Whatever you are doing right now will affect your business in 90 days. If you are busy prospecting two hours a day, you will have fantastic results in 90 days. If you are busy with paperwork and allowing it to consume all your time, then 90 days from now you are going to be in the doldrums because nothing is happening. Isn’t that great information to know?

Agents often ask me, “What is the challenge? Why aren’t things happening for me?” I have applied this rule to my response, “What were you doing 90 days ago?” It sure makes you think. It opens your eyes and makes you realize the importance of what you do today.

For additional information and guidance on this topic we have posted an article on our website entitled “90 Day Advance to Success” for you to review.

Commitment for the Week:

Show us your comitment by commenting with your thoughts, plan and deadline below!

Make A Commitment: I will prospect daily and keep in touch with my past clients and sphere of influence.
Deadline: _________

Bob Corcoran

As a real estate agent and small business owner, chances are you do not have a huge promotion budget. Here are a few ideas for staying in touch with existing clients who will not break your budget. The tools we are going to describe are newsletters, brochures, thank-you notes and satisfaction questionnaires.

In a document entitled “Keep Those Customers Coming Back!,” the Better Business Bureau stated businesses will spend roughly five times more to obtain a new customer than they would to keep an existing one. And yet when many small business owners think of customer communication, they are thinking of reaching new customers and potential clients. They are wondering how to increase traffic to their website, or how to make the phone ring with new business.

Here is a statistic to think about: according to Businesstown.com, if you currently retain 70% of your customers and begin a program to improve that to 80%, you will add an additional 10% to your growth rate. By taking care of the clients you already have, you increase the chances of repeat business, add-on sales and referrals.

For additional information and guidance on this topic we have posted an article on our website entitled “Tips for Staying in Touch without Spending a Fortune” for you to review.

Commitment for the Week:

Show us your commitment by commenting with your thoughts, plan and deadline below!

Make A Commitment: I will implement at least one of these ideas and track my results.
Deadline: _________

Bob Corcoran

“Obstacles are those frightful things you see when you take your eyes off your goal.”
Henry Ford

Can you believe it? Another year has passed. Time flies when you’re having fun! Now is the month that’s a peak in our lives where we can view the past and be hopeful for the future. I know that given the market, you may not have had your best year (although some of my clients have).

If this year was mediocre, take time to write down why and learn from your answers. Then focus on next year. Use these five tips to get a great jump start:

For additional information and guidance on this topic we have posted an article on our website entitled “5 Ways to Jump Start Your Year” for you to review.

Commitment for the Week:

Show us your comitment by commenting with your thoughts, plan and deadline below!

Make A Commitment: I will remember this - It’s a good thing to be busy in real estate!
Deadline: _________

Bob Corcoran

 Creating a powerful plan to capture baby boomers

Here’s a statistic that can solidify your job security as an agent for the next 20 years - 8,000 people a day, in the United States, are now turning 60 years old. I’ll give you a minute to wipe the drool off your chin. Those 8,000 people a day represent the front end of the baby boomer generation. They are the largest generation in U.S. history, 76 million strong between the ages of 42 and 60. These are numbers big enough to launch your business into the stratosphere of success, if you play the marketing cards right.

Playing your cards intelligently means starting with a plan. Do you have one to capture this mouth-watering market? If not, you’ll be missing out on a large real estate cash pot. Click here to see 3 awesome tips on capturing the “Boomer Market”

For additional information and guidance on this topic we have posted an article on our website entitled “Turning Gray into Green” for you to review.

Commitment for the Week:

Show us your comitment by commenting with your thoughts, plan and deadline below!

Make A Commitment: I will develop and follow a marketing plan.
Deadline: _________

Bob Corcoran

Here’s the scenario - you’re checking the MLS hot sheet for expired listings…it’s a good day. There are more than 30 results showing up. You grab the phone and start dialing for dollars. It’s a scene in thousands of real estate offices every day. It’s also one of the biggest time wasters in an agent’s life. Yes, you read that right, it’s one of the biggest time wasters you can do.

I have nothing against expired listings. In fact, expired listings are a perfect target for agents because these are people who’ve proven that they want to sell and move. Actually, I believe if you approach expired listings the right way, you can make a darn good living on them and them alone.

The problem is timing. Take careful note here, most agents are picking the fruit before it’s ripe. Repeat after me, “I will pick no fruit before its time.” What happens when you join hundreds of your fellow agents all jumping at and reaching for the same apple? You get trampled. You get frustrated. You get lost in the crowd.

Here is a statistic for you to nibble on; a newly expired listing gets anywhere from 15 to 25 calls from agents a day when it first expires. A bunch of agents jumping, reaching and clawing for one apple that’s not ready to be picked or enjoyed…yet. Consider the homeowners whose listing has just expired. First, because their home didn’t sell, agents are likely not at the top of their “I love” list. They have that bad sour apple taste in their mouth. They’re upset. Most important, they didn’t get what they desperately wanted. It is a time when emotions run high. Here is the secret to making a living with expired listings, WAIT! Wait and let the fruit ripen before you start picking. Let homeowners get their bearings back. Let the wound heal.

