion showing your estimate of value.
  
• Most lenders will want a broker’s price opinion or even an appraisal before you and the sellers set a price. Offer the lender comps of recent sales.
  
• When the lenders agree to accept a short sale, be sure to get the consent in writing. Once the agent and seller have made an agreement with the lender(s), the agent is ready to enter into a listing agreement with the seller and begin marketing the property.

Remember there is substantial risk and reward involved in this extremely complex and often drawn out process.

One of the fastest ways to become a short sale expert 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 attend:

LAST CHANCE
SHORT SALE Pre-Foreclosure Secrets Revealed
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
9:00am – 12:00pm
3 CE Hours (NY Only)
Special Price $30
Richmond County Real Estate Institute
Staten Island Board Of Realtors
1535 Richmond Ave, Suite 3
Staten Island, NY 10314
Attention: Debbie Learner718.979.0007
Download The Registration Form Here

Are you interested in a Non-CE Short Sale Workshop tailored to your office?
Please call me or email jstanton@jeffreysjournal.com

On Your Team
Jeffrey Stanton
Your Trusted Advisor For Life

Related Topics: The Short Sale: A Unique Selling Proposition for Real Estate Agents , My Six Short Sale Rules , SHORT SALE Pre-Foreclosure Secrets Revealed

The Short Sale: A Unique Selling Proposition for Real Estate Agents

Dear Friends,

While a short sale may be a last resort for many homeowners facing foreclosure, it also represents a great opportunity for potential home buyers and real estate investors.

As you already know the Richmond County Real Estate Institute of the Staten Island Board of Realtors will be hosting my Short Sale/ Pre-foreclosure Secrets Revealed Work Shop on Wednesday, November 28th, 2007 9:00am - 12noon.

Here is part of what you will learn on Wednesday, November 28th, 2007 at 9:00am, since the class is filing quickly, will also help those of you who haven't called soon enough to reserve your seats (there are still some seats available don't delay call now) answer a few basic questions about the substantial risk and reward involved in this extremely complex and often drawn out process.

What is a Short Sale?
A short sale is a legally−binding agreement to allow a home to be sold for less than the amount that is owed. And, while short sales are not by any means common or easy, because of increasing inventory levels and foreclosures in some parts of the country, lenders are much more eager to negotiate with borrowers who are having trouble paying their mortgages. For potential home buyers and real estate investors, a short sale also offers a great opportunity to purchase property at a significant discount.

However, don't expect a lot of help from the lender without first providing a sales contract from a qualified buyer and all the information required by the lender's loss mitigation department.

Of course, lenders are not looking to bail out "flippers" or other borrowers who simply overextended themselves. In most cases, a borrower must have suffered a serious financial hardship that directly caused him or her to default on the mortgage: the loss of a job, a serious illness, or the death of a loved one. In addition, the borrower must be at least 91−days delinquent before a lender will even discuss a short sale.

A written declaration and supporting documentation demonstrating financial hardship will definitely be required by the lender. This may include pay stubs, tax returns, and liquid asset statements, among other documentation.

Key Considerations to Keep in Mind
The lender will likely issue a 1099 to the seller for the difference between what is owed and the final amount the lender collects after the costs of the sale, including real estate commissions and possibly other charges. This means that the difference or deficiency can be considered as taxable income to the borrower. Some lenders may even attempt to get the existing homeowner to sign a note for the remaining amount due.

If there are multiple liens against the property, all lien holders will have to be involved in the negotiation process, not just the first lien holder. Therefore, communication and patience are essential components of any short sale. This is why an experienced real estate agent and mortgage professional become so valuable to this process.

When is now the time to take your business to the next level utilizing the short sale process?

Call Now to join us on Wednesday, November 28th, 2007 9:00am - 12noon. at the Richmond County Real Estate Institute of the Staten Island Board of Realtors for The Short Sale/ Pre-foreclosure Secrets Revealed workshop and Learn how we can market short sales and other foreclosure alternatives to potential buyers and sellers as a unique selling proposition that clearly separates us from the competition.

