Tony & Darcy - The C Team's Blog

Watching the ESPN News channel I was shocked to see that the Denver Broncos of the NFL fired their long time coach Mike Shanahan.  I know that this isn't breaking news or anything.  It is odd that a two time Superbowl winner gets fired from that team.  I guess that Mike Shanahan knows what Don Shula and Tom Landry went through.

It is odd that he was fired in a season where he was .500 coach, usually it takes a losing season, unless you're the Jets coach.  What does this have to do with Real Estate?  We are in a what have you done for me lately business.  I am sure that most of us have past clients that thought that we were wonderful.  But the reality of the situation is that if we don't maintain that relationship with our past clients, they won't use us again

The NAR has a bunch of statistics that illustrate that fact.  We can't get comfortable with our business relationships, at least to the point that we don't keep in touch with our past clients.  The client isn't the one responsible to keep this relationship going, it is ours!  With the way that most of the markets are going, to neglect our past clients is career suicide!

We use a newsletter, both emailed and snailmailed, cards calls, emails whatever we can think of.  I am sure that we could improve our efforts, but you get the idea.  Make client retention part of your New Years Business Plan!  Have a great week!

Still here, I have read a lot of Dick Marcinko's books, he is also known as the Rogue Warrior.  A former US Navy Seal, he has written several action novels, and some non fiction books.  In his books he often states that he loves pain, that way he knows that he is alive.  I understand what he meant, I have spent several hours each of the last couple of days painting the house. 

I don't ever remember having these muscles that hurt so much tonight.  I know another thing, I am not 20 nor even 30 any more.  Misuse of oft unused muscles hurt more and for a longer period of time.  That brings me to my point tonight; I am hoping to use the pain that I feel right now in my body to help me keep at least one of my resolutions in 2009.  I am going to get into better physical shape.  I believe that success in this area will help me keep all of my resolutions.

I have been setting up some exercise and diet ideas in my mind, and I will sit down and write down the specifics sometime tomorrow, and Thursday at the latest.  I am notorious for setting lofty goals or resolutions and making them last until Valentine's Day at best, not this time.  I am planning to set lofty goals, some sub set goals to help me achieve those goals and this time, I am using the physical pain that I am feeling to motivate myself.

I honestly believe that there are certain areas where goals should be set.  I believe that everyone should set personal growth goals, business success goals, educational goals, family goals, and spiritual goals.  I am sure that I have forgotten an area of goals that someone else think are as important as my top 5.  That's ok, I believe that goals and values are specific to the individual or group that makes them. 

My main point to all of this is; that this year has taught us that you need to have goals and work hard to achieve them to be successful.  Going with the flow is no longer an option.  We must find something that is going to be our motivation to make sure that we succeed in our efforts.  Me, I am going to use the pain that I have felt the past couple of nights to remind me that I need to keep after myself to succeed.  I hope that everyone has a safe and fun New Years celebration, more importantly, a successful 2009!

I learned an important lesson this morning.  Darcy had surgery last Tuesday, so I have been trying (mostly in vain) to take care of her like she normally takes care of me.  Did I mention that I have a great wife?  I am amazed at all the things that she does in the course of her daily routine.  I used to think that I helped out a lot, now I know better!  One of the things that we have been trying to accomplish is painting the inside of the house.

We had some drywall repairs done a few weeks ago, and thought that it would be the perfect time to go through the entire house with paint and freshen it up.  I went this morning to our big box home improvement store to get paint.  We had picked colors and set a budget.  Things are tight, so we didn't want to spend all of our budget on paint alone.  I had thought that we could get the basic contractor paint and have it tinted to the colors that we wanted.

I didn't realize that the little color samples in the display are copyrighted in any way.  I am pretty sure that when Darcy managed properties this same chain tinted the cheap paint with the mid grade paint colors, but this is a new store.  Instead of really offering me another solution, the person helping me wanted to sell me the more expensive paint at nearly double what we had hoped to spend on the paint the house.

We have used the cheap stuff on rental units, and to be honest, it is good paint.  It covers well and stands up to the abuse of rentals pretty well.  I know, I used to do the painting for Darcy, and we tried the entire spectrum of paints and the cheap stuff isn't all that different from the really pricey stuff.  Anyway to make a long story short.  I decided that I would just search out what colors that they would tint the cheap paint with and found some that were really close to what we had originally picked.

The point is, I would have been much more satisfied and thought better of the employee if he had taken the few seconds to suggest that to me.  I thought of my own business, am I professional enough to have any alternative stored in my memory of the inventory of homes available?  Do I have another financing option on the tip of my tongue?  I really don't think that it takes that much effort to be ready in cases like this.

I also realize that many of the employees aren't trained at each part of the store that they may be required to work, so I may be comparing apples to oranges, but the basic premise is the same.  Treat the customer with respect and professionalism and they will remember it.  They will remember when you don't also, but they are much more likely to refer someone to the former than they are to the latter!

How do you react to bad news from a client or a prospect?  To me, it is an interesting question.  I remember that my mom used to say: "hurt or fool me once, shame on you, hurt or fool me twice shame on me!"  That isn't always great advice for a business owner. 

The whole idea came to me early this morning when I stepped on our black lab during a bathroom run in the dark.  She yelped and ran, but a couple of hours later, she realized that I was sorry and that I wouldn't hurt her intentionally.  So she is smiling and happy to have me give her a treat and scratch behind her ears.

I sometimes think that is somewhat the way that we need to be.  I am not saying that we should let everyone walk on us.  What I am saying is that when a client unknowingly do something that costs us business, like listing with someone that makes a lot of foolish promises, or something like that.  When they contact us, and they usually do, we need to act like my lab and smile and rush to help them.

This person, may not have known that there is a difference in Real Estate Agents, and gone with Joe Flash, and not a real professional.  It is up to us to educate and help them.  There is no room to harbor ill will toward the client, just smile and move on. 

I hope that everyone has a great Week!

I have finally finished reading Shift, by Gary Keller.  What a great book!  It should be required reading for every Realtor in this or any market!  I loved it!  Great information in a easy to read format.  One saying that struck me today was where he says: "Act Your Wage."  What a great statement!

He points out that when you set your income goals to make sure to do what it takes to get to that wage.  Average wage earners are average workers, good wage earners will be good workers.  The challenge is to dream a great wage then act upon that.  It is hard work, but if you're going to be great, you have to act like a great wage earner.  Those that are exceptional wage earners do exceptional things to achieve it.

Anyway, I am sure that once I sit down and think about it, I will have more topics to discuss from this very good book!  Have a Great Weekend!