ADvantage Solutions
Newsletter

Volume 4,  No. 7 & 7.5

Published Monthly by Joeann Fossland, GRI, LTG

Coaching High Achievers For Success In The Game of Life

(520)744-8731 email: Joeann@joeann.com (800)597-4196 fax

ADvantage Solutions, LLC    PO Box 133 Cortaro, AZ 85652

To subscribe to this newsletter

 

Welcome ADVANTAGE Solutions eNews
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A free ,100% opt-in, bi-monthly e-newsletter of tips, learning opportunities and resources   you can use immediately to increase your personal and professional effectiveness & your bottom line.


Welcome to our new readers and thank you if you have forwarded
this to your friends and colleagues. 

ADVANTAGE CONTENTS

 

The FAST Advantage

Joeann’s Monthly Message

The SIMPLE LIVING Advantage:  Living in the Moment

The TECH Advantage:  Tips and Resources

The DISTINCTION OF THE MONTH:  Self Generate VS Self Motivate

The HEALTH Advantage

The SKILLS Advantage:                    

THE REAL ESTATE GAMES!

ADVANTAGE THINKING: Put Your Clients Into The Picture!

The INSPIRATION Advantage: Some Borrowed Wisdom!

 

The FAST Advantage 

 

The masters of life have a knack for turning little things into miracles
that take them to greater heights than they could have imagined.
Awareness and appreciation of life’s little gifts is the first step experiencing the flow of life where the effortlessness happens.
I often start the daily Real Estate Game by asking for someone to share a win they had the day before. It is so easy to anchor ourselves in what we DON’T have, in what is missing, in what we want and don’t have yet and in that the gap is between where we are and where we want to be. Most of us don’t take time daily to be grateful to be EXACTLY where we are and realize it is actually the key to where you are going next!
The magic in life often happens  by noticing and appreciating the little things.

 

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Joeann's Message
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I taught a GRI class last week 400 miles from home in Bullhead City AZ. After the 8 hr. class, I had a long drive home, so I was whizzing by at a pretty fast clip, south of Needles,  when I passed a sign that said Mystic Honey. My husband, Bub, loves honey in his coffee and I seldom bring him presents from my trips on the road…
A little voice in my head commanded me to turn the car around and go back and buy him some honey as a present. I had to retrace the couple of miles I had traveled before my reflexes listened to the voice in my head and I soon found a small travel trailer parked on the side of the road next to the sign. The door was opened and it said “self-serve” honey. My first thought was,
”Oh, no, I don’t have a container to put this honey in.” But it wasn’t needed;  the self-serve only meant nobody was there. The shelf inside the trailer had about 25 containers of honey in all different sizes with a big price list posted next to it. At the bottom of the price list, it said “deposit your money in the upper right cabinet”. Looking to my right I saw a cabinet with a slit in it and a lock.
It took me a few minutes to take all of this in.
How could they just leave this by the side of the road and trust that only honest people  would stop and leave their money? But, I made my choice and picked the largest 12 lb container and slid my $13 through the slit in the cabinet. Bub would be happy!  

About 200 miles further down the road, after it had gotten dark, I had taken a cutoff from I-10 to I-8 to avoid going through Phoenix traffic. It was a good straight 2 lane road with not many cars. I was tired and anxious to get home and my little 300ZX Nissan has a tendency to go fast when those are my circumstances. Looking in my rearview mirror, I saw the dreaded flashing red and blue lights of the Highway Patrol. When he came up to my window, he shared with me that his radar had me going 89 in this 65 mph stretch! Oh, my, this was going to cost me! I gave him the requisite paperwork, shared where I’d been and that I was going home to Tucson (tired) and he went back to his car. I was resigned that I’d just have to pay the price for what I had done.  I was already trying to remember if it had been two years since my last, so I could go to driving school once again (I imagine there are a few of you that know exactly what I mean). When he returned, he handed me my paperwork back and told me this road had a lot of accidents because people would speed out here. He wanted me to get home safely, so if I would promise to obey the speed limits the rest of the way home, I could go. I hadn’t gotten even a warning……
I promised! And I drove painstaking slow, it seemed the rest of the way because of giving my word.