Seating Is Limited and the class is filing up fast.

SHORT SALE Pre-Foreclosure Secrets Revealed

Wednesday, November 28, 2007
9:00am – 12:00pm
3 CE Hours (NY Only)

Special Price $30

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

Download The Registration Form Here

Are you interested in a Non-CE Short Sale Workshop tailored to your office?
Please call me or email jstanton@0downaskmehow.com

Related Topics: My Six Short Sale Rules , SHORT SALE Pre-Foreclosure Secrets Revealed

On Your Team
Jeffrey Stanton
Your Trusted Advisor For Life

Thursday's 3 Minute Sales Tip: Recap

Dear Friends,

This is the week 11 recap up of our Thursday's 3 Minute Sales Tip Day. Every Thursday for the past 10 weeks I have been be shareing with you thoughtfull and insitefull sales tips from top Agents, Sales Professionals, and Consultants from arround the country.

Here is what we have learned, so far...

1. Actions Speak Louder Than Words , Make a Great Impression with the Right Body Language.

• Practicing scripts is a wonderful way to perfect what you say to clients. It's also important to study how you look when you deliver your speech. Body language can account for up to 90% of the impression you make in a conversation, and it can enhance or undermine the point you're trying to make. More...

2. Ask for Referrals , And Get the Answer You Want!

• Too often, people are frightened of asking for referrals. Is it the fear of rejection, or are they concerned about annoying their prized clients? If you're providing truly exemplary service, you shouldn't be ashamed to ask for the opportunity to provide that same service to other people your clients know! In fact, it should be the next natural step after asking a client how the service was. More...

3. Beyond the Entrepreneur , Becoming a Business Owner.

• Two fantastic sources for entrepreneurs are The E-Myth Revisited by Michael Gerber and Rich Dad's Cashflow Quadrant by Robert Kiyosaki. Gerber's book is accurately sub−titled: Why Most Small Businesses Don't Work and What to Do About It. He examines the small business and the entrepreneur, and his results are intuitive but important. More...

4. Countering Objections ,Know Why People Say No

• Not every objection can be overcome, but they can all be countered, so you should always have a rebuttal in store. If you don't have years of experience, or a trainer to guide you, you can find yourself blindsided by the most obvious objections and hesitations. More...

5. Finding Your Niche , What it Takes to Get Ahead of the Competition

• Very few individuals have the luxury of being the only professional in their marketplace offering their particular service. Competition is constantly at our heels, hoping to catapult one step ahead of us. For this reason, we must continually strive to differentiate ourselves fromany competition we may have. More...
  

6. Focus on Your Sales Strength , Learn from Your Success: Focus On Strengths Rather Than Weaknesses

• Our culture teaches us to focus on our weaknesses and then improve upon them. While practice is critical to improvement in some areas, author Benson Smith of the Gallup Organization believes it is more important to focus on your strengths. By turning your strengths into super−strengths, your valuable time can be spent in areas where you feel more comfortable. More...
  

7. Knowing When to Say No , Position Yourself to Work with High−End Clientele.

• In an effort to increase your hourly rate of pay, you must make the commitment to focus on high payoff activities. If you find you are working with too many high−maintenance customers that generate little profit, then it's time to weed these types of people out of your book of business. More...

7.5 Interview with Kathi McLean: Being Selective With Clients

• In this interview, Kathi discusses her team's very unique strategies, including:
  Why and how she focuses on high end clients and turns down potential problem clients.
  How her team is structured.
  What questions she asks clients to clearly define the target she needs to hit.
  How she uses the Internet as an integral part of her marketing efforts.
  More...
  

8. Don't Talk, Listen! , Give Prospects Your Undivided Attention

• I have found that the best conversationalists are the best listeners. The same holds true with salespeople! Review the following tips to see where you might have room for improvement. More...

