Queen of Bliss, Joeann Fossland

Busy or Productive? There's a BIG difference!

Joeann Fossland, Master Certified Coach (Advantage Solutions Group) — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 11:22:08 -0700

How do you decide what actions to take today? Is it the squeakiest wheel? The easiest to-dos? Or do you have a plan for the day? I have long advocated beginning the day identifying the 3 items that would give you the most leverage towards your long term goals. Put those 3 on a sticky note or as a pop up on your computer and work on them first, come back to them as you are distracted or fight a fire and stay focused on progress with them.

But what about everything else? When I read David Allen’s book, Getting Things Done, a few years ago, his technique of having a projects list changed my life! Allen defines a project as anything that has more than 1 step. Most of us have dozens of these. From getting the oil changed (choose store, put it on the calendar,make appt, take it in) to sending a drip campaign to database(define prospects, create or find content, etc.) most of our to do items are made up of many individual steps. What a project list requires is that you list EVERY project that needs to be accomplished in the next few weeks. Then, and this is the powerful part, you identify what is the NEXT step!

Often we do not make progress or procrastinate because we don’t have time to complete an entire project or we haven’t really thought through what the steps are. The project list will be continually being updated as new projects are added or as you complete a step and then identify what the next step would be. What I find productive in using this is that often I can take the next step easily on many of the projects and keep moving them forward. I also find it valuable to have a “parking spot” for projects that might not require action this week to keep them from dropping off the radar entirely.

If you work with a coach, having a project list like this gives you a framework to manage projects. Give it a try and let me know what you think! Or tell me what your method is for being productive…rather than just busy!

I Need A Volunteer!

Joeann Fossland, Master Certified Coach (Advantage Solutions Group) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 22:55:13 -0700

When did we stop volunteering?

I saw an extraordinary interlude last week when I visited St Paul’s School for Girls for high school reunion. One of the wonderful activities they planned for our Class of ‘66 was to pair each of us with someone from the 5th grade. The 5^th graders wrote us a letter a couple of weeks before the Alumnae Weekend and then we met with them briefly on our school visit. What fun to compare notes! Each 5^th grader has their own email address through the school and I am continuing to correspond with my buddy, Emmy Shields, who told me “I really like music because it is fun and when I have a lot of things to worry about, it seems to lift them off my shoulders!” What wisdom!

At the end of our visit (this is the extraordinary interlude), one of the teachers said to the group I need a volunteer. An amazing thing happened-almost every girl there raised her hand- they didn't even know what they were volunteering for, but they wanted to be the chosen one! Turned out our visit was going to make them late for their next class. This teacher thought it would be nice to take the cookies we hadn't eaten to the teacher whose class they were late for! Teaching them thoughtfulness and kindness!

What really delighted me, though, was the reaction of the girls to a request for a volunteer....

those girls were eager to participate in whatever life was going provide rather than being cautious about volunteering and taking a risk.

These days in my classes and my coaching practice, I spend a lot of time with grown ups-most of whom have ceased to be curious and eager to get a chance to try something unknown. As we age, it seems we become resigned and, sometimes, fearful of anything outside our comfort zone!

My challenge to you this week……

Be aware & volunteer!
Find something to say yes to! (yes…I know I usually tell you to say “no” more…humor me!)
Find something to make life nicer for someone else!
Reconnect with the child you were when you were 8 or 9 who wants to make a difference and then do it!

Make it a Delicious Day!
It IS up to YOU!!!!

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October Freebies!

Joeann Fossland, Master Certified Coach (Advantage Solutions Group) — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 18:49:20 -0700

Joeann's October Freebies

1. With 3 months left in the year, do you know where your production is based on your business plan for this year? Have you created some goals for the next 90 days to kick it up a notch and finish strong? I use this tracking sheet with my clients each quarter. Set aside a little time to position yourself for a great 4th Quarter!

2. Think & Grow Rich - I’ve offered this before but you can get a paperback copy for only the shipping costs! If you already have one, get one as a present to someone. Napoleon Hill shares the secrets of the Rich and the thinking that got them there! I just got his newly released book, Outwitting The Devil: The Secret To Freedom & Success which my friend, Kristi Soligo, sent and tells me it is fabulous!

