Melva Reid Exit Realty Optimum 902-403-5420

Hello fellow AR'ers!

I've been mulling over ways to keep in touch with my contacts/prospective clients on a more frequent basis and, at the same time, not 'wear out my welcome'. ;-)

We all know that what matters most to the consumer is 'what's in it for me?' So with this in mind, I'd like to send emails which will help educate the consumer about the world of real estate, but in an informal way. Perhaps this could take the form of 'today's tip for sellers' and a similar one for buyers; that way I can keep in touch more frequently by giving contacts something of value. [in addition to market updates]

That's where you all come in......if you would be so kind as to share an important tip, word of advice, common pitfalls on topics such as home staging, choosing a realtor etc! And hopefully we will all gain some helpful advice which we can then pass on.

If any of you have tried this approach, I'd be pleased to hear your feedback!

Wishing you a wonderful day from Nova Scotia.......the home of Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins! :-)

Melva

Do you remember the cheesy joke about the guy who tries to swim across the Atlantic....gets half-way.... doesn't think he can make it to the other side, so he turns around and swims back! haha

Well some days I feel like that swimmer, not sure if I'll make it to my goal but I've gone too far to swim back....so on those days when I'm 'treading water' I try to keep these points in mind:

• This is a career of my own choosing.
• Compared with other businesses, it's really inexpensive to grow.
• All undertakings are challenging in the beginning.
• A positive affirmation will kick-start the day.
• It's important to surround yourself with successful, upbeat people.
• On a day when the phone does not ring, pick it up yourself.
  
• Do something that makes you happy.....with me, it's playing my fiddle.
• Remind myself that life is ever-changing.....this too shall pass.

There....I feel better already! Thanks for stopping by!

As it happens, my daughter and her partner are moving to another province; I had already mader her aware that I would be happy to represent them in this business if the opportunity should arise. As a new agent, it will be good experience for me and it will save them some $.

Although I intend to represent them in the same thorough manner I would serve all clients, I am wondering if others might share opinions as to working with family members. [my two sisters did business together years ago and are no longer on speaking terms.]

I would say at the outset that communication is probably the key.....they must be upfront with me in giving their opinions every step of the way; similarly I must be direct with them, as I would be with all my clients.

How can I ensure a happy successful experience for everyone?

Maybe it's because we are mathematical beings.... you know.....the length of your eye is equal to the distance between your eyes....your hand size coordinates with your shoe size etc. So when I noticed that my point total presently ends with 999, this bit of trivia turned my attention to numbers.

A friend and colleague advised me when I joined active rain that people like lists.....not bulleted lists, but numbered lists. And now I am told, the lists should be odd numbers, not even. [And I recall when participating in art lessons years ago, the instructor advising me to paint three clouds, not two .......five flowers, not six etc.]

We are always looking for ways to make our newsletters more functional; so in my next newsletter, I will depart from my usual format of paragraphs and arrange some of the information in lists.....maybe it will be easier for consumers to digest the information and retrieve it later. Maybe they will hang on to the newsletter just a little longer! ;-)

Who knows? But in the meantime, my points total will get over that 999 hump....a wee bit of satisfaction for me!

Because of the time of year and situation with the economy, I must confess I've been a bit deflated lately! Being a new agent, I haven't as yet experienced that surge of adrenalin when the phone rings!

Then I realized it's time for attitude adjustment! I've come back to something my broker suggested......use positive affirmations each day. Well I've started doing just that.....my personal favorite is "if I work hard, and work smart, I will be successful!" That really says it all......and since coming to that realization, I've been much more confident and optimistic about my future in the real estate industry.

2009....bring it on!