9. Negotiating Like a Billionaire , Donald Trump's Do's and Dont's.

• This tip is from my friend Donald Trump's 2004 book, How to Get Rich*, Donald dedicates an entire section to the secrets of negotiation. I think you'll be amazed to know how much the dealings of a multi−billionaire relate to business at any level. Here are some of the tips he shares for successful negotiation. More...

10. Sell Yourself to Prospects, Be a Great Listener.

• No matter what type of business you are in, your prospect has the option to select from a variety of competitors within the same marketplace. You must set yourself apart from your rivals, and it all starts by having the ability to listen attentively to each and every new prospect. You must hone in on what their needs are and what their idea of great customer service is. More...

Thanks for spending the past 10 weeks with me...
The best is yet to be...

Your Trusted Advisor For Life
Jeffrey Stanton

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?

Part 10 of our 10 week Thursday's 3 Minute Sales Tip: Sell Yourself to Prospects

Dear Friends,

Here is part 10 of our 10 week Thursday's 3 Minute Sales Tip Sell Yourself to Prospects, Be a Great Listener

1. Actions Speak Louder Than Words
2. Ask for Referrals
3. Beyond the Entrepreneur
4. Countering Objections
5. Finding Your Niche
6. Focus on Your Sales Strength
7. Knowing When to Say No
8. Don't Talk, Listen!
9. Negotiating Like a Billionaire
10. Sell Yourself to Prospects

Sell Yourself to Prospects
Be a Great Listener

No matter what type of business you are in, your prospect has the option to select from a variety of competitors within the same marketplace. You must set yourself apart from your rivals, and it all starts by having the ability to listen attentively to each and every new prospect. You must hone in on what their needs are and what their idea of great customer service is.

Have you ever been interested in a product that seemed superior in every aspect, but you just didn't like the pushy salesperson? Learn from their bad example! Let your prospects do the talking, and pay attention to what they have to say. Give the prospect an opportunity to reveal their hot buttons, and provide insight regarding their likes and dislikes. Build common ground by asking them about their hobbies and special interests. Ask them about their favorite TV
shows or sports teams.

Remember the adage coined by Mike McNight: "People don't really care how much you know until they know how much you care." Your expertise will fall into play only after the foundation for building a relationship has been established.

Look for details that can spark questions. If you meet in a clients home, details will become immediately apparent. If your meet at your office, look for class or wedding rings, even clothing, that might inspire them to disclose more information about themselves.

Once you've struck a chord, you can present your product or service with more confidence. Instead of saying things like, "If you choose to do business with me," try saying something along the lines of, "When you sign the papers..." This is positive, but not overly pushy. Reiterate their hot buttons, confirming that you listened carefully to what they had to say, and you know what their end goal is. Make it clear that you wish to help them achieve that goal.

Don't be afraid to assume the sale or the next point of contact. Consider the approach your dentist takes. He doesn't ask if you'd like a check−up in six months; he has you schedule it while you're in his office! Make sure you and your staff provide exemplary service every step of the way to prove your commitment to this new client.

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

Your Trusted Advisor For Life
Jeffrey Stanton

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?

As the saying goes: “Everything old is new again”.

Good Morning,

Before today's 3 Minute Tip, I would like to take this opportunity to say that these tips are not intended as business generators for my team or myself. While we have appreciated the opportunity to work with most of you in the past and would enjoy working with you again, these updates are intended to keep us all working … period!

As you may know one of my 'Guiding Principles' or base core values is to "Lead With A Giving Hand." I will continue to do so, I will keep you informed as info is available and will pass along issues that we have seen or been through as this credit crunch situation continues to develops so that we can all be better prepared to succeed in this volatile market.

Okay, on with today’s 3 Minute Tip:

As the saying goes: “Everything old is new again”. We’ve been through this before (with over 20 years experience, how could we not!) Here’s a few things we’ve learned from our own experience or from speaking with some of your veteran peers over the last few days:

Get on the phone with your buyers!

