[[Crm notes: OK, I’m not gonna give a green light to Infusionsoft, not yet. I HAAAATE the interface. But… there are triggers & action sequences that do a lot. It might be the real deal. This said, especially since they are ditching or have ditched most of their upfront fees.]]
So we’re smack dab in the middle of july. 5.5 months left in this year.
How’s it going?
Making enough? Was talking to Tim and Alexis McGee the other day. They tell me that loads of Realtors are not chasing dreams and in are survival mode. But, that they don’t wanna leave the business that’s not making enough anymore.
Look, 5.5 months are left. 165 days. 120 workdays. Tick Tock.
Time is the enemy right now. And not go go all Purcell and Brady on you, but is it gonna be EASIER, EVER to build wealth than it is today? Tick Tock.
How many closings have you had? If you double it, is it enough? If it’s not, what will you do differently to get more business in the door? Tick Tock.
Most of the industry, like it or not, makes it harder to do deals past Thanksgiving. There are 137 days till then. And only 106 work days, based on a 5.5 day workweek. Tick Tock.
Now, I’m saying this because we gotta be cognizant every day that it’s go time. Time is finite. It’s every one’s tendency to spend some time, “planning to get ready.” Tick Tock.
Now is ready time.
Every month has an excuse not to do jack in real estate sales:
- January- “All my clients Just got over the holidays.”
- February- “All my clients Waiting for the spring rush.” (Deus ex machina).
- March- “All my clients are getting their houses ready. Mmm doggie, summer’s gonna RAWK!”
- April- “All my clients are waiting for summer.”
- May- “All my clients are priced too high.”
- June- “All my clients are expecting a deal that just doesn’t exist.”
- July= “All my clients are on vactation.”
- August= “None of my clients want to take their kids out in the middle of a school year.”
- September- “You can’t get ahold of anyone around labor day.”
- October- “This fall is unseasonably cold.”
- November- “My clients are getting ready for the holidays,”
- December- “Who sells in December,”
Get it? Alec Baldwin’s moment of GLORY talks about this. (Jump, Jeff Brown, to 5:55 for the punchline). We’re half way through. Not time to rejigger your systems. Not time to reinvent stuff. If you’re not selling, bang the damn phones. Bang on doors. Network. Give of yourself.
One thing that I realize–as I went through the meat grinder of the IRS is this: I’m not yet wealthy because I haven’t rendered enough valuable stuff to other people. Boom. That’s it. That’s the only reason why I was subject to the caprices of the IRS, that’s why I’m 33 and have a negative net worth. Serve others, and they pay you. Keep the money and it becomes a fortress against whatever. My success this year (a trending right mixed bag) has been because of my dedication to help out, pitch in and give stuff to good people. I ain’t perfect, we all know that. Nobody is but the Nazarene makes that claim.
That puts me at the punch line: you’re halfway through the year. Have you given enough of your expertise? Have you given enough knowledge? Have you locked the right rates, and told the full truth? I am not yet there, but I’m closer than last year. I’m getting somewhere.
My numbers this year will have to improve second half by about 25% for me to be content. That starts with being always cognizant of what kinda time we have. We don’t want to be like Napoleon & get slaughtered by General Decmeber, January or February. We don’t want to rationalize a bad finish with a ‘we’ll get ’em next year.’
Time to bang some phones and sell some blogs. Tick Tock.
Brian Brady says:
“I’m not yet wealthy because I haven’t rendered enough valuable stuff to other people.”
Change the thirteenth word to “enough”.
By the way, let me publicly tell you that I enjoyed “F^#$ Therapy” immensely.
July 12, 2009 — 7:37 pm
Chris Johnson says:
Fine fine fine. You get the gist though. I’m not beating myself up, it’s a mere statement of fact. I’ll get there really damn soon.
For those of you that do what brian asks? http://ftherapybook.com
July 12, 2009 — 7:44 pm
Jeff Brown says:
Always loved that punch line. 🙂
Bangin’ the phones never fails — without exception.
July 12, 2009 — 8:14 pm
Benjamin Ficker says:
The three guys I love to read the most about my new favorite subject, eloquently: Bangin’ the phones, are the first three comments. Perfect.
You guys never fail to get me to kick my my own ass and pick up the phone. I’ve made more lead producing relationships in the last 2 weeks then I did in the last 2 years. Thanks for that.
July 13, 2009 — 2:46 am
Sean Purcell says:
Another homer Chris. Like Benjamin said, you always force me to take a look at myself. You and Jeff are getting damn tough to read. 🙂
RE Infusionsoft. We tried it out here and were very disappointed. Looked like the real point was to upsell us to the $4000 mortgage broker’s version. Not spending $4000 on a CRM, I don’t care if it wipes my bum.
Are you running into problems with a robust implementation? It didn’t seem to do a lot of basic stuff: HTML, calender sharing, smooth (easy) interface with database, etc. Maybe more suited to information marketers… Looking forward to hearing your progress reports.
July 13, 2009 — 10:03 am
Chris Johnson says:
Yeah, it works for me–so far. I don’t love it, but I’m using it; which is different than the other CRMS that I loved & didn’t use.
July 13, 2009 — 10:29 am
Daphne Lacey says:
Thanks for the reminder to “bang the phones”, every once in a while I need that little kick to make myself pick up the phone.
July 13, 2009 — 12:25 pm
Don Reedy says:
Chris,
Just a simple thanks for pulling back on the stick, righting the plane, and helping us see that you can’t land unless you first fly.
July 13, 2009 — 2:21 pm
David Losh says:
Let me help. Banks, lenders, and investors will get creamed this year without a new infusion of cash. I didn’t read where your market place is but it makes no difference. There is cash in the market place that is just sitting.
Interest income from lending may be gone for a while but rental income may get better than a 4% to 6% return on an all cash transaction. The buy in will need to be at rental income value.
A bank may want to unload questionable properties this year also. If you had a contractor base to offer lenders a solution you may get more salable listings than you ever imagined.
We have been here before. This is Real Estate. If it’s a buyers market be the one making extremely low offers for your buyers.
Check tax data for people who have owned more than one property for more than twenty years, or ten, or five. If they need to unload this will be the last chance. Sell now or hold forever.
July 13, 2009 — 5:45 pm