3. And Best of all!!!!! A FREE Fossland's Forum Webinar

Capture Leads With QR Codes with Carrie Gable

Utilizing QR Codes In Real Estate To Capture Leads

Thursday, October 20, 2011
6 AM Hawaii, 9 AM PDT & AZ, 10 AM MDT, 11 AM CDT, Noon EDT

Are you in the dark about what QR Codes are and how you, as a Real Estate agent, can benefit from using them? Wondering what all the buzz is about? Have no idea how to get one? This presentation with Carrie Gable of RealSupport, Inc. will not only answer these questions, but will also show you how to create your own QR code(s) along with 10 marketing ideas to showcase how QR codes can drive more traffic to your website and capture leads.

Sign up Here for the NEXT Fossland's Forum!

Make it Delicious Today!
It IS up to YOU!!!!

If we aren't already connected...

Add me as a friend on Facebook

Follow me on Twitter

Connect with me on LinkedIn

Find me on Google+

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...or come play on FourSquare

I Believe in Miracles! Do you?

Joeann Fossland, Master Certified Coach (Advantage Solutions Group) — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 20:20:45 -0700

Do you believe in miracles?... My definition of a miracle as something that wasn't going to happen anyway. Through your vision and intention, you bring things about. I just LOVE knowing I have the power to do this! And, I love playing with it.

Last year, before the NAR Convention, I decided many vendors would be giving away iPads and I WANTED one! I was going to win one! So I visualkized, I told people I was going to win one and I entered at every booth that was giving them away. I did not win one at the convention. But I DID win one 6 weeks later when the Phoenix WCR Chapter had one as a fund raiser. The incident reminded me that the things I intend don't always come with the time frame I imagine, but but they do come!

Miracles show up in our lives as little things and big things. My grandchildren are definitely miracles. As is my new house. I had a picture on my wall in my office for 5 years that is almost identical to the view from my living room!

To wake up each day, healthy and with food in the fridge is a miracle! It's a miracle that the love of my life and I have been together 33 years! And I love the little ones -- like going to the used bookstore and finding the book I want out front on display, or getting a parking space right up front! I've noticed when I acknowledge and appreciate the ones that have already shown up, it seems to engender more happening.

I have started A Course in Miracles Workbook, with its 365 lessons. Each morning I read the Lesson for the day and spend a few minutes during the day of practicing. The initial lessons have been about what is real and what is made up and taken for reality. I am seeing most of what causes fear and unhappiness is because I am BELIEVING something that triggers those thoughts. By seeing, I am putting the meaning to it... rather than that is what it REALLY means ... gives me the ability to put another meaning on it so I am not negatively impacted.

So, what's that got to do with miracles? I know my Thoughts become Things™ (Thank you Michael Dooley) and when I focus on and intend what I DO want (instead of complaining & worrying about what I don't have), miracles unfold. Now, as I have experienced...they don't always come WHEN I think they should or dressed in the clothing I am expecting, but they do come. Being patient about this and letting go and trusting is all new to me... I am working on it and haven't perfected it!

Our move this summer and the slowdown in my work schedule are giving me some delicious time to do some cocooning & time to play with these concepts and I notice I am smiling more and troubled less.

What miracle(s) do you want in your life?

Some Coaching Tips:

Notice anywhere you are stressed, worried or discontent. Then think about what rule or meaning or belief you have about that situation. Make up another possible meaning or belief (or several). Pick a new one that isn't draining.
Wake up each morning and say, "This is going to be the best day ever" And then think what you could do to make that so.
Identify something that is causing pain or worry. Spend 5 minutes with your eyes closed, taking nice deep breaths and Listen for your own inner wisdom and that of the powers in the universe to give you some insight about how to make it better. Do this daily and you'll find even if you don't get an immediate action, that there is less negativity impacting you.
For any problem you have, ask yourself, "What is the absolute worst that could happen?" Often the worst is something we could survive or something that is unlikely to happen (I had one client answer that she would be a bag lady... .and then she realized that was an unrealistic fear AND she had skills that certainly would prevent that ever happening)

Give Up Being REASONABLE!!!!

Joeann Fossland, Master Certified Coach (Advantage Solutions Group) — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 17:12:12 -0700

“The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.”

George Bernard Shaw, Man and Superman (1903) "Maxims for Revolutionists"

I got the invitation to my 45^th High School Reunion at St. Paul’s School for Girls in Baltimore for this October and thought….while it would be fun to go…money has been tight with our recent move and I still have so much to do. So, I decided it didn't make sense to go. I am Class Secretary this year & so the sweet, new, alumni director, Beth, called to find out if I was coming. I told her I just couldn’t. Graciously, she accepted my refusal and I suggested some others that might help with the event. I thought that was that. Opportunity declined…..on to the “productive” stuff!

