Watch this video of Harold and the Purple Crayon…..What are your thoughts? What if you had that much control over your business? Is it possible? Please share your thoughts, I just came off of a year where I often felt like Harold and I’d like to hear different opinions and experiences.
Sincerely,
Brett Boettge
Dear Friends,
Many of you enrolled in the upcoming Floyd Wickman S.M.A.R.T. Program beginning on Nov. 4th … Floyd and I thank you for your trust, and we congratulate you for taking this important step in your career – we will grow together, have a BLAST and become lifelong friends! If you know someone else in your office that really needs this program, ask them to join you on your TEAM!
Some of you are considering it, and it’s important to know that the S.M.A..R.T. Program is not for everybody … we have room for JUST 3 MORE “special people” who : Want / need to improve production and build SALABLE Listings; Believe in living by Core Values; Want more Balance in their careers; And appreciate “teamwork”. Experience level should not matter, as we all do the same things at the same time.
Ask yourself this question; “What other opportunity is coming to my area, that has a proven track record of 200% productivity improvement, that is fully endorsed by my company, that costs less than 1/4 of one commission, and will get me doing at least 1 listing or sale per week without working harder?”
If the S.M.A.R.T. Program is the only opportunity with all these ingredients, then consider getting on board today. I understand that we may already be nearing capacity we have ROOM FOR JUST 3 MORE. Thank you, and I’ll see you on Nov. 4th at Session One! Be early … we begin promptly at 8:30 am Candlewood Suites, Fitchburg, WI. RSVP to TheNextLevel@kw.com
Warmly, Gary Carpenter – Master Trainer, Floyd Wickman Team
PS: Holler anytime if you need me or have questions about this opportunity. 402-680-7000 or email is gary@floydwickman.com
We are always practicing something….
I heard something the other day I loved, “We are always practicing something.” That is a pretty powerful statement if you pause and think. What do you practice daily? You see this question doesn’t only pertain to training for a marathon or preparing for a speech, you practice life. Now that you have paused, I’ll ask again… “What do you practice daily?” Do you practice integrity? Do you practice the core skills of your trade? Do you practice leadership? Do you practice personal accountability and positive thinking? I’m sure you see the flip side of this coin now and where this note is headed. Do you practice making excuses? Do you practice shifting blame? Do you practice searching for that “silver bullet”? Do you practice the art of “I’ll do it later? Do you practice goal achievement or delusions of grandeur? You see, whatever we practice we become better at….so understand that you have practiced your entire life to be where you are and who you are today. What would your closest friend say you mastered through practice? Your partner? I write this not from the soapbox, but from personally standing in front what Debra Seaver, (a brilliant colleague of mine) would call a full length mirror. So what do you really want out of life? What might you need to practice daily to achieve that?
A couple of thoughts about life mastery….that is what we are talking if I wasn’t clear earlier. This subject is tough, it is work and your life will not change unless you want it bad enough. I thought paragraph two in this note might be about “ways to practice for life mastery”. Frankly only ten percent of those that read this would actually implement those how to’s long enough to change their life. So this paragraph is actually about what YOU want because until you figure that out, see the work required to achieve that and still are not swayed from that path only then will you start practicing what is required for the life you desire. How do you know what you want? Quick exercise on values…list your 5 core values…no seriously write them down. Are you done? So what are they? Let’s say #1 is family….what have you done lately to enhance those relationships? If that truly is your #1 value that is where the majority of your effort is spent right? So what is your “family practice”? Are you afraid family might be work and you don’t want it to feel that way? I thought that way too until I realized that the vision for my family life was not going to be achieved by the actions that came natural to me…so that tells me it is going to take effort to achieve the vision I desired in my family life. Knowing family might be work is it still your #1 value? Once you have your values aligned and in order it is time to define benchmarks while thinking without limits…five years is a good place to start. What I want you to do is pretend that we are having a conversation 5 years in the future, in this conversation I want you to be able to tell me the last 5 years were phenomenal….what would have to happen in your life in order for you to say that. Use your 5 core values as areas for this exercise. WRITE THEM DOWN and they must be specific and measurable. For example,
Do you see how this works? It starts by defining what you would fight for and I mean fight to the death, not just a playground pushing match. Do you have even a single goal you would put in that category? Understand it is not the end of the world if you don’t, just practice asking big questions about your life daily and the clarity will come at some point. Also understand that the above exercises create moving targets, life changes can change your core values and alter your plan, be OK with that. Life mastery is about succeeding in the storm, not just enjoying the nice weather.
