Bruce Domaille

I thought I'd take some time away from work today and play some golf. A sport I love and really the only thing that gets me away from working. I play a lot, so today wasn't a "Special" day by any means. I would play regardless of who I am playing with, the weather conditions or how well I was playing. I make it a point to calendar this golf time every week and not let anything get in the way of "my time on the golf course". (We live in Minnesota, so our season is limited, we're getting snow and cold weather early this year and I have no other interests in the winter so I work all the time)

I don't quit playing for any reason because I love to play. Except for today. I walked off (for the first time) after only six holes. Not mad. Frustrated. I didn't want to be on the course. My game has been great until the last week, then it's like I have never held a club. Golfers know what I am talking about and would say it happens to everyone. I agree as it has happened many times to me. But I always kept playing. Always. But not today.

I lost my drive and ambition for the game today. You expect some satisfaction from what you are doing. Today there was none. Today is the nicest day in the last three weeks, and probably will be for the rest of the winter. I don't care. I just wanted to get off the course. Nothing I did helped. I got mad. I was frustrated. I laughed and joked with my buddies. I messed with my swing. I did all the mental exercises I could to get me out of this 'funk'. It didn't work.

So what do I have to share with you from this experience as I am sitting inside looking out at this beautiful day watching my buddies continue to golf and have a great time? I'm not sure, other than sometimes it's okay to quit. Sometimes it's okay to take yourself out of the moment (or off the golf course) if you really don't have your heart into your work or play.

Think back at how productive you really are when your heart is not in your work or play. When you lack drive and ambition and would rather be anywhere else than where you are, doesn't it make good sense to just back off for a while and regroup? Your attitude has a direct correlation to your productivity. Many times, even if you know you can't quit and try to trudge through your task with the best intentions of falsely changing your attitude to make you more productive, you fail.

I don't claim to know how to win back this lost drive and ambition. I just know that sometimes, it's gone for no known reason. Try as you may, it's not there and isn't coming back. This is the time I would change direction. Do something else and get your mind off the task at hand (even if it means missing out on the best day in the next six months!). It helps, believe me.

I'll be golfing again. This isn't a permanent loss of drive and ambition, just a 'funk'. Kind of like the 'yips' when you putt. Time seems to be your enemy. Don't let it be. Just go do something else.

New Years reSolutions are, at best, a yearly exercise in futility and frustration. Requiring discipline, willpower and determination, these reSolutions are implications that you need to improve, fix or repair something that's broke or not complete. These requirements are not exactly energizing words and enthusiasm soon goes away to continue these reSolutions.

You need to set New Years ReVolutions...actions that lead to results. Goal setting as you've never done it before. Just like your business, you need goals and you need a plan to get these. You need to take ownership of these ReVolutions. They will be personal and more focused. They will inspire you to continue them instead of dragging you down and making you feel like you need to consistently be disciplined to get them done. ReVolutions vs. reSolutions...you chose!

To see more in-depth information concerning these ReVolutions, please click on the link below...

http://rismedia.com/wp/2008-12-28/transform-your-business-with-2009-new-years-revolutions/

Your USP/UVP. Yep, your Unique Selling Proposition/Unique Value Proposition. (I like "Value" better)

Do you have one? 95% of you don't. Do you know what one is? Chances are you don't. Don't worry. It's easy (and essential) to develop one.

Why do you need it? Because your clients need to know, in a short, concise verbalization, what you can offer them. That's right. What you can offer them. Not how good you are or that you're #1 (#1 in WHAT?!?), but what they get out of hiring you versus the sea of other Realtors out there. Why are you different?

The problem is that most Realtors have never sat down and asked themselves some important questions:

· What distinguishes my company or business from my competitors?

· Do my homes sell faster? For more money?

· Do my buyers save money or time?

· Am I more expensive, less expensive?

· Do I have a better system to attract customers?

· Am I more aggressive in my marketing programs and strategies?

· Do I give better value? A better guarantee? Make it easier to do business with me?

When you can answer these questions, you are ready to begin developing your UVP. As you put it together, make sure you are covering the following criteria: Be Unique, specific, relevant, believable, focused and concise.

Until you can convince yourself why you would work with you and can verbalize it quickly, you can't start convincing others to work with you. It's that simple.

Start now. It's not an overnight process. Send me what you have, and I'll let you know what I think. We'll get there. Just remember it takes time.

I have a question...

Where are the best people found? Before I dive in more, I will tell you that this will end up being one half blog and one half inquiry.

I am currently looking to expand our 5 person Team, needing both a Buyers Specialist and an Administrative Assistant. Where is the best place to look for talented people? There are too many "lookers" out there who don't and will never meet the criteria of the high achievers we are looking for, so how do I not waste my time?

I don't believe I'm looking for a diamond-in-the-rough. I believe there are many hard-working, loyal, self-motivated people who are always looking for an opportunity of a lifetime. I know if you have gotten this far reading this, then you have gone through, or are going through, the same thing I am.

We need to help each other to build our Teams and its success. If anyone has any suggestions, please let me know, as I'm sure there are many people out there who are looking for the same thing I am...qualified, talented, people-oriented, self-motivated people to share in the future success of an already successful Team.

Waiting your reply...

It's that time of the year again when we all must lock ourselves away for a few days and make our 2009 forecasts (well, most of us, anyway, need to lock ourselves in a room). But for a small percentage of us, this process is fairly automated and doesn't really take much time at all. That's where you need to be.

Most of you don't even take the time to forecast and the only thing this does is aid me in my efforts to branch out and become a Millionaire Real Estate Agent, because if you dont know where your going and how to get there, you'll soon choose to leave this incredible business.

You have to forecast. That's it. You need to know what you can do, what the market is suppose to do, what you need to do if you're wrong, what the rest of your Team must do (and hold them accountable, which will be another topic later) and how to pull it all together and follow the road map to your forecast goals.

If you think it takes too long, is too hard or you don't understand it, you're not alone. It's really not a big deal. Just figure out what you NEED (not want) to make, then, with a few calculation steps and looking at some of your previous numbers you hit from last year, you can easily back that number into how many appointments you need to go on to hit your forecast goal. There...not hard at all. Keep it simple. We always make these things too hard.

I can offer some help, if you are so inclined to ask...if not, it's all found in The Millionaire Real Estate Agent book...look it up...it'll be the best investment you will have made for your Real Estate career...