For additional information and guidance on this topic we have posted an article on our website entitled “Picking the Ripe Apple” for you to review.

Commitment for the Week:

Show us your commitment by commenting with your thoughts, plan and deadline below!

Make A Commitment: I will be patient when following up with Expired listings.
Deadline: _________

Bob Corcoran

Nothing endures but change.”
Heraclitus Bubble, schmubble. There’s been a lot of gabbing about a real estate bubble. Yes, the market has cooled. Yes, interest rates have risen, but honestly, I don’t see a bubble. What I do see is a leveling in the market with a shift from a seller’s market to a buyer’s market. If we look at this change in context - the last two years have been scorching - a cooling is natural. Nevertheless, it is a change and to stay warm in a cooling market, you must adjust to keep revenue flowing. Here are some tips to do just that.

Yes, change can be tough. But if you stay focused, concentrate on the basics and stay informed on the market, you can weather the storm. Stay FOCUSED! Best of luck to you and stay warm!

For additional information and guidance on this topic we have posted an article on our website entitled “Staying Warm in a Cooling Market” for you to review.

Commitment for the Week:

Show us your comitment by commenting with your thoughts, plan and deadline below!

Make A Commitment: I will stay focused, informed, and concentrate on the basics!
Deadline: _________

Bob Corcoran

While this is a great time to do your business planning for next year, there are some other important ways you can tweak your personal operating system to bring success to you with less effort. Shift some attention from working on the “what” to working on the “whom” you are going to be next year and you will tap into a natural flow of attracting what you want!

For additional information and guidance on this topic we have posted an article on our website entitled “10 Tips to Create Your Best Year Ever” for you to review.

Commitment for the Week:

Show us your commitment by commenting with your thoughts, plan and deadline below!

Make A Commitment: I will plan my work and work my plan!
Deadline: _________

Bob Corcoran

No pessimist ever discovered the secret of the stars, or sailed to an uncharted land, or opened a new doorway for the human spirit.” -Helen Keller

Chances are good that if you’re reading this, given the title, you are not feeling positive about today’s real estate market. Well, let me relieve some stress. The market has been abnormally strong over the last four years, so the market is not a down market, it’s a traditional market. Anyone who’s been in real estate more than four years knows this. The market is doing what it does naturally; it’s adjusting itself.

Stop fretting about the market. If you are not as busy as you want to be, then go over to the phone and start making calls. Before you pick up that receiver, here are five things to do:

I’ll leave you with this thought - we are all given the same opportunities in this life, and what you do with them is entirely up to you. Ponder for a moment what you will do.

For additional information and guidance on this topic we have posted an article on our website entitled “Keeping Positive in a Slowing Market” for you to review.

Commitment for the Week:

Show us your comitment by commenting with your thoughts, plan and deadline below!

Make A Commitment: I will stay positive and choose to be happy!
Deadline: _________

Bob Corcoran

Some boundary invasion is very clear. Other forms are subtle enough that we may not recognize them for what they are and wonder why we feel irritated when they occur, or if we even have the right to feel irritated. All of the behaviors below involve boundary invasion, if they happen habitually.

Incidentally, you may want to use this list to check on yourself, too. Many boundary invaders are quite unaware of what they are doing.

For additional information and guidance on this topic we have posted an article on our website entitled “Ways That People Invade Your Boundaries” for you to review.

Commitment for the Week:

Show us your comitment by commenting with your thoughts, plan and deadline below!

Make A Commitment: I will review my boundaries and make the appropriate changes.
Deadline: _________

Bob Corcoran

Does your job or business demand that you be accessible 24/7? In an era of ubiquitous cell phones, pagers, Blackberrys and WiFi internet access, it is easy to keep in touch with the office from anywhere. No doubt, many of you find that this is a mixed blessing at best.

While technology gives increased mobility and connectivity, it can also erode the boundary between your professional and personal life. That’s why it is increasingly more important to set reasonable boundaries and stick to them. For most of us there is a constant pressure to work longer, implement more marketing, or get that report in early. It is not easy to draw a line and say things like “I am leaving on time, and the world will not end if I don’t finish “x” by 5:00pm.”

Though we all value hard work and realize putting in long hours sometimes comes with the territory, if you are unable to set reasonable limits on your job’s time demands, you’re risking a lot. When your health and/or family life begins to suffer, it is not only going to diminish your quality of life, it will also reduce your productivity on the job.

For additional information and guidance on this topic we have posted an article on our website entitled “Setting Work and Life Boundaries” for you to review.

Commitment for the Week:

Show us your commitment by commenting with your thoughts, plan and deadline below!

Make A Commitment: I will learn from my mistakes.
Deadline: _________

Bob Corcoran