Now, these two events may have been completely random and unconnected. That would be one possible way of looking at it. That, actually, is how I used to view the events in my life—a lot of unconnected happenings.  I recalled both of the incidents to Bub when I got home and he remarked my lack of penalty for speeding (or perhaps that Highway Patrolman actually saved my life by helping me avoid something that could have happened if I had continued to drive hat last 200 miles at 90 mph) was perhaps a karmic payoff for my honesty with the self serve honey.
And, I prefer this interpretation :>)

 In my coaching practice, I ask my clients to clean up their integrity in EVERY area.  I know that life works better when my closets and file drawers are meticulously ordered and when my relationships are flourishing from the lack of incomplete business or harboring of old resentments. I can’t say I understand how the universe works, but I have developed at trust that tells me if I do my job of being the best that I can be, miracles show up. The more I notice these things as miracles and appreciate them, the more often they seem to happen.


So, today, look for the little things to be grateful for.
Look for the areas you can buff up to express your personal best self. 
Then expect the universe will reward you!

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       The SIMPLE LIVING  Advantage:

Living in the Moment

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"You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment.   Fools stand on their island opportunities and look toward another land. There is no other land, there is no other life but this."

                        - Henry David Thoreau 

 

  1. LIVING IN THE MOMENT: Today, let go of thinking about the future or the past. Focus on being attentive and totally “there” with each person you see, like you are a Martian that was dropped into this body today and you are curious about what this person is about. 
  1. Book Pick:

God On A Harley by Joan Brady

A wonderful, quick read that will make you smile and give you some things to think about. What is REALLY important and are you living the life that will make you happy? What do you need to let go of?

Under $5 at Amazon. 

3. Action  Exercises

Talk ½ as much today. Practice giving others your full attention and really listening for what they are about. 

Appreciate and be grateful for 5 things you already have.

 

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The TECH AdvantageLinks
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**** Advantage TECH TIP: USING STATIONERY
To access the stationery in  Outlook Express:
Go to the drop down menu next you your “new” mail icon on the toolbar

You’ll see a list of some of the stationery or “select stationery”:
If you *Select Stationery*, you can see the whole list of templates

Available or set up a new one! 

If you’d like to learn more: join me for the free
teleconference on August 29 at 11 AM EDT!

****TECH Info:
VIRUS Protection-You MUST Update!

 The SirCam virus hit the real estate industry hard last month. To protect yourself, first and foremost, USE A VIRUS PROTECTION SOFTWARE AND UPDATE IT AT LEAST WEEKLY. While many of you may have software, you may not be updating often enough. Hundreds of new viruses are being created each week. Both McAfee and Norton have automatic update features that will make it easy to automatically schedule updates. I use  McAfee and every morning at 6 AM, my computer checks their site for updates and downloads what I need. It only takes a minute or two, but has kept me safe and virus-free so far!
For more about viruses, read Matthew Ferrara’s great article.

****Website TECH Tip: PRIVACY STATEMENTS
Today’s consumers, and even more especially today’s Internet empowered clients,are concerned about how you are going to use any information they disclose to you. Do you sell  the names from people asking you for information? Probably not, but having a privacy policy posted on your site is a smart action to take. It lets consumers know you are conscious of their concerns. It may increase the response rate, since people will feel more comfortable.

Siteowner gives you a template for setting up your own privacy statement.

****TECH Resources
1. The NAR ePro Designation is available again! 

Internet Crusade has been awarded the contract to deliver the NAR internet course, ePro. You can get more information at Internet Crusade

Note to Local and State WCR Chapters: Add a link to the ePro sign up on your website and earn some non-dues revenue!  For more information, Contact Mike@MikeBarnett.com


2. DOMAIN NAMES

Domain names are the basic building block you need for your Internet    presence. You must create differentiation from all the other agents. Knowing how to use today’s technology will place you in the top 20%. Successful agents are buying multiple domain names to brand themselves in their communication and advertising. Buy the subdivision name you are farming. Buy ‘MoveToYourCity.com” or BestAgentInYourTown.com  Do you own the domain that is YourName.com? If not, buy it today!
Make a name for yourself!

