Happy Holidays from Team Elliott

Just thought I would share a motivational piece I look at everyday. Happy Holidays and see you in 2010!

My Attitude

I Promise Myself:

To be so strong that nothing can disturb my peace of mind.

To talk health, happiness and prosperity to every person I meet.

To make all my friends feel that there is something special in them.

To look at the sunny side of everything and make my optimism come true.

To think only the best, to work only for the best, and expect only the best.

To be as enthusiastic about success of others as I am about my own.

To forget the mistakes of the past and press on to greater achievements of the future.

To wear a cheerful countenance at all times and give every living creature I meet a smile.

To give so much time to my own improvement that I have no time to criticize others.

To be too big for worry, too noble for anger, too strong for fear,

And too happy to permit the presence of trouble.

My Attitude..... Is My Life!

Attention Real Estate Investor - Here Are My 3 Tips to Investing and Selling Success!

You know, you can be the most knowledgeable real estate investor around…the master of every financial “trick” available…and it still won’t matter without the one indispensable skill – the ability to connect with people!

For you, as an investor, it’s vitally important to work well with many different people - buyers, sellers, lenders, realtors, appraisers, contractors, etc. After all, they’re instrumental in helping you achieve your success. Without good relations, your career goes nowhere.

Now, if you’re one of those individuals who feels he or she isn’t blessed with natural people skills, I have some good news for you – you can learn how to deal effectively with anyone inside (or outside) the real estate business!

Here’s all you have to do – learn the practical tips below and then practice them every day! Soon, everyone will consider you the “natural!”

Tip 1: Listen Effectively!

I know, I know…everyone tells you to listen well, but they don’t tell you how to do that! In this article, I tell you exactly how!

• Listen twice as much as you talk! Sometimes we get in such a hurry to make a deal that we forget to listen. Remember, people want to feel that you understand their needs and frustrations. So, replace excessive “yammering” by listening closely and showing interest in clients and others as individuals. Also, remember that this is actually an effective business technique; that is, once you know a person’s needs, you can shape your offer more closely to meet those needs – and a sale is made!
  
  
• Use prompts! “Prompt” is a term for a technique to keep clients and others talking so you uncover their needs. It involves using short phrases like, “Tell me more…Go on…I hear you….Go on…Uh huh,” etc. When you use these phrases, people know you’re listening and want to hear more of what they have to say.
  
  
• Use positive body language! Positive body language techniques include: a relaxed, yet alert posture…making good eye contact…nodding your head…leaning slightly forward…and writing down what people say. Never do the opposite during a meeting or interaction: answer phone calls, read papers, fidget, interrupt, and so forth. This is the height of rudeness and tells clients and others that they’re not important to you. This is a sure way to lose deals and money!
  
  
• Summarize! This is not only a great technique for letting people know you’re listening to them, but it also keeps “motor mouth” individuals in check and stops them from wasting your time and theirs. So, at strategic points in a conversation, you might say, “Kim, what I hear you saying is that you’d like an inexpensive home that’s in a quiet and stable neighborhood and is safe for your kids.”
  
  

Hint: Don’t overdo the techniques I just described above (for example, summarize constantly, prompt all the time, etc. If you do that, you’ll end up being seen as manipulative and turn people off. Instead, fit these techniques into the normal flow of conversation. With practice, you’ll soon be an expert!

Tip 2: Match the Customer’s Language and Speaking Style!

As we all know, people are more comfortable with others who are like them. So, for example, if a person has very high energy and talks fast, you can match those characteristics.

Or, if they’re very deliberate in their speech, then you can adopt those traits as well. Again, don’t go overboard with this technique. If you do, people make think you’re making fun of them and get very irritated.

Also, try to match their dominant style of thinking. For example, some individuals are emotional; some want “big picture” ideas; some are analytical and demand only facts and figures. If you can match their particular style of communication, you’ll connect more easily with them.

Guideline 3: Stress Benefits, Benefits, Benefits!

I know…I know…this is hammered home in every sales course you’ve ever attended.

But, the fact is, sometimes we get so interested in making a deal for ourselves that we forget to stress the benefits for the client, the lender, the contractor or anyone else we deal with in the real estate business.

So, remember to always answer the eternal question of clients and others first, “What’s in it for me?” If you do that to their satisfaction, you’ll make more profitable deals and connections.

And also remember that many needs are common (e.g., save money, make money, get security, etc.), but everyone thinks that their need is unique. So, listen closely and show them that you understand those needs!

Want to talk more about making great connections with people? Contact me today at teresa@teamelliott.net or 402.690.1573 and let’s talk about communication skills.

Attention Home Sellers! – Here's How to Catch the Eye of the Buyer w/ John McMillan

When about 84% of home buyers start their search online, you know you need to have an Internet presence in order to sell your home!

But that presence needs to have a professional appearance! You can’t simply slap up casual photos or boring videos. They won’t do the “sell” job for you. So, here’s some advice on how make your property as attractive as possible on the Internet.

Guideline 1: Hire a Professional Photographer or Find a Realtor Who Uses One!

There’s simply no substitute for high-quality photos of your property, inside and out. And, frankly, most of us just can’t reach the level achieved by a professional photographer. So, use the services of one to make your house stand out.

He or she should take several photos inside and out, highlighting the most attractive features of the home. Of course, get shots done on sunny days and be sure to include photos of the most important areas of the house; i.e., kitchen, a bathroom, dining room and a bedroom.
Then post the best photos (or have them posted) on an easily accessible site. It’s important to have a number of them online since potential buyers will pass over a listing with just one or two photos, feeling that they’re not getting enough information.

Guideline 2: Hire a Professional Videographer or Find a Realtor Who Uses One!

Video tours of your home are a great marketing tool. They’re dynamic and interesting to viewers – if done correctly. Also, such tours are very attractive to younger buyers who are familiar with such sites as YouTube.

I’m not saying you can’t film a video tour itself. In fact, it’s very easily done with YouTube. But, you need to ask yourself, “Do I have the talent for this?”

If you don’t and film a tour, then, frankly, the results can look very amateurish and may well end up turning off buyers who have high expectations of the videos they see online!

So, I recommend working with a professional videographer or with a realtor who has access to one. The money will be worth it. Of course, check out the videographer’s credentials first and ask for samples of their work. They should be able to send you to their own website where those samples are posted or to real estate listing sites on which their work is displayed.

Guideline 3: Work with a Realtor Who’s Knowledgeable about Social Media!

If you’re not familiar with the term “social media,” it refers to free Internet services like Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, etc. where people go online to socialize and get their messages out. A savvy realtor will link your video tour and photographs to all these sites, thus increasing the pool of potential buyers for your property and, again, tapping into a younger audience who may be the ideal customers for your home.

Need to know more about how to make the most of your Internet listing? Contact me immediately at 402.690.1573 and let’s get started today!