In closing, self help gurus show us how to think, provide us very trendy advice on life mastery and it is all very entertaining, but truly profound once you understand why you push forward when the universe conspires against you. This clarity is a prerequisite to obtaining everything that has escaped you in life, a prerequisite to unlocking your dreams. Again, without that clarity, practice asking bigger questions about your life and until clarity is realized “act as if”.
another late night blog post by Brett Boettge – TL|CEO Keller Williams Realty
Do you think the coach would take Lebron James out of the game when he is on a HOT streak like this? So why do we as REALTORS(r) take ourselves out of the lead generation game when we get on a HOT streak? The difference between good & great!
Good vs. Great
It is said that success ruins many a great man… why do you think that is? Is it because their values change once success is achieved? I don’t think so. Is it because in order to achieve success in business, you have to sacrifice other things in life? I don’t agree with that either. Success ruins many a great man because complacency is the most underestimated piece of psychology in the universe. We grade life on a curve adjusting the bar for the masses. Even books published by best selling authors encourage mediocrity by saying things like, “If you aren’t number one, make your world smaller so you are.” Well somewhere there is a number one in the world, the actual world, not just the world as I define it….by making my world smaller am I simply creating a warm blanket for my lack of vision, skill and tenacity?
I hope I have you thinking now because as a real estate professional, June is that month. This is the month that we take ourselves out of the game when we are ON FIRE. The lullaby called “Seasonality” has gently lured you out of the driven self you were just two months ago….doing whatever it takes to sell a house and make a living. When the business isn’t happening, we work harder to create it, however we don’t see it’s results for 30, 60 or 90 days. Then when the business is happening we quit doing what created the business and simply service what we have. That is the ebb and flow of real estate, the lullaby of seasonality and the roller coaster of lead generation. This year if you fall into that pattern again it could be the biggest mistake of your career. Our real estate market is SO over inflated that this warm fuzzy feeling you have from a great “Spring” market is going to bankrupt you and your firm unless you do the RIGHT things EVERY day. What do you think happens when the government can’t keep our interest rates down any longer? Where do you think unemployment is going to go? What might happen when the banks actually release into the market all 700,000 properties they took back in foreclosure that they have been holding for months and months in an attempt not to flood the market further, devastating home values. What happens when the tax credit goes away? My point….don’t spend all of the money you make today because this just may be as good as it gets for a while.
So you see, success has ruined many a great man because once success is achieved, we stop doing the activities that landed us there. We treat success as a destination rather than a lifelong quest for excellence. Complacency is one of the biggest challenges we all will face in our lifetime… it is the tempest of mediocrity. The only way to break it’s hold on you is to stop thinking, create discipline and follow a proven process. You may be the best in your office, your town or #1 for selling 2flats on Willy Street with a solar panel and a carport, but remember if we stopped grading on a curve how well are you doing in the world?
If you are tired of being average in the world and I promise you, in our market, all of us are, call me and I will share with you my pledge to reject complacency. I will provide you the information you need to accurately forecast what is to come. I will also give you the tools, resources and training to thrive in our “new market”.
Sincerely,
Brett Boettge
CEO | TL
Keller Williams Realty – Madison Crossroads
608.661.7000
Let’s Get LOUD
I often hear a great advertisement that states.. “America needs a comeback.” Well at KW Crossroads we don’t need a comeback, we need to come out. Come out from behind the shadows, share OUR story and tell it more often than our competitors. Do you love your company? If not then why are you here, you are an independent contractor and there are other companies out there. I often wonder why it is not everyone just oozes passion for KW. The answer is simple…you don’t know any better or you aren’t a fit. If you are not engaged in your success, taking advantage of what we offer and continually learning about our opportunity, than we might as well just hand you a gold coat, pack you up for a trip on a red & white hot air balloon and usher you out the door because to some…..we are simply holding your license. We have SO much to be proud of at Keller Williams Realty and in my opinion some of the GREATEST agents and success stories out of the “Shift”.