Check out the availability and get a great price at
Internet Crusade

 


3. RE-ROUTE YOUR E-MAIL

If you are changing email providers, this service will help by letting Everyone know your NEW address at re-route
           It is especially helpful if you are changing from AOL to another address( I STRONGLY advocate you get a PERMANENT email address by buying your own domain name and using a great email service like the one available through the Internet Crusade )

 

4.  FREE BUSINESS CARDS

VistaPrint.com offers free business cards. Great for those times you are going to an event and want a  special information on the card. 

Submit YOUR favorite sites, tips or resources and  get a certificate for 50% off any Real Estate Game!™



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THE COACHING DISTINCTION OF THE MONTH:

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 Self-generate  vs   Self-Motivate

 DEFINITIONS:

Self-Generate: To produce energy to fuel action through self-alignment
Self-Motivate: To produce action by setting up external prompts

 COMPARISONS:

Internal vs. External

To spark vs. to Force

EXAMPLE:  Emily was excited to use new technology to give her new tools to serve her clients. Her energy was self-generating and pulled her into action.

Claude relied on daily affirmations to help him feel more positively about doing his daily prospecting. 

KEY POINT:  When you self-generate, you find energy to take action through knowing yourself and what you want. If your goals are in conflict with your values or your needs, you may resort to trying to be more self-disciplined and try to motivate yourself through affirmations, deadlines or consequences.

BENEFIT: Self-motivation is hard work and struggle to make something happen. If you need constant prodding and pushing to be in motion, align your goals, values and needs so you can self-generate.

(Source for the original distinction: Thomas Leonard) 

COACHING ACTIONS: 

  1. What area of your business is self-motivating now?
    1. How can you do more of that?
    2. What else can you do for your business using this passion?
  2. What area of your business do you struggle with and try to self-motivate yourself?
    1. Make a list of these areas
    2. Determine if the action is REALLY attuned with your values and what is important to you.
    3. Identify those areas that you believe you SHOULD be doing because someone else expects or has told you that’s what you must do.
    4. What else could you do that would produce the result you want?

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The HEALTH Advantage

 

This is a new feature! Let me know your feedback. 

The Peak Performing RealtorÒ 

    What does it take to be a peak performing RealtorÒ? To succeed in this bsiness it requires a level of commitment and knowledge that few other professions require. The number one requirement to be a peak performer is dynamic energy.
Your energy level affects every area of your life both professional and personal. Constant prospecting, presenting, and follow-up can be draining. Combine this with long hours based around your clients and family needs, you may experience low levels of energy.
How can you fight this fatigue? One of the simplest and best things to do is make a commitment to healthy eating and add an exercise session to your daily routine.
    I realize that this is not ground breaking news. We all know the importance of a healthy lifestyle. The real key is to turn this knowledge into action.

That is the purpose of this  series of articles and the mission of my life. To help RealtorsÒ and the clients they serve create a peak performing lifestyle through a time efficient, results producing personal home based fitness and nutrition programs. Remember, success is the difference between knowing what to do, and doing what you know. 

So lets get started. In the next few issues, I will be providing you With some general guidelines to help you achieve a peak performance state. Today we begin with a test see just how healthy a lifestyle we lead. When you are done email a copy of your quiz to askinnerjr@aol.com and I will make some personal recommendations to help

You get started and send you a sample 12 week fitness program.

How Healthy is Your Lifestyle?

How active are you?
1. Is physical activity part of your daily routine?
2. Do you accumulate 30 minutes or more of moderate intensity aerobic activity each day?
3. Do you do strength-developing exercises at least twice per week? 

How well do you eat?
4. Do you eat a variety of foods?
5. Do you choose foods low in fat, saturated fat and cholesterol?
6. Do you eat lots of vegetables, fruits and grain products?
7. Do you limit salt, sugar, caffeine, and alcohol?
8. Do you limit non-nutritional snack foods? 