Beth called again last week. She said she knew I had said I couldn’t come but she had 3 speaking slots she would love to have me participate in. (I think she'd make it in sales-look for a value or interest and appeal to that!) Even so, I re-interated, I just couldn’t afford it. But after I got off the phone with her this nagged at me. My husband, Bub, & I have lost 3 close friends in the last few months and I started thinking if I wait 5 more years, how many of my classmates might not be around. There were just 29 of us and these days, there are 27..

But, more annoyingly, the other voice in my head (you do have one of those too, don’t you?) really was persistent reminding me I coached my clients to set their “reasons why not” aside so they could really have their heart’s desires. And here I was thinking in a very limited way to say I couldn’t afford to come. And, the voice got a little louder "what about the value you have that says people before things?” Hmmmm, was I willing to neglect honoring that?

Oh my…so I stopped my automatic thinking that “I couldn’t” and looked from “how could I?”

I realized I had frequent flyer miles I could use for the flight. I am guessing I can find a friend or two that would let me stay a couple of nights and I could even call the Maryland REATOR Assn. and see if they’d like me to do the e-PRO Course or perhaps my WCR friends would like a PMN course, as long as I am in the neighborhood….

Wow, I felt a surge of passion & excitement! Instead of resignation, there was this energized thinking going on that felt very good. I remembered:

You can either have what you want in life or the reasons why not…

Coaching Questions:

· Is there anything you have given up on being able to do, that you could bring some possibility thinking to?
· Have you asked others for some ideas of how you could (go on that vacation, buy that house, energize your business)?
· What do you REALLY, REALLY want?
· What excuse (reality) do you have to give up?
· Are you READY??????

Listen to that other voice and play a little bigger game. I think you’ll be glad you did!

Three Strategies For Success in TODAY'S Markets!

Joeann Fossland, Master Certified Coach (Advantage Solutions Group) — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 09:55:51 -0700

In these challenging times, going back to basics, as many suggest, just doesn’t cut it! While many of the foundational prospecting activities are still important, most agents are finding they need to be thinking creatively, emploing innovations and new strategies to create a thriving business.

With every challenge, comes real opportunities. Every year,my clients do annual business planning with a review of the current challenges, trends and opportunities. This is a crucial part of designing a plan that creates business in the current climate. This, however, is not just a yearly activity. It must be monitored regularly. Monthly assessments of the goals and results are important to do, as well aa a more in depth quarterly review of what is working and what isn’t. You can brainstorm with a mastermind group, your team or a few other agents, talking about the opportunities of today’s challenges. Then get those creative juices flowing.

Here are a few ideas to get you started with some strategies to increase your bottom-line:

1. Challenge: Fewer buyers and sellers. Buyers are either still waiting for prices to hit bottom or buyers that cannot qualify for today’s loans. Sellers are choosing not to sell now unless they have to because of price competition with foreclosures and REOs.

Opportunity: To increase business from areas that are not the traditional buyers or sellers. Consider showing your sphere of influence and others interested in sound opportunities how to invest in real estate.:

· Create a group of 10 of your past clients and/or sphere to invest in properties.

· Educate your clients about the advantages of holding real estate in a self-directed IRA. If they have an ROTH IRA, they can buy and sell properties and pay NOTHING on the capital gain. One company that is a leader in this is http://www.entrustarizona.com/ They offer regular webinars to teach you how to understand this better

2. Challenge: Many agents either are reaching retirement age and wanting to work less or have just gotten out of the business after giving it a try. Over 82% of agents don’t renew at their first renewal period. The membership in NAR has dropped from 1,4000,000 to slightly over 1,000,000 in the past few years and looks like it is still going down. I know you know people who have left the business.

Opportunity: As an active agent, you can help these agents profit from the work they have done by helping them transition to being a referral agent, instead of quitting and walking away emptyhanded. Most of these agents didn’t have an escape plan. They don’t have a salable business. They do still have a sphere of influence and past customers and clients. You can build alliances with these people to handle their local referral business.

· The retiring agent has an elegant way to transition to a professional referral agent and you have a new stream of income from their referrals. Studies show the average person leaving the business has at least 2 people who they could refer each year.

· Contact people you know who have quit, have left or are getting ready to leave the business and offer to service the needs of their sphere. A new company www.MyGreenParachute.net has a free system to help to manage and grow this segment of your referral business.