• Give them some of the info noted below. They’re probably nervous so just hearing from you will probably make them feel better.
  
• Encourage them to call their mortgage contact person and make sure everything is moving forward
  
• Make sure that they have turned in any and all documentation. This point is especially critical if the buyer is obtaining any type of alternative financing. We’re receiving e-mails daily from our wholesale lenders telling us about programs that are being removed and establishing criteria for loans already in process but not approved or locked. If they’re missing paperwork that’s holding up approval, they may not be allowed to close under that program!

Get on the phone with your sellers!

• Again, update them on the current market conditions. Changing program availability will likely reduce the number of qualified buyers so as we move forward over the next weeks and months “priced right” homes will be the ones that sell!
  
• Do this in conjunction with your mortgage person. Sometime’s 3rd party validation helps get the seriousness of the market conditions across and will help clients make better decisions with more confidence.

All listing clients should be pre approved for their next home.

• Ask them to call their mortgage person if they are pre approved to make sure that market conditions have not changed their approval status, program options or interest rate range so that they have current information about the financing of their next home.
  
• Ask them to call your mortgage person if they are not pre approved to make sure that they have a way to move into their next home when you sell their current one! A good tip here is to ask them in an e-mail: “What time would be good for me to have Jane Smith from Wicked Good Mortgage Company call you?”. When they respond, forward the e-mail to Jane. This allows Jane to call your client even if there phone number is registered with one of the Do Not Call lists and you’re not waiting for your client to make a call. This will save you a lot of time, money and effort in marketing a property that the owner may not be financially able to move out of!
  

Your mortgage person (or their’s) should also be assisting them with a “Seller Net Worksheet” so that they are:

• Educated on their financing options and how much or how little they need to put down on their next home
  
• Prepared for price reductions (knowing that there are options that don’t require a lot of equity gives them more confidence with a lower offering price)
  
• Prepared for the harder negotiations that will most likely come in this market (they are more prepared to be reasonable if they know what they need to, realistically to net from the sale)

Get on the phone with the co-broker!

• Make sure that their listing client is all set with their financing so that doesn’t delay closing or at least there’s time to offer help or make accommodations if necessary.
  
• Make sure that their buying client is doing all that’s necessary in a very timely manner to clear any conditions on their loan pre approval or commitment letter or, again, there’s time to offer help or make accommodations in the contract.
  

IT WILL TAKE THE VERY BEST EFFORTS FROM ALL OF US TO ENSURE THAT HOME BUYERS AND SELLERS, CAN ACHIEVE THEIR GOALS.

The more we focus our energy here, the better the chance that we, all of us, endure and succeed in this market.

To our success!

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

Your Trusted Advisor For Life
Jeffrey Stanton

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?

Part 9 of our 10 week Thursday's 3 Minute Sales TipNegotiating Like a Billionaire: Donald's Do's and Dont's

Dear Friends,

Here is part 9 of our 10 week Thursday's 3 Minute Sales Tip Negotiating Like a Billionaire: Donald's Do's and Dont's

1. Actions Speak Louder Than Words
2. Ask for Referrals
3. Beyond the Entrepreneur
4. Countering Objections
5. Finding Your Niche
6. Focus on Your Sales Strength
7. Knowing When to Say No
8. Don't Talk, Listen!
9. Negotiating Like a Billionaire
10. Sell Yourself to Prospects

Negotiating Like a Billionaire
Donald's Do's and Dont's

This tip is from my friend Donald Trump's 2004 book, How to Get Rich*, Donald dedicates an entire section to the secrets of negotiation. I think you'll be amazed to know how much the dealings of a multi−billionaire relate to business at any level.

Here are some of the tips he shares for successful negotiation:

Consider What the Other Side Wants.
If you remain too focused on what you want, you'll miss which concessions you can make that might satisfy the other side.