I need your help! Keller Williams across the country is in a rapid growth phase starting June 1st. How can you help as a partner in your firm….share your story with passion, fire honesty. Are you proud of your affiliation with Keller Williams? These are things that I am proud of…..
Thanks to all who gave blood, donated time and money to support our community.
market center participation in RED Day, last week’s event proved that the compassion in our company is exceeded only by the imagination!
This on top of open books, a solid value system, a brilliant retirement plan, great people, industry leading technology and training PLUS the best compensation plan in the industry. Gary Keller might add… “well go read that best selling book your companies leadership wrote!” to the list in reference to The Millionaire Real Estate Agent.
I understand that in order to grow the market center, it is imperative that I know every aspect of our value proposition. Well you have an equal opportunity to grow our market center and be rewarded handsomely for it through our profit sharing system.
Shift Into Profit Share June 1st 2009!
How do you do it? One simple phrase… “I love my company.” If you can’t say that, why are you here? If you want to learn to love us then start taking advantage of the classes, the resources and be part of this wild real estate movement called Keller Williams Realty! Get involved, take responsibility for your career, your future, put modesty in your back pocket, then tell your story. Don’t you think some of our competitors deserve our help?
Sincerely,
Brett Boettge
Good Saturday morning readers….today I write you with some heartbreaking news….I have writers block. I counted 16 unfinished blogs saved on my desktop that I have attempted to complete time and time again without success. I have a library of materials from a freshly created recruiting campaign, but you don’t come here to read that. You all know that I posted 2 to 4 blogs per day from August 2008 to December 2008 and although not every blog was stellar, they flowed from me with little effort and changed my life dramatically through the clarity my writing provided.
A professional writer once told me that my articles and essays had a sensibility about them that attracted her back time and time again to my blog. I now feel senseless and disengaged from what seemed like a never-ending stream of profound “aha’s”. I could sit with my laptop propped on my knees and pump out a seamless thousand words in less than 45 minutes. Today I find myself at a loss, staring blankly into my screen after forcing a lackluster paragraph or two and waiting hours for just a glimpse of inspiration. I am concerned about running out of “blogging gas” and as selfish as this sounds its not because of the lack of content I am providing my readers….I am concerned because I blogged for my own personal growth and clarity, I felt great and enlightened each time I clicked “publish”. That aha stream has dried up for now and I take that as a sign of a decline in my personal growth. I need your help.
Mike Rowe, host of “Dirty Jobs” on the Discovery Channel always closes his shows with a plea from his fans for new ideas. This is my plea today…..share your Aha’s with me about sales, the real estate industry, mindset, life in general. Challenge me….I’m looking for your inspiration.
I have to thank Sherrie Puffer of Keller Williams Realty for a very deep Facebook exchange that led to my first real aha I have had in some time about Commitment vs. Compliance. This is the fuel I need from my readers today to kick start my writing again.
I say that I don’t have time to blog anymore….that is true because when you force it it takes to long but I miss writing daily. So this is what I am asking for in hopes of creating enough aha’s, written in just the right way, to inch me closer to my goal of being a published author.
Comment on this post simply with what is on your mind and allow me to create a blog based on your comment. I’m looking to take the ordinary in life and make it extraordinary. A single phrase can be the catalyst for a 2000 word essay that changes my life and hopefully intrigues you. I’m asking all of you to be my muse this Saturday morning.
Thank you in advance.
Brett Boettge
Team Leader | CEO
Keller Williams Realty – Madison Crossroads
608.661.7000
Contact to Learn When 36:12:3 is available in Madison, WI
Back to Basics…1920 X 33 = $1,000,000
“My listing presentation needs some work!” “I was planning on tweaking different area’s on my website today!” “There is this cool paperless office solution I have to look into!” “I have to master Neuro-Linguistic-Programming before I talk to anyone!” Does that sound like your days in real estate? Always preparing to make it BIG? Think of those press conferences after your favorite sports teams lose regardless of what they play…. What does the coach say? If the coach is a great coach, it is a simple statement, “We have some work to do and plan on going back to the basics!” Words of wisdom and overused only because human nature pulls us into creativity constantly re-inventing the wheel. So what are the basics in real estate?
