Having No Goals Leads to Wild Success

It's the end of 2011.  It's the time of year where business people from all different industries take stock of last year's performance, set next year's goals, update and finalize their business plan for the new year.  But I'm here to tell you this, "Set No goals for 2012".

Crazy right?  Maybe not.  My business coach, Don Yoakum, has me reading a book by Richard Fenton called "Go for No".  The thesis of the book boils down to a few key points.

1. Yes Goals - Setting your goals based upon how many "yes"s you need limits your potential.
2. No Goals - Setting your goals based upon how many "no"s you need to hear does 3 things:
• Numbs you to the effect of "No"
• Makes "No" the goal and takes all the negativity and power away from the word
• Removes the limits placed on your potential by a normal "Yes" goal.

Let's look at these two examples, both of which are based upon the need to set 3 appointments per week.  Assume for the sake of the example that, in your business, 20 calls = 4 contacts = 1 appointment.  So to make 3 appointments in 1 week, you would need to make 60 calls.:

• Example 1 - The "Yes" goal
• It's Monday.  You start making your calls at 8:30am.  For some reason, everyone is home.  You're thinking that maybe there's something in the air or the water because, in your first 10 calls, you reach 3 people and they all say "yes" to an appointment.  Awesome!  You're done for the week.  You can go home.
• Example 2 - The "No" goal
• If 20 calls = 4 contacts = 1 appointment, that means that 3 of the 4 contacts said "No" to an appointment.  So it follows that 3 "No"s = 1 appointment.  (Stay with me here... it's worth it!).
• So, using "No" goals, in order to make 3 appointments in 1 week you need 9 "No"s.
• It's Monday.  You start making your calls at 8:30am.  For some reason, everyone is home.  You're thinking that maybe there's something in the air or the water because, in your first 10 calls, you reach 3 people and they all say "yes" to an appointment.  Awesome!  Wait... You're not done.  In fact, you haven't made any progress toward your goal.  You still need 9 "No"s.
• You keep calling, going for the "No".  Eventually you hit your goal of 9 "No"s. Now you're done and you've made 12 appointments.  And it was fun!  You're fired up!

Still afraid of the word "No"?  Does it make you feel rejected?  In "Go for No",  Richard Fenton talks about a magic word that they teach doctors in medical school to prepare them for the reality that they will eventually lose a patient.  So here it is for you.  It's magic and it works every time.  The word is... "Next!"

Many thanks to Don Yoakum for turning me on to this book!  Get "Go for No" by  Richard Fenton, read it and join me in setting No goals for 2012!

Two Big Reasons NEVER to Hand Out Your Business Card

You've been there before.  Your having a nice conversation with someone at the bank or maybe at a store.  The conversation turns to real estate.  They tell you they're planning on making a move soon.  You talk to them about the move and ask them for their contact information so you can get with them later to help them out.  They say, "no problem.  Just give me a card and I'll give you a call."  You hand them a business card and they go away, never to be heard from again.  Or, are you one of the really pro-active card agents?  I mean the ones who give their card out to anyone and everyone who might have a real estate need.  If so, you would not have asked them for their contact information.  You would have just handed them a card and told them to give you a call.  In any case, the result would have been the same.  Ever wonder why?

Let's look at what I call the two BIG reasons to NEVER hand out your business card:

1. Once the prospect has your information, you don't need theirs. - Always look at every exchange from the prospect's perspective. - So the conversation was good.  You seemed nice and knowledgeable.  They have your information.  They'll call you if they need you.  Thus your business card's final odyssey begins.  If it's in the prospect's pocket, it goes through the wash and into the trash.  If it's in the prospect's wallet, the next time they look at it, it's a year later.  They're cleaning out their wallet and they throw it away because they have no idea who you are or why they have your card.
2. You could have had a lead.  But now you don't. - You only have a lead if you have legit contact information.  YOU have to have it... not the prospect.  The person with the contact information is in the driver's seat.  They are the only ones in control of whether on not you ever speak again.  In sales, that always needs to be YOU!

Always remember - The object of any exchange is to make an appointment.  If you can't get an appointment, the fall-back position is to get the prospect's full name, phone number, and email address (that is a lead).  Just practice saying this: "Oh wow... I don't have any more cards with me.  Let me get your email and phone and I'll get in touch with you tomorrow."

Be the card-less Realtor!

The Zen of Timeblocking II - How to Get Started

Congratulations!  If you're reading this then you've taken the first big step - admitting (like all of us) you have a problem.  The problem; Not enough time in the day to get everything done.  So let's see how to get started with the solution.

First, understand that your timeblocking schedule is going to be a continuous work in progress.  Initially you will be changing it often to fit your real daily activities.  Over time you will make changes far less often.  Here is the step-by-step:

1. Look at your 2012 calendar and put in all of your major vacation time.  Get your family and personal vacation time on the schedule now.  Here's a tip - if you don't book your vacation trips way ahead of time, you will not have the vacation that you want and deserve.  Life gets in the way and short-term business activities tend to supersede last minute vacation planning.
2.  Now, start with next month.  Put in all of your personal weekly recurring activities - Friday night date night with your significant other, kids games and school appointments, daily workout time, weekly days off.  Don't skimp on the days off.  The truth about off time is that, if you think you will work 6 or 7 days per week, you're wrong.  You may maintain this schedule for a few weeks or even a few months.  But eventually you will self-destruct.  When this happens it's not pretty.  When you're burning out, your clients seem to make you angry or frustrated more frequently, your business runs your life, and you are FAR less effective in all areas both business and personal.  Take at least one regular day off per week (same day each week).
3. Put in all of your weekly recurring activities starting with lead generation time.  Look at our Monday, Wednesday, Friday timeblock schedule.  Think of the things that you do in your business semi-regularly like fixing broken deals, update calls to Buyers and Sellers, working ON your business (like new mailings and marketing ideas).  Now make those activities into regularly scheduled activities on a weekly, monthly, or quarterly basis.
4. There are many, many great timblocking resources available to you to aid in getting a handle on your time.  Try them out.  See how you like them.

Remember - your timeblocking schedule is a work in progress and you will need to tweak it.  If you find that you are consistently starting your lead generation at 9:30am instead of 9am, go ahead and change your schedule to a 9:30am lead generation start time.  As long as you move the end time 30 minutes later as well, there's nothing wrong with it.  That is the little secret of timeblocking.  The blocks are movable within your day.

You can do it.  It DOES work for you.  Your day is NOT busier or different in some ethereal, mystical way that make it impossible for you to timeblock.  ALL highly effective business owners and leaders timeblock. The ultimate gift of timblocking will be a more productive business day, more consistent income, more personal time, and a more satisfying life!