Be Reasonable and Flexible.
Unless you are never going to be negotiating again, it will hurt you in the long run if you show an unwillingness to bend. The word will eventually get out, and no one will want to work with you.

Trust Your Instincts.
If it sounds too good to be to true, it probably is. Don't let the same brain that struggles with long division be the only decision−maker. Trust your gut!

Know Exactly What You Want and Keep It to Yourself.
Chess masters know they've lost the game when their opponent can see their true attack coming. In other words, as soon as the other side knows what you want, they have you by the throat.

Let Your Guard Down, but Only on Purpose.
Let out some facts or opinions to "test the waters." See if people are agreeable or disagreeable, in order to gauge what they're thinking and feeling.

Be Patient.
Stubbornness is not the same as patience. Don't let your impatience overrun the deal itself. Be willing to wait for the right conditions to be met.


Be True to Your Friends.
Be loyal, be kind, and believe that both sides can come out winners.

See you next Thursday for tip 10. Sell Yourself to Prospects

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

Your Trusted Advisor For Life
Jeffrey Stanton

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?


*How To Get Rich, by Donald Trump and Meredith McIver, © 2004, Random House, Inc.

Part 8 of our 10 week Thursday's 3 Minute Sales Tip Don't Talk, Listen!: Give Prospects Your Undivided Attention

Dear Friends,

Here is part 8 of our 10 week Thursday's 3 Minute Sales Don't Talk, Listen!: Give Prospects Your Undivided Attention

1. Actions Speak Louder Than Words
2. Ask for Referrals
3. Beyond the Entrepreneur
4. Countering Objections
5. Finding Your Niche
6. Focus on Your Sales Strength
7. Knowing When to Say No
8. Don't Talk, Listen!
9. Negotiating Like a Billionaire
10. Sell Yourself to Prospects

Don't Talk, Listen!
Give Prospects Your Undivided Attention

I have found that the best conversationalists are the best listeners. The same holds true with salespeople! Review the following tips to see where you might have room for improvement.

• Maintain eye contact.
  This does more than show the person you're interested; it helps you to concentrate
  on what they say.
  
• Ask relevant questions.
  Do you assume you understand, or do you make sure by asking questions that confirm statements?
  
• Avoid distractions.
  Rearrange your seating if the sun is in your eyes. If it's too noisy in a room, do what you can to cut down on distractions. This includes turning off your cell phone. Don't divide your attention.
  
• Take notes.
  You can't remember everything! Carry a pad and pen with you wherever you go. However, don't spend the entire conversation looking down at your notes. Learn to write and look them in the eye at the same time.
  
• Don't try to multitask.
  While you might think it's a time−saver to finish up one task while someone is talking, they will feel completely neglected. Maybe you won't miss a single word, but their confidence in you will be shot.
  
• Really listen to what they are saying.
  Use this as an opportunity to get to know your clients on a more personal level. Resist the temptation to talk about yourself, and turn the focus on them instead. Pick up on little clues they reveal about themselves,such as a family situation, favorite sports teams, financial investment strategy, etc.

Ask someone close to you to rate your listening skills. Listen carefully to the feedback you receive − you might be surprised by what you hear!

See you next Thursday for tip 9. Negotiating Like a Billionaire

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

Your Trusted Advisor For Life
Jeffrey Stanton

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?

Interview with Kathi McLean: Being Selective With Clients

Dear Friends,

I recently had the pleasure of meeting Kathi McLean and shareing with you her sales tip Knowing When to Say No: Position Yourself to Work with High−End Clientele. Kathi is known nationally as one of the top-producing Real Estate professionals dealing in high net worth properties. She is the previous director of Coldwell Banker Real Estate in Westlake Village, CA. She and her husband, Bob McLean, specialize in properties with a value of $1 million or more. Over the last 4 consecutive years, as a team, they have averaged $40 million in Real Estate sold per year.