Just like any other industry the strength of our business is directly proportionate to the people that choose the use our product/service. This comes down to your database and how often and effectively you communicate with those in it. In this real estate war, if we want to win we need to meet people, LOTS of people. How? I don’t care!! Do you understand that.. really let that sink in… it doesn’t matter how you meet people, the proven models of the Millionaire Real Estate Agent says you just need to meet 1920 of them, database them and communicate with them often and effectively. What does 1920 “met” people in your database mean to you when communicated with properly? What if I told you it meant $190,000…. $380,000….$720,000….. it honestly comes out to be $1,000,000. Is that enough to bring you back to the basics?
What would that do for you? Your family? Does it seem overwhelming…meeting 1920 people? That is 8 people every day you work…. If you worked 48 weeks per year and added 8 new people to your database and into the proper touch plan STARTING today you would have the Millionaires Database. The problem most of you will have is mindset.. you either aren’t willing to do the work, or you don’t believe the model……so you never start. Think of three years ago… it wasn’t that long ago was it? However three years into the future seems FAR to long to wait for massive success….you need to choose today in order to avoid an “I wish I had moment” three years from now. That is how simple this business is…..don’t make the mistake of overcomplicating it! So when does the rest of the real estate business come into play?
Once you focus on meeting people and creating an abundant database of “mets” it is important you track your effectiveness and employ a coach. The coach will direct you on where to best spend your time outside of meeting people and communicating with them. Your coach should know what target conversion rates are for your industry and have the knowledge to help you discover how to overcome any challenges that come up. Your coach cannot have any of these conversations with you if you don’t have any “at bats”, meaning – a listing appointment, buyer appointment etc.. So let’s recap what we need to do to start.
You all have an equal opportunity in this market to be the very best. Take away ALL excuses and ask yourself “How can I?” and “Who can help me?” and all you will be left with are the results you seek. If you are a victim of our universe you probably decided a few sentences into this blog entry or email that this type of success isn’t possible for you. I can assure you if that is your mindset you are DEAD on. Make success a choice, it is just that simple.
Sincerely,
Brett Boettge
Team Leader | CEO
Keller Williams Realty – Madison Crossroads
608.661.7000
A short video to get you in the mood for this entry….
Timeless Business Principles…Still Timeless
When did we stop caring about profit in the real estate industry? Did we ever start? A better question might be, “Do you look at real estate as a business?” What is the most important business principle that you can learn in an economic downturn? Lead with revenue, not with expense. It sounds like a simple enough concept doesn’t it? Don’t spend money that you don’t have! The “if you build it they will come” mentality is what we have all been programmed to think. I was a victim to that mentality when I entered the real estate business at the tail end of the sellers market, a mistake I’m still literally paying for today.
I had the honor of seeing John G. Miller speak down in Austin, Texas in May 2007. After an overly adventurous flight, I arrived at my destination just as John took the stage. Now for those of us that have never heard of John G. Miller, he is a best selling author of “Flipping the Switch” and “QBQ! The Question Behind the Question”. John is a role model for personal accountability and his message is one that has stuck with me ever since. In business, our profit margins shrink because of a lack of personal accountability. We say things like “In order to do this, I have to have that!” whether that is more marketing materials, better tools, a new suit, technology upgrades, new cars, plush offices or more staff…..they are all expenses, increased overhead and a disease that plagues your profits. So what is the alternative?
The question, behind the question becomes, “How can I grow with what I have today?” That’s right, a cold, hard look in the mirror that will stretch you a bit. This is where we look at things that truly make a difference for us, the foundation of our business. Things like…
So how are you going to move closer to your potential in the above categories? Do you see how those categories are the key to unlocking your PROFIT? There is personal growth in asking the question behind the question, growth for the long term. The road I talk about is the road less traveled, the road without the promise of unicorns, fairies and silver bullets. Don’t spend money to make money, whoever said that is backwards and bankrupt. So can we ever add tools, technology, expense, etc…..?