3. Many whose homes have been repossessed are now renting instead of buying.

Opportunity: To serve the needs of these renters

· Get into property management

· Put together investment groups to buy homes and hold as rentals

· Do informational seminars to help people know the steps to take to rebuild their credit to be able to buy again (usually in 3 years) Helping people through their rough times is an excellent way to build loyalty for future business and for referrals.

These suggested strategies are applicable right now to most markets. We know, though, the consumer's needs and the economic picture is always in flux. Use this exercise regularly to ensure that your thinking is on the cutting edge and you are thriving because of your innovation! Set some time right now to get together with others to find some strategies you can employ to add to your bottom-line this year!

What Makes YOU Happy and How do You Know?

Joeann Fossland, Master Certified Coach (Advantage Solutions Group) — Tue, 10 May 2011 19:56:04 -0700

I have been gleefully gushing how happy I am with my new house to my husband, Bub. He replied the other day when I said, "I am Soooo Happy." .."How do you know?" That got me thinking.

Is happiness about the external?
About the right circumstances?
About wanting, getting & having things?

All of these are nice, but what happens when things don't quite line up?

Can you still be happy?

My granddaughter, Lily, and I talk about this fairly frequently when she just has to have something. Through the eyes of a 9 year old, having the right things and having them right now is often quite important. This kind of happiness is usually fleeting, though. It doesn't last much past the acquisition and then there is the NEXT thing that is needed to maintain the joy. And, of course, I have found through experience with the clients in my coaching practice that this isn't just a being 9 years old phenomenon. The danger, of course, is about allowing your joy be stolen if the circumstances don't quite line up.

So, what makes you happy and how do you know?

Here's what I am thinking:

Being happy is a choice at any time-I will choose to see the things in my life that are good and appreciate them and sometimes choose to be happy for no reason whatsoever!
It feels better to have joy than unhappiness- I will not get sucked into drama that results in unhappy feelings.
It is internal rather than external-while I choose to have goals and dreams that, when fulfilled, feel good, I will also appreciate the benefit of the getting there in growth and the rewards. My own measure of success is more important than an external acknowledgment.
Sometimes greater happiness comes from NOT getting what I want. Ah, that wiley universe has it's own plans for the timing and fruition of my dreams, it seems. Often by not getting it when and how I think I want it, better outcomes can unfold. This is probably the hardest for this impatient, recovering tpe "A"!
I get more in touch with good feelings the more I share them-I will allow myself to be the Pollyana, even if it annoys some!

So, how about you? What makes you happy and how do you know?

Embracing Change!!!!!

Joeann Fossland, Master Certified Coach (Advantage Solutions Group) — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 09:49:04 -0700

“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” ~ Mary Oliver

We are moving this week from a house where we have lived for 28 years! My husband, Bub, is not a happy camper! Change is not a word that makes him smile. EVER! But he is coming around (after 2 months of discussions) because the outcome is really pretty wonderful.

Here’s our new view that backs 500 acres of State Park and State Land! Bub and I had a dream for retirement. We own 40 acres, that we have paid off over the last 25 years, where we were going to build our final house. That land is also surrounded by State and Federal land, but right now electricity is 2 miles away. Building a house there hasn’t seemed like it could be a reality anymore and we hadn't quite let go of it. This new house is on 5 acres has a wonderful southwestern style 4 BR home and fits most of our the criteria of our original dream

But Bub has 20+ vehicles and lots of stuff collected over the last 20 years out on the land. And, the thought of the work involved in moving from a house with 28 years of possessions and abandoning the dream for the land has been difficult to imagine. Yet here we are in the midst of it! I am grateful that we have the luxury of owning both homes now which allows us to move in stages. First we have moved the furniture and moved in. We are sorting through carefully possessions.

In moving, I am asking myself these 3 questions before packing something:

Do I love it?
Do I need it?
Does it add to the quality of my life?

A lot of things will be given away. I even found much to throw away! Do I really need a $2000 training set of manuals and CD's on how to sell real estate from the 90's?

Embracing Change rarely is a first response, I have found. Have you ever had a dream, realized it was getting harder and harder to make it a reality... but held firm because it is what you’ve said you’ve wanted all this time?

When does changing course make sense, and what happens when you are in a partnership where one person is REALLY change resistant? As you can imagine, it’s been an interesting few months at my house working through these questions.