How healthy is your weight?
9. Are you satisfied with your present body weight?
Do you smoke?
10. Do you avoid using tobacco products? 

How stressful is your life?
11. Are you coping well with the stress in your life?
12. Do you get enough rest and relaxation?
13. Do you maintain close ties with family and friends? 

How hazardous is your life?
14. Do you generally attempt to avoid taking risks?
15. Are you a non-drinker or drink in moderation?
16. Do you avoid drug misuse or abuse?
17. Do you wear a seat belt and drive defensively?
18. Do you avoid drinking and driving?
19. Do you practice safer sex and limit partners?
20. Do you generally take care of your health? 

Give Yourself One Point For Each Yes Answer.
17-20 Points: Congratulations! You lead a very healthy lifestyle.
14-16 Points: Most of the time you are practicing reasonable health habits but there is still room improvement.
12-13 Points: You need to change a number of your health habits.  Identify your most obvious health risks, develop an action plan and start putting it into operation.
Less than 12 points: You need a serious lifestyle overhaul. Take charge Of your health.  
Identify your most serious health risks and seek professional help. 

How  did you do? If you are like most of my clients, you have an opportunity for improvement. So get started to do by taking action on one of the suggestions listed on the above list. Or if you need more help just e-mail me at askinnerjr@aol.com with your questions. Thanks. Your next article will reveal how to start a simple aerobic training program to reduce stress, boost energy, and lose a little weight along the way.

Alton Skinner  specializes in providing personal fitness programs and equipment to real estate professionals and the clients they serve. He is available for room design, seminars, private sessions, e-mail and telephone training. Email him with your questions at askinnerjr@aol.com  or call him at 919-233-9911 and receive a free twelve week training program.

 

The SKILLS Advantage:

Three Free Teleconferences
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September Schedule …..Register Now!

<<>>Everything You Ever Wanted to know about The Real Estate Cyberspace Society and working in CyberSpace

FREE     Thursday   September 13  9 AM Pacific, Noon Eastern
with Jack Peckham, Real Estate Cyberspace Society

Jack Peckham was one of the first people to see the huge benefit of the Internet in our business. The Real Estate CyberSpace Society is one of the fastest growing communities of real estate professionals and it offers a wealth of tools and knowledge to those who want their business to include CyberSpace. A great opportunity to hear from one of real estate's visonaries about the current and future possibilities available to us.

 

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<<>>High Touch Through High Tech

FREE    Wednesday    September 26    9 AM Pac, Noon EDT     with Ira Serkes, RE/MAX Bay Area

Ira is one of the smartest people I know in using technology and implementing strategies to build business. He and his wife, Carol, are the top agent team for RE/MAX in CA. He'll be sharing his perspective, ideas and tools in this, not-to-be-missed call!

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FREE    Winning The Real Estate Game

Tuesday    September 18   10 AM Pac, 1 PM EDT with Joeann Fossland

Take the work out of networking and learn how to easily create more business for yourself.  You will learn how to focus on using systems and your own personal strengths to leverage more business. In this live event, you will not only hear directly from Joeann but from others who have implemented her strategies to increase their business , while enjoying a balanced life.

To register, please click here

 
 TO PARTICIPATE: Send an email to register@joeann.com with your name, company, city, phone and email address               

 

Or Register at joeann.com  If you can’t participate……..you CAN order the tape for only $10!

  THE REAL ESTATE GAMES™
& Business Planning Retreats
============================================

 

Give YOUR Last Quarter A BOOST!

Four weeks of daily focus & motivation for less than the cost of a cappuccino !!

THE NEXT GAMES                        Sept 24   10:45 AM EDT, 7:45 AM Pacific

                                                    Nov. 5       9:45 AM EDT, 6:45 AM Pacific

 

For Complete Information visit  TheRealEstateGame 

Cost for all four weeks is only $99 (less than $5 a day)

To register: joeann.com

Or send an email to joeann@joeann.com  

 

THE NEXT REAL ESTATE GAME

BUSINESS PLANNING WEEKEND

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Are you truly ENJOYING your work?
Is it part of a life plan?
Are you poised to make 2002 your best year ever? 