In this interview, Kathi discusses her team's very unique strategies, including:

• Why and how she focuses on high end clients and turns down potential problem clients.
• How her team is structured.
• What questions she asks clients to clearly define the target she needs to hit.
• How she uses the Internet as an integral part of her marketing efforts.

Play Interview:

If you would like to obtain a FREE CD copy of this Interview please click:
Send Me The FREE CD

Kathi takes a very unique approach to doing her job. She is a great marketer, a fantastic negotiator, and an expert at controlling her clients and conducting her business at a very high level.

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

Your Trusted Advisor For Life
Jeffrey Stanton

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?

Here is part 7 of our 10 week Thursday's 3 Minute Sales Tip

Dear Friends,

Here is part 7 of our 10 week Thursday's 3 Minute Sales Tip Knowing When to Say No: Position Yourself to Work with High−End Clientele

1. Actions Speak Louder Than Words
2. Ask for Referrals
3. Beyond the Entrepreneur
4. Countering Objections
5. Finding Your Niche
6. Focus on Your Sales Strength
7. Knowing When to Say No
8. Don't Talk, Listen!
9. Negotiating Like a Billionaire
10. Sell Yourself to Prospects

Knowing When to Say No
Position Yourself to Work with High−End Clientele

In an effort to increase your hourly rate of pay, you must make the commitment to focus on high payoff activities. If you find you are working with too many high−maintenance customers that generate little profit, then it's time to weed these types of people out of your book of business.

This is the approach that superstar Realtor®* Kathi McLean of REMAX® Olson &Associates, took when she realized she was spinning her wheels with too many customers who drained her of her time and energy, with little financial gain. Kathi concluded that her business could only improve by turning down people that fit this profile.

Kathi and her husband Bob McLean started to take a more selective approach.
They began refusing to work with people who were disrespectful or had a negative attitude. By choosing to work with quality clientele, they saw a distinct difference in both their income and time management capability in just six months.

The McLeans compare their scenario to the business models of restaurants recognized for fine dining. For example, if you fail to make reservations at the exclusive Château d' Fancy in Beverly Hills, they certainly aren't going to set up a card table in the alley for you. As much as they want your business, they still insist that you comply with their business model: Make the reservation, and savor the dining experience.

On the other end of the spectrum there are fast food joints begging for your business! You can eat inside, outside, or even in your car. Your children can play on their playgrounds, and if you buy certain products you'll get a prize, a toy, or even a coupon for more food! They'll do just about anything to get you in the door. Which type of restaurant do you have more respect for? More importantly, where would you rather work with if given a choice?

Take the time to sit down and analyze where the majority of your time is spent. Which customers take the most time with the least amount of payoff? Conversely, who are the easiest people to work with, yet generate the greatest financial return? From there, define your business model and commit to working with people who make your production numbers soar!

See you next Thursday for tip 8. Don't Talk, Listen!

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

Your Trusted Advisor For Life
Jeffrey Stanton

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?

Thursday is 3 Minute Sales Tip Day - Part 6: Learn from Your Success: Focus On Strengths Rather Than Weaknesses

Dear Friends,

Last weeks sales tip was a Finding Your Niche i hope that you found the value in it.

Here is part 6 of our 10 week Thursday's 3 Minute Sales Tip Learn from Your Success: Focus On Strengths Rather Than Weaknesses

1. Actions Speak Louder Than Words
2. Ask for Referrals
3. Beyond the Entrepreneur
4. Countering Objections
5. Finding Your Niche
6. Focus on Your Sales Strength
7. Knowing When to Say No
8. Don't Talk, Listen!
9. Negotiating Like a Billionaire
10. Sell Yourself to Prospects

Learn from Your Success
Focus On Strengths Rather Than Weaknesses

Our culture teaches us to focus on our weaknesses and then improve upon them. While practice is critical to improvement in some areas, author Benson Smith of the Gallup Organization believes it is more important to focus on your strengths. By turning your strengths into super−strengths, your valuable time can be spent in areas where you feel more comfortable.