I have come to understand that:

Changing course doesn’t mean you are a failure
Changing course is a hard thing to do
Changing course is easier if you look at the end result rather than the course initially developed to get there. There is usually more than one road that will lead you there!
Change is often very hard, but that doesn’t mean it won’t take you someplace better

In today’s markets, most of us have had to change the way we do things. We’ve had to abandon what used to work or look like the best choice for new and unknown ways of doing things.

The people who are thriving are the people who have been willing to make changes even when it is hard, uncertain and scary. What I do know, as a coach, is that the people who are most willing to stand in their situation today and inquire “Now what?” are the ones who are thriving. Do you need to give up an old way of doing things and replace it with “Plan B”?

“In times of rapid change, experience is your worst enemy.” ~ John Paul Getty

Is Your Stress Real??????

Joeann Fossland, Master Certified Coach (Advantage Solutions Group) — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 12:27:25 -0800

Do You Have Stress????......
Or, what I’m learning from my body

I am healthy and well and I never get sick! My blood pressure, cholesterol, and the functioning of everything the medical profession tests with blood work and CT scans are all good! I am grateful every day to have a body that functions so well! I have worked diligently to live a life I love and balance my work with relaxation and rejuvenation time.

So, it’s come as a surprise that I’ve manifested a couple of nagging conditions one of which bears the description degenerative (does that mean OLD???). Well, I don’t buy into the acceptance that my body is just getting old and I need to live with it. I am certain that my beliefs and actions can impact my body. I like the idea of Regenerative-rather than degenerative.

My tolerance for acceptance when my body messes with me is very low. So, I am consciously to listening to my body to know what has to happen to bring it back into alignment. I am even grateful it is giving me information that could make a difference in the quality of my life for the next 40 years. I’ve heard 80% or more of health issues can be related to stress.. I am thinking about stress. I find most of what I call stress is self-inflicted, rather than a burden to be borne. Not a fixed reality but rather my intrepretation about how the circumstance affects me.

In coaching, we tap into the wisdom of our own bodies: Everyone get whispers and gut feelings when something is “off” or needs attention. If we ignore or refuse to listen, the message gets louder and more persistent. Finally, if unattended, it will become a crisis. In addition, our self-talk, beliefs and expectations (our story) play a big role in what manifests. This, of course, is good news because it means we CAN feed ourselves more positive messages and choose our reactions to circumstances that don’t fit with our wants and expectations! Remember: We have each have the ability, in any moment, to change the quality of our lives and we can choose our reactions, even if we can’t change our circumstances. This applies just as powerfully to business situations as it does to health situations.

Two of my friends had very powerful experiences. A couple of years ago, Speaker & Author, Bernice Ross had been traveling and working very hard. She kept saying, “I need a break.” But not taking one. Finally after a few weeks of telling herself and everyone else this, she broke her arm. It wasn’t the break she was looking for!
Even more serious, another friend was distraught because her daughter was moving far away. She said, ”It’s going to kill me if you go.” The night before her daughter left, she had a massive stroke. Thankfully, she did not die. The recovery and problems from such a major stroke have taken their toll, though. These days, she’ll listen carefully to others and will sometimes remind us, how important it is to be careful with to what you are saying to yourself.

Last week, I posted some tests and check up items you should do regularly to take care of your physical body. I heard from quite a few of you that you’ve been putting things off. Make 2011 the year to take care of you. Let’s take this a step further. Ask yourself:

What in your life causes you stress? Maybe it’s not your body, but your business or your finances or your relationships.
How could this, even if it does not look ideal, hold benefits for the rest of your life?
What message is there for you? Are there whispers about changes that you need to be made? Or things you are putting up with that need either acceptance for what you can’t change or boundaries?
Is there one thing, in 2011, if you stopped doing it, would make the most difference in your quality of life?

This has led me to also look at how I am managing the areas I call stressful. Am I making proactive choices to help my body? I was given potent painkillers and told to take them whenever I needed. In attending a great informational seminar by The Laser Spine Institute, the doctor pointed out this is common practice but the problem is the pain pills don’t help the problem, but they just work in your mind so you don’t care you have it ( and, of course, the are addictive)!

What are you choosing to do to manage your feelings of stress? Are you addressing the underlying problem or using alcohol, eating, TV, or other mind numbing tools to ignore your pain? Or are you choosing exercise, meditation, support of friends, gratitude and laughter?

If stress is impacting you, don’t wait until it screams and becomes a crisis. Today I offer an invitation for you to make a conscious choice to take charge. Make 2011 the year that is deliciously wonderful!

Your Most Valuable Business Asset is.......... You!