 If not, this weekend will revolutionize your life!

WHERE: Scottsdale, AZ          October 5-7

            OR                Chicago IL             Nov 4-6

3 Days of personal & business coaching to help you achieve your dreams. Limited to 18 agents 

For more information: joeann.com

Or send an email to joeann@joeann.com

 

 

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ADVANTAGE THINKING:  Put Your Clients Into The Picture!

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Thankfully the tide has turned from the egotistical self promotion that was touted as necessary for building name recognition in the last century to a more customer-centric thinking.   The public is left unimpressed by the hype about how great you are, how much you have sold or even your education & experience. They tune into WIIFM--“What’s In It For Me?” They want to know how you are going to help them get what they want, if you truly understand them & their needs and if you are going to give them the information they need or if you are going to dangle carrots and make it difficult. 

When agents I work with design their marketing campaigns, we start with the most basic question: Who is your best market and what do these people want/need from you? Being a real estate generalist brings diminished returns and takes more work. Today’s market rewards agents who fill a need and who show up as resource for their clients and customers. Consumers today are looking for someone trustworthy, knowledgeable, creative and fun.  

Let’s start with making your clients feel important.
Does the focus of your marketing pieces concentrate on you or on  what you provide as value to your clients? Everyone likes to feel special.

 Here is a simple marketing idea to incorporate:
Put your clients in the picture……
How many ways can you include clients “in the picture?”

Third party testimonials are  much more impressive than egotistical statements. Here are some ideas for new buyers  to make them feel special and that will benefit you as well:

  • After you have found and closed the perfect house for your buyers, take their picture in front of their new house. Give them a page on your website for their friends and family to see the new house. You could even post a virtual tour of the house!
  • Make them postcards with the same picture that has the change of address information for them to send out to friends and family. Include a small “this card provided as a service by our favorite Realtor®, Sally Agent, Best Real Estate Company”
  • Make a flyer with their picture that you offer to deliver to neighbors, introducing them to the neighborhood. When you visit the neighbors, in person, you have a good chance to find out if they have friends that might like to live in the neighborhood or if they may be thinking of moving.
  • Add their photo and comments to your testimonial page. With your digital camera and your laptop, you have everything you need to get a photo and record the comments in their own voices!

How about your sellers?

  • Create a change of address postcard for them also—happy you got their house sold!
  • Add their photo and comments to your testimonial page
  • Create a CD for them of their home to take with them as a memory. Putting them into the picture with make it even more memorable. The software available from VisualTour (visual tour  the order through me for a $50 discount of the retail cost) will enable you to make a great tour they will appreciate. 

How about others?

  • At Easter, offer pictures of them/their children with the Easter Bunny, taken in your office.
  • Or with Santa—your office is likely to be less crowded than the mall!
  • Sponsor a contest for the best Halloween costume.
  • Feature in your monthly newsletter, a client of the month, along with their picture. The criteria could vary depending on your circumstances. Perhaps a client that is doing worthy volunteering, a child that’s won an award, the winner of a contest you have sponsored, the client that has referred the most number of people to you.
  • If your clientele includes a group with a similar interest, photos posted to your webpage of recent activities or events of interest to these people. Maybe you have a Harley and recently did a ride. You took along your digital camera and post a page to your site on the ride! 

 

These are but a few ideas to get you started. You can brainstorm many more ways to include clients “in the picture?” If you take the time to make people feel special and they WILL remember you and, even more importantly, feel grateful to you! It’s like making some deposits into their emotional bank accounts! 

 Zig Ziglarsaid,” When you help enough people get what they want, you’ll get what you want.”

The INSPIRATION Advantage
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"How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment to improve the world ."  Anne Frank 

"One of the most tragic things I know about human nature is that all of us tend to put off living. We are all dreaming of some magical rose garden over the horizon-instead of enjoying the roses blooming outside our windows today." Dale Carnegie

“Don't let yesterday use up too much of today.” Will Rogers