Maximize your personal potential by taking the road less traveled and then set strategic targets out for improving your tools. If you are a $3,000,000 producer get to $5,000,000 this year with what you have today… once you get there award yourself with a technology upgrade. Now hold that expense accountable to take you to the next target you set. This is the “Red Light, Green Light” method of holding your expenses accountable to proportionate results. If you spend a $1.00 it should make you at least $2.00. Whether that $1.00 is spent on a person (staff), a tool(Top Producer8i), education (Camp 443), etc… it should always put $2.00 back in your pocket. You don’t add another expense until you figure out how to make that happen.
Leading with revenue is taking away excuses for mediocrity, causes us to stretch ourselves and in the end ensures our profit. Take a look at your expenses, have you held them accountable to results? Have you looked in the mirror lately and asked, “How can I improve myself?” Do you just tend to throw money at your business in hopes that there is an improvement? This all leads to the question of the day…..Regardless of what level you are producing at, how much profit do you have at the end of the year? Look in the mirror and watch your profits, they matter!
If you would like a no obligation consult on “Leading with Revenue” and “Personal Growth” simply give me a call or email me today.
Sincerely,
Brett Boettge
Team Leader | CEO
Keller Williams Realty – Madison Crossroads
608.661.7000
Leading with Value, Leading an Industry
What a strange and fantastic journey it has been! It was just eighteen months ago that I had left my former real estate company to take the role of Team Leader for Keller Williams Realty. I actually intended on coming to Keller Williams for sales and was attracted by the phenomenal 70/30 split which caps to a pure 100% after roughly $2.6 Million in closed volume. Very cool isn’t it! Well, expecting everyone to join Keller Williams based on that alone was a HUGE mistake on my part, let me share with you why.
Value, plain and simple, if I compete on price alone I have reduced myself and my company to a commodity, a “license holder” not a place of business development for high achievers. Running a single agents business is very similar to running a real estate firm. Have you ever been on a listing presentation where you lead with the commission you will be charging? Has there ever been a time when you were asked to reduce your commission? If you don’t have any extra value to provide than the norm, how do you get that listing? That’s right you end up making a concession! Is that a good business practice? Now apply that to a real estate company…. What would be better, me decreasing you commission cap to $13,000 or showing you how to close just 4 more transactions per year? My way, the leading with value way NETS you, with an avg. commission of $5,000 an astonishing $11,000 MORE than reducing your overhead. Do you see how you can only reduce expense so far? So doesn’t the REAL opportunity in this industry, the opportunity for limitless growth and income potential come in developing your business?
This is why I struggled my first year as a team leader, I reduced my company to a commodity by leading with expense reduction. Now don’t get me wrong, my business model can probably save you thousands of dollars, even hundreds of thousands over the next few years…..but we are far more than just a place to reduce expense, we can change your life.
Sona Olson – CRS & GRI knows something about value. Tuesday, January 20th Sona made the choice to partner with Keller Williams Realty, still practicing under the SonaVco name. Sona has many affiliations in and around our industry and most recently was recognized as the Ed Coburn Pride Award recipient for service to our association and serves as the chair of the education committee for WI CRS state chapter. Why would Sona after 12 years as an independent broker choose to partner with a company where she will have to share up to $22,000 of her commissions? Do you think she would make that choice if she didn’t see proportionate value in our company, our education, our systems tools and models? Sona is one of the most fantastic business minds in our market and made a great business decision. You see, it only takes 3-4 additional units at her average sales price to negate the commission paid to our company. Does your firm have a plan for you? If you wanted to triple your business this year would you broker be able to give you a specific plan to do so including the education, coaching and systems support? More importantly would they even ask what you want out of 2009? Vacations, boats, more time with family? If not, why do you think that is?
Don’t be fooled by “Cyber Plans” and companies that simply hold licenses to reach into your pocket. Join me in success. Find out why Sona Olson made the choice to join the fastest growing real estate company in North America and the soon to be THIRD LARGEST! You deserve to know why 80,000 other agents have made the choice to partner with us and stay with us!