Joeann Fossland, Master Certified Coach (Advantage Solutions Group) — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 07:29:49 -0800

Are you taking care of you?

It’s so popular this time of the year to be working on your business plan for the coming 12 months, and what can get overlooked is your personal plan. If you physically are not in great shape, it is hard to have the energy and focus to get the business results you are striving for. As in construction, the stronger the foundation, the higher you can build!

To simplify of all this planning, I ask my clients a few questions:

What one thing if you started doing it regularly, would contribute most to your quality of life?
What one thing if you stopped doing it, would contribute most to your quality of life?
What one thing in business, if you did it consistently, would most benefit you?
What one thing personally, if you did it consistently, would most benefit you?

For me and for many of my coaching clients, what would make the most difference is exercise or eating plans that would support us having the energy to excel this year.
As in creating your business plan, an assessment of where you are right now should precede the creation of goals for the year.

So.... in addition to the exercise and eating right, the obvious actions, here is a checklist of 10 items to include in your personal assessment to help you be as healthy as possible this year.

I have had my teeth checked and cleaned in the last 6 months. You could also add: I floss daily here!
I have had a complete eye exam in the last 12 months.
My blood pressure is in normal range.
My cholesterol is healthful & in normal range.
I do not overuse caffeine.
I do not overuse sugar.
I have had the tests recommended for my age and gender
- Pap & Pelvic Exam
- Mammogram
- Colonoscopy
- EKG
- Fecal Blood Test
- Prostate
- Bone Density (by getting my 1st at 50 and finding out I had osteopenia-I was able to treat it and 12 years later, my bone density is better than it was then!
I have no concerns I am putting off seeing a medical professional about.
I devote regular time to activities that promote relaxation: meditating, journaling, excising, laughing.
I have a circle of friends I regularly spend time with and can share my feelings with.

While, there may be other items specific to your own situation, this checklist gives you the foundation to include your health as a priority.
Then include some action steps to be on top of everything and create some healthful habits:

Make appointments that need to be scheduled
Get a partner or coach to give you support on areas you want to build new habits around
Schedule time on your calendar with those friends, for the meditating & exercise

How well are you taking care of your most important business asset (YOU)? May you find yourself healthier at the end of 2011 than you are today, feeling great and thriving!

The NEW e-PRO!

Joeann Fossland, Master Certified Coach (Advantage Solutions Group) — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 08:55:47 -0800

New Technology for a New Year! The NEW e-PRO^®!

One of the most exciting offerings at the NAR Convention in November, was the roll out of the new e-PRO^® Certification program. The old course was created in 2002 and had been updated, but the time had come to completely re-invent the delivery & content.

Working together with the Social Media Marketing Institute (SMMI), the National Association of REALTORS^® has redesigned the e-PRO^® curriculum to meet the challenges of TODAY's real estate market.

The 2010 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers found 89% of consumers start their search online! With today’s increasingly accessible technology, these savvy real estate consumers are able to find the information they need online, at any time. But, for many, it is more confusing than useful. I’ve been saying: “no longer is information power…it is the interpretation of information that is powerful these days.”

So….have you updated and re-invented your processes & systems? Do you know the best ways to use the latest real estate email marketing, web strategies, and social media to make sure they find you first?

The new e-PRO^® certification is designed to connect you with consumers where they are already interacting: online. Today’s consumer spends time doing research before they contact a real estate agent and only those agents who have created a presence and strategy will capture their eyeballs. Learning how to extend & enhance your real estate marketing online, demonstrates to consumers that you are tuned in to their lifestyle needs, and gain their trust – and their business.

As I talk with agents, I find many know they need to be using these tools, but are confused about how to go about it so it isn’t a horrid waste of time. Has your business planning for 2011, included a technology plan?

Ask yourself these 4 questions:

1. Who is your target audience? Think location, income, age, lifestyle

2. Who do you already have existing relationships with? This is your “low-hanging fruit”

3. What tools and strategies do you need to add or tweak to impact reaching these people?

4. What amount of time and money will you need to budget for our 2011 goals?

These questions create the foundation for a workable technology plan that will create results and success in 2011.

Once you have the plan and strategies in place, you are ready to make some decisions about your tools.

Some topics worth considering:

· How close are you to having a paperless office? What new tools do you need? Are you using a tablet computer, digital signatures, efax?

· Do you understand and are you using cloud technology? Gmail, Google Docs, Google Calendars all synch with your smartphone or computer!

HOT TIP: www.dropbox.com is a free utility that will allow you to store files in the cloud, automatically backing them up as well as giving you the ability to easily share large files.

