Cliffs, volcanoes and sidewalk cracks

I was walking along a beach one afternoon. The tide was coming in, and in the surf I saw a tennis ball. I’ve always fancied myself as an English Rafael Nadal, so I stopped to pick it up. …and saw it was covered with tiny little shellfish. They were very much alive…moving around, poking out…

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Making relationships count

As the holiday season ends, one thing is clear. It’s relationships that count. Relationships with people. You can take away lots of things, but don’t take away the relationships with people I care about. The same thing is true in real estate, of course. It’s our long-term relationships with our clients that are the most…

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From Downton Abbey to your newsletter

Cora: “I hate to go behind Robert’s back.” Lady Grantham: “That is a scruple no successful wife can afford.”   Attention Downton Abbey fans – it’s back in the New Year. If you watch it, I’m betting you have a favorite character. And I’d wager big that it’s the Dowager Duchess, Lady Grantham. Maggie Smith…

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Cold cards, boiling shoppers

‘Tis that time of year. I was at the mall yesterday. Frenzied shoppers were lining up outside some of the stores because there was no room inside. Meanwhile in my mailbox was a greetings card from a real estate agent. It was beautiful. Thick cardstock, nicely printed. But… It was a waste of this agent’s…

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Who’s stealing your acorns?

The other day I watched a TV show about woodland creatures. One of the stars of the show was the humble chipmunk. Now…you know that chipmunks have a thing for acorns. Crazy about them, they are. Cheeks stuffed like carry-on baggage on a plane. The whole nut fetish isn’t because the chipmunk is greedy; it’s…

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Be and show

I was talking with one of our clients a while ago. Among the free bonuses we offer when you join our newsletter service is a consultation about coming up with a USP. A USP – Unique Selling Proposition – is, in my opinion, the most important thing you can do to market your business. Basically,…

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Someone worth listening to

We Brits are famous for being hard to read. Sometimes, it’s difficult to know what we think about anything because we’re so indirect. When a Brit says an idea is “interesting,” what he often means is that it’s the worst idea he’s ever heard. Maybe we don’t want to offend. It’s that uptight politeness thing…

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Getting a jump on 2015

It’s a funny time of year. Our calendars are packed with holiday parties and year-end business stuff. It’s hard to get things done. But… …. Now is the perfect time to get a jump on your competitors next year. Why? Because most people don’t get going on things until the second half of January. The…

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Leader or follower?

There’s not much difference between the seven-year-old schoolchildren of today and those of my time, 35 years ago. For instance, they still are told to walk in snakes, holding hands two by two, following a leader. They need that leader if they hoping to get somewhere. Otherwise it would be chaos. Lost gloves, grazed knees,…

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Noise, juggling – and showing up

Yesterday I was at the supermarket checkout, behind someone who was on her cellphone. An important conversation, I guess, because she was so engrossed in it that it took her five minutes to check out with her credit card – so many mistakes, so many miscommunications. She was trying to multitask – but failing. And…

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Local is where it’s at

I’ve been away from home for a few weeks – and now I’m back. And it’s nice! (Despite the cold weather). Why? Because home is what matters. It’s where my friends are. It’s where my community is. … Local is where it’s at. It’s why I encourage people to edit their newsletter to make it…

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Could your newsletter get you publicity?

Here’s an interesting side effect from sending a newsletter. A real estate agent in Iowa got himself quoted in a local business publication last week. And it’s all down to his newsletter. The article – about what’s happening in local real estate – talks about a market analysis in this agent’s newsletter. The website version…

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Facebook vs Newsletters

The thing about free things is… they’re either too good to be true, or they never last. A couple of weeks ago, the Wall Street Journal reported that Facebook would make it harder for you to add promotional posts for your business. They want you to pay to advertise instead, you see. So, you can…

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When business comes easily

Imagine what it would be like if business just came in the door. If you just had to hang around for a gimme – something that comes easily, the low hanging fruit. That was what one of the respondents to my survey said they could now do after 44 years in the business. They’d farmed…

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Pop-up surprises – and your newsletter

In Amsterdam last week, a man was injured by a pop-up restroom. Apparently, the Dutch city has tiny restrooms which appear from beneath the sidewalk – for the convenience of night-time revellers. One popped up… when it shouldn’t. The poor guy was thrown off his feet. Why am I telling you this? First, because it’s…

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And then my client went with someone else!

Don’t you hate it when that happens? You think you have a client, but then they go and buy with other agent. Or list with another agent. Or they list with you once… but next time use another agent. So frustrating. And upsetting. That was one of the things that a real estate agent mentioned…

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Can I ask you something?

I have been sending these messages out for a year now. I’ve been getting some great responses to them. Many people have told me that they enjoy reading them and have found them useful. Now… I want to make sure that they continue to do that! So today, I am asking for a favor. Please…

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A mission for a Monday

Your mission… should you choose to accept it. That is of course the catchphrase from the TV series Mission: Impossible. Now, you’re not a secret government agent (probably), but your “mission” is a good thing to think about on a Monday morning. Because… When you do, it makes the rest of your week in business…

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