Enjoy a sample of what makes us different! CLICK HERE
www.KellerWilliamsUniversity.com
Sincerely,
Brett Boettge
Hope is NOT a Solution
Here I am in Crown Point, Indiana at a Keller Williams Realty event learning more from some of the most talented individuals in the real estate industry. It is 1:07am as I write this and I cannot sleep, why do you think that is? I am feeding off some of the most positive, energetic and passionate people I have ever met anywhere. The mood can only be described as electric and the word of the day is “jazzed”! Let me be clear that it is not because of the 1.4% increase in home sales, shrinking absorption rates or any other signs of a recovering market. In fact, the market wasn’t even mentioned in my first two days here at the Crown Point Market Center. There is a focus on the greatest opportunity in real estate since the great depression and certainly the greatest opportunity to gain market share most will see in their lifetimes. Where do you see “jazzed” in the real estate industry today? Let me share with you specifically why we are “jazzed”.
Hope is NOT a solution is it? Are you hoping for the market to come back? Can you afford to wait until it does? You see, you have an opportunity until August 1st 2009, this is a WAR in the real estate industry. The market share you lose in this “Shift” you will never get back, the market share you gain in this “Shift” you will never lose. So are you 100% committed to taking your unfair share of the market? Do you owe it to your family, even more so, do you owe it to yourself to do whatever it takes in 2009 to exploit the weakness of complacency in your competition? If I ask you “As your competition, what would I have to do to outperform you?” for some of you the answer may be “Get out of bed!”.
So why am I fired up? We have the tools, systems and models for you success at the highest level when faced with challenges of the shift. Tired of training administrative staff? Plug your administrator into our Fast Track Admin coaching! Looking to increase your sales? It is a numbers game and there is a formula for any goal. How many people are in your database? When was the last time you sat down with them in your office and showed them, not TOLD them what you do? Do you have a referral contract with your allied resources? Better yet, let’s figure out why you allowed yourself or your team to fall short of your goals? Mindset? No business plan? Was it the market? Frankly, the market has nothing to do with it, it is what you do! If by the 20th of every month you have fallen short of buyer/seller appointments what is your “plan b” for “all hands on deck” to get back on track?
I don’t want to see you make the sacrifices you made in 2007 and 2008 again in 2009. You deserve better! What did you give up, postpone or ignore last year? Was it the vacation? I challenge you to book yours for 2009 and we’ll figure out your business plan to pay for it together. If you truly are 100% committed and willing to do whatever it takes to reach your goals you shouldn’t have a problem with that. Does this sound like an over promise staged perfectly for an under deliver? I can assure you it is not. We are not offering silver bullets, we offer a plan to reach your goals and the support to ensure results down to the number of daily contacts, how to effectively touch them 33 times per year, how to move your listings in 30 days and a multitude of consulting options. Take a look, we are world class from head to toe and completely transparent! Keller Williams Realty is debt free, open book and your listings are your listings meaning that there are no “golden handcuffs” those that are with us choose to be and 80,000 have made that choice one at a time.
So what would hold you back from investigating this opportunity? A myth published (click here to bust the myth) by a broker looking to keep your commission? If you are high energy, driven talent looking to grow and develop your business to at least a 2.6 million dollar volume then you are probably, truly a 6+million dollar producer and just don’t know it yet. Don’t let others production, others rumors or any outside influence keep you from your date with destiny. Trust I am just as, if not more passionate about your success and your business! Don’t take my word for it, ask one of my top agents! Let’s start this journey today. Its time to take back control of your life isn’t it?
I have time blocked an additional 4 hours per week to help you explore our opportunity now through March 1st. With the rising demand for a solution to the problems our industry faces today, I have to limit my confidential consultations to those agents currently making or are 100% committed to making at the very least $75,000 in 2009. Think without limits, eliminate excuses and all that remains are results.
CLICK HERE TO SAMPLE OUR WORLD CLASS EDUCATION
Sincerely,
Brett Boettge
Team Leader | CEO
Keller Williams Realty Madison Crossroads
CELL *Confidential 608.712.4328
In My Head 