· Are you creating video tours for all your properties? Do you have a Flip camera or Kodak Zi8?

Keeping up with the new technologies is no longer an option. It is a necessity for anyone who wants to thrive in the coming years.

The new e-PRO^® certification will give you everything you need to not only create your strategy, but to also learn about the tools you need.

I am excited to be able to teach this in Scottsdale tomorrow and am booking the course around the country! Be among the first in the country to experience the NEW E-PRO!

Here are some specifics:

Benefits of the e-PRO^® certification are:

Taking your real estate marketing online and taking advantage of social media technology to form new relationships with today’s consumer.

Showing consumers that you are up-to-date on the latest technologies and current real estate marketing trends in the industry.

Offering your customers the benefits of enhanced listings, video tours and immediately accessible information.

Giving your clients confidence that you have advanced training and a network of resources to guide them through a real estate transaction.

Making the most of today’s social media technologies, techniques and best practices

Implementing powerful real estate email marketing and electronic marketing initiatives

Employing efficient e-office strategies

Working effectively with rich media technologies

Identifying tools that fit your budget, resources and capabilities

Creating on online presence, and understanding the importance of real estate web site promotion

Learn the way you like! There are 2 options:

Day 1 is now offered in a live classroom setting, you not only receive individual attention, but you gain valuable networking opportunities as you navigate through the curriculum.

Or you still have the option to complete Day 1 online at your own convenience.

Then Day 2 of the course will be offered exclusively online in early 2011 through REALTOR^® University,NAR's exclusive online desitination for official NAR designations. This lets you to put this new technology to test and helps you determine what electronic strategies will work to your advantage.

If you already have your e-PRO Designation, you will be offered a discount to take the new course online to update your skills, tools and knowledge! Technology and learning to be productive with it is one of the most important skills for working with the consumers of today and the future.

Don't be left behind!

What One Thing?????

Joeann Fossland, Master Certified Coach (Advantage Solutions Group) — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 14:14:05 -0800

While I've been helping people create their business plans for 2011 with some complexity doing a 4 week webinar series and offering my 2011 Awesome Year Plan.....

Here's a very simple way to make a difference in your results: Answer these questions:

WHAT ONE THING WOULD

MAKE THE MOST DIFFERENCE

IN YOUR QUALITY OF LIFE?????

If you did it regularly?

If you stopped doing it?

I guess that’s really 2 things!!!

Would love to hear your thoughts!

Are You Breathing?

Joeann Fossland, Master Certified Coach (Advantage Solutions Group) — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 13:50:45 -0800

If you are reading this, I’ll have to assume the answer is yes…. the old joke when I got into real estate in 1983 was that you could get hired if you could fog a mirror. It was also the test for one of those old assumable loans too! These days, it certainly takes more than just breathing to be successful or to get a loan!

Many of us may be breathing but not really being aware of it most of the time.

You see, I shared I am a recovering “Type A” and, as such, am intrigued with ways of being very effective and focused without an hour of yoga or sitting in meditation for 25 minutes. I have tried! I really, really have, but can’t say embracing either felt right for me. I know they’d probably be GOOD for me, but so would no wine, cheese or chocolate for the rest of my life. I’m looking for a healthy balance that feels right and includes indulgences! We’re always making choices, aren’t we? So my quest is how to live life to the fullest, and still stay healthy and sane!

What’s all this got to do with breathing? In my research on productivity, happiness & success, repeatedly the topic of breathing crops up. So here are some random thoughts and resources for you to take as they fit for you.

Master Chunyi Lin says most of us are breathing about 25 times a minute and leaving 40% stale air in our lungs. He suggests you can energize, calm and focus by slowing your breathing down to 10 breaths a minute for several minutes. Try this for 2-3 minutes next time you feel stressed, angry or overwhelmed. BREATHE.......
Dr. Andrew Weil says in his book Spontaneous Healing, “ You can learn to regulate heart rate, blood pressure, circulation and digestion by consciously changing the rhythm and depth of breathing.”
- Three exercises that are very simple are described in his book. Observing the breath, start with exhalation and then let yourself be breathed. All this can be done in just a few minutes each day.
One of my favorite intuitive speakers & teachers, Sonia Choquette, teaches how important our awareness of our breath is.
To learn some simple ways to practice: David Harp wrote a little book I like calledThe Three Minute Meditator: 30 Simple Ways to Unwind Your Mind While Enhancing Your Emotional Intelligence

One of the messages that has resonated with me in 2010 is that my job is to take care of me. Being more aware of my breathing and using it as a quick centering technique is something I can do! How about you?