Over the course of 40 years, the Gallup Organization studied 250,000 sales representatives and 25,000 managers. The results were published in the best−selling book, Discover Your Sales Strengths: How the World's Greatest Sales People Develop Winning Careers.

According to Smith, "You do learn from your failures, but you learn an awful lot more from your successes." For the same reason, weuse the phrase, "Keep your eye on the ball," rather than "Keep your eye on the strike zone." By focusing your attention on the ball, you greatly improve your chances of hitting it.

The bottom line is there are more ways to do something wrong than solutions to do it right. When success is achieved, the sales person must recognize the techniques that brought out his/her best qualities and use them as a foundation for a business model.

Consider some of these questions as you plan new sales strategies:

• Am I more comfortable in front of a group, or am I better one−on−one?
• Am I a better communicator verbally or in writing?
• Am I a better communicator on the phone or in person?
• Which makes me feel more pressured: prospects who just saw an ad and responded to it, or referrals who expect more?
• Are my presentations well−received when I work as part of a team, or do I get a better response from my audience when I'm presenting alone?

There are infinite ways to highlight your strengths once you stop focusing on your weaknesses. By defining your sales strengths and gearing your marketing efforts toward those assets, you can build a dynamic business model.

Always begin with this objective in mind: Building a turnkey system for success!

See you next Thursday for tip 7. Knowing When to Say No

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

Your Trusted Advisor For Life
Jeffrey Stanton

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?

Here is part 5 of our 10 week Thursday's 3 Minute Sales Tip Finding Your Niche: What it Takes to Get Ahead of the Competition

Dear Friends,

Last weeks sales tip was Countering Objections: Know Why People Say No

Here is part 5 of our 10 week Thursday's 3 Minute Sales Tip Finding Your Niche: What it Takes to Get Ahead of the Competition

1. Actions Speak Louder Than Words
2. Ask for Referrals
3. Beyond the Entrepreneur
4. Countering Objections
5. Finding Your Niche
6. Focus on Your Sales Strength
7. Knowing When to Say No
8. Don't Talk, Listen!
9. Negotiating Like a Billionaire
10. Sell Yourself to Prospects
Finding Your Niche
What it Takes to Get Ahead of the Competition


Very few individuals have the luxury of being the only professional in their marketplace offering their particular service. Competition is constantly at our heels, hoping to catapult one step ahead of us. For this reason, we must continually strive to differentiate ourselves from
any competition we may have.

Dan Sullivan, President of The Strategic Coach Inc. and co−author of The Great Crossover, provides a solution. According to Sullivan, if you wish to remain in the upper echelon of your profession you must "...disregard your own commodity and focus on deepening the power
and possibility of all your relationships."*

This means that no matter how much better your business model may be, you cannot assume that the rest of the world will beat a path to your door. Your product or service needs to encompass more than that; it needs to be a positive and unforgettable experience.

Why do children love McDonald's®?
Are their palates predisposed to the flavor of one fast−food restaurant over another?
The answer is probably no. Instead, they crave the McDonald's experience, which includes the colorful decor, and a predictably familiar setting regardless of which worldwide location their parents take them to. They want the playground they've come to expect and the free toy they will expect to find in their Happy Meal®.* This is all a part of the experience McDonald's has built into their marketing plan.

How can you make customers fall in love with your business? Do you have untapped opportunities to pamper or serve them? Envision what you could do to win the hearts of your clients, and focus on your real commodity.

So strive for 100% customer satisfaction and remain informed of new technologies and ideas that will improve the way you do business.

I hope to become your ally in this respect by helping you provide excellent service to your clients.

See you next Thursday for tip 6. Focus on Your Sales Strength

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The best is yet to be!

Your Trusted Advisor For Life.
Jeffrey Stanton

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?