5 Simple Tips for Social Networking

Joeann Fossland, Master Certified Coach (Advantage Solutions Group) — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 13:01:43 -0800

Do you participate and reap rewards from social media?

Many agents feel it is a waste of their time or it isn't bring the rewards in the way they expect or want. People’s experiences seem to fall into several categories:

The ones who are closing business and have clear objectives
Those who are high profile & having fun, but not closing business
Those who see it as a giant waste of time but feel it is something they must do to be competitive.

Where do you fit? The tips below may help you increase your level of effectiveness.

Here are my 5 Simple Tips:

Relax, enjoy & be social. Remember...it is not about selling, advertising or marketing. It is SOCIAL! Use the same strategy as you do for farming: it is a long term venue where you can connect, meet and nurture relationships. By relaxing, enjoying and connecting in a strategic manner, you’ll naturally increase your name recognition & trust and make stronger connections with friends (who have friends). At least 80% of what you post should not be “selling”, posting open houses or listings. Engage with your friends, sphere of influence.
Be Strategic.
You will want to know:
1. Who you want to reach
2. What’s important to them
3. What % of your overall business you want to generate from this
Work a consistent daily plan.
Plan 15-30 minutes a day for the business social media. Do this at the same time of day. Piggyback on the times the most people are also on: 7-8 AM the lunch hour, and 6-8 PM are the times of heaviest usage, when the most amount of people will see your posts.
1. Wish people Happy Birthday
2. Accept and Invite new Friends
3. Look at the post of your “A” lists (those people who are most important to you)
4. Post 2-3 updates. Use something like www.Hootsuite.com so you can write several posts and schedule for different times of the day and post to multiple platforms.
5. Answer direct messages or leave some “likes” or comments
Give Value. Link to your blog, share something interesting, ask a question, link to other valuable articles or sites. What is interesting to those people who are your target market? What hobbies do you enjoy? What tips can you give people? Becoming the neighborhood expert or sharing a daily tip about your city are fun ways to be seen as someone who knows what’s going on.
Don’t Complain! People have enough negativity. Contribute to their lives in a positive way! People quit reading people who complain…

I don’t agree with the naysayers who say this is a waste of time. I believe to get the most business success, you need a well thought-out marketing plan for your business with several different methods of attracting clients. Your choices in the amount of time and energy you devote to your various marketing strategies should be directly related to the needs of your clientele.

As the Gen Y-ers continue to become a bigger force in the home buying and home selling markets, the agents who are comfortable with technology and who use Facebook, Twitter, & FourSquare will have ways of connecting we never dreamed of 10 years ago. Are they (first time home buyers) a niche that is part of your mix? They are expected to be over 50% of the market in the next couple of years. That may or may not be for you.

Like anything you want to learn….getting started is the first step, followed by consistent learning.

Putting More $$$'s in Your Pocket!

Joeann Fossland, Master Certified Coach (Advantage Solutions Group) — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 10:46:44 -0800

It’s Not What You Make, It’s What You Keep!

In today’s economy, most of us are looking for ways to maximize our income. It was a big Ah-ha for a few of the participants in my Business Planning Teleseminar this year when I said,” one of the most important actions you could take was looking for where you could save money since you get to keep every $ you save, whereas each dollar you add to your gross will be diminished by expenses and taxes.” In other words, saving $1 gives you $1 and making another dollar probably only gives you 50 cents!

Actions to take to save in 2011:

Re-negotiate with your vendors and service providers. Call EVERYONE-the phone company, your insurance agent, your website provider and ask for a better deal.
Look at last year’s expenses to determine where your business was generated. Drop or modify expenses that aren’t bringing in business.
Assess all those items that you are being charged for automatically every month. I was paying $15 a month for Netflix and after I cancelled, they offered me the same deal for $8. And then I find I can do this for free with my Wii. Are you paying for a service you aren’t using or that you could get at less expense?
Are you maximizing your expenses? Do you log your mileage? Keep good receipts for entertainment? Snacks & tunes for your office?
Sign up for Groupon or Restuarants.com to save money on your meals out and other services. Restaurant.com runs specials frequently when you can buy a $20 certificate for $2. These also make great gifts for clients.

Spend time on your budgets and you’ll put money in your pocket! I’d love to hear what you are doing to save money and thrive in 2011!