Bliss Sawyer's Marketing Blog

New Year's Drop in idea...

I hope you are excited for the new year and ready to work on growing your business!  Dropping in to your Realtor's offices should be on your marketing task list each week.  (need proof?  check out this TBWS Video from 12/29/2011)

If you did not drop in before the holidays, it is even more vital you take the time to do it NOW.   Stop by your local dollar store and pick up a few New Year's things.  Tie it together with your business card and a note.  Here are a few ideas:  

• Looking forward to a fantastic 2012 with you!!
• Let's make sure 2012 is the best year yet.... TOGETHER!
• Let me help you make 2012 your best year!
• Rates are down and expected to stay there.  Let me help you buyers in 2012.

 

Networking Thursday - Week 51

As I mentioned here, I am working my way through the 52 chapters of The 29% Solution by Ivan Misner and Michelle Donovan, covering one chapter every Thursday. If you choose to take the journey with me, these weekly networking success strategies will help develop your skills as a networker and also give you the tools necessary to build a strong referral-based business.

Week 51 - Recruit an Advisory Board for your Business

You may feel that you are working too much IN your business and not enough ON your business.  Is there a way to maintain a balance between day-to-day operations and the big picture?  In both cases, the answer is yes - the advisory board. 

An advisory board is a group of people from outside your business who can provide you with the knowledge and expertise you need to run a successful operation.  The knowledge you lack is always someone else's specialty, so it makes sense for you to turn to others for help.  

Business strategiest Geri Stengel presents ten effective tips for creating an advisory board (I have only included the highlights - if you need more details, review this chapter in depth)

1. Determine the Objective of Your Advisory Board
2. Choose th Right People
3. Set Expectations
4. Compensate Your Advisory Board
5. Get the Most our of Advisory Board Meetings
6. Ask for Honesty
7. Consider Alternate Feedback Methods
8. Respect Your Board's Contributions
9. Keep Board Members Informed
10. Fire Bad board Members

This task could be as simple as creating a mastermind group.  Surrounding yourself with people that excel where you lack is a fantastic tool to building a strong business.

New Year's Sale!!

 

It's that time again!  If you are ready to jump start your business and make 2012 an exceptional year then this sale is for you.  You can purchase the following products for half price.  Limited time only!

Next Best Thing Coaching - Regular price $399.  
On sale for only $199

Realtor Marketing Program - Regular price $89.  
On sale for only $44.50

Social Media Mortgage Secrets - Regular price $297
On sale for only $148.50 

Or - you can buy all three for only $349!!

Order before December 31 to get a tax deduction for this year.  Sales ends January 7.

 

End of year... get your planning done!

I hope you are getting geared up and excited for 2012.  It's going to be a GREAT year... I feel it in my bones.  (Well - that feeling might be the exercising I did this morning for the first time in a month)  But anyhoo, it's time for some planning.  Some deep thought and analyzing of where you want your business to be during the next 12 months.

Here is a link to my favorite sales plan.  Easy to complete and a great tool to help you stay on track and motivated throughout the year.

Don't forget to make an appointment in your calendar once a month to review and revise your sales plan.

Merry Christmas!

I was scrolling through old Christmas photos when I found this Lego Nativity my kids created last year.  It made me a little sad, realizing that my little babies are mostly grown and there wouldn't be many more years of lego creations to trip over and of course, those random legos to step on in bare feet.

I hope you are enjoying your time with family and friends this Holiday Season.  Take the time to slow down and just be.  Be with those you love and savor the precious moments.

Merry Christmas all!

Networking Thursday - Week 50

As I mentioned here, I am working my way through the 52 chapters of The 29% Solution by Ivan Misner and Michelle Donovan, covering one chapter every Thursday. If you choose to take the journey with me, these weekly networking success strategies will help develop your skills as a networker and also give you the tools necessary to build a strong referral-based business.

Week 50 - Become a Networking Mentor

We've come a long ways in our journey to become a master at networking.  This chapter is about taking that knowledge and sharing it.

It's common knowledge that if you want to improve your skill then you should teach someone else.

Week 50 Action:  Reach out to your Realtors, builders or other referral partners and share what you have learned that might help their business.  Consider hosting a class or book club that helps others with their networking skills.  Here are a few other posts on this topic:

Real Estate Book Club or this post

Office Book Club

Note:  Content in italics taken directly from Ivan Misner and Michelle Donovan's The 29% Solution. 

Click here to see all previous Networking Thursday posts.

 

 

Marketing with a testimonial

I have really been focusing on educating Realtors that I am available evenings and weekends.  Here is a recent email blast I sent that also includes a testimonial:

It’s Friday and I wanted to make sure you know that I am available on weekends and evenings if you or any of your clients have questions.   I am also available through the holidays – so don’t hesitate to call!

I also thought I would share  (ok – toot my own horn) a testimonial I just received from a recent client:

I think Bliss Sawyer and her team are the best! I had two other mortgage companies try and fail to help me obtain a loan for my home. My husband is in Afghanistan and I was very nervous about starting the loan process over with him gone and with very limited communication with him. Bliss and her team were recommended to me so I gave them a call and within a few days, Bliss had my loan started and assured me that she could get the job done and she did!

I can't say enough about how competent she is! She knows her stuff and my loan was NOT easy. I am still amazed at her ability to solve any problem that presented itself during the process. You would be wasting your time going anywhere else!! Trust me, I know!                           Barbara Tarayao

I would love to help you and your clients so feel free to call me at any time.  Have a great weekend!

Bliss

 

Don't hang up on me yet!

I've posted quite a bit lately about phone calls.... and hopefully you are feeling a sense of urgency to add this old marketing strategy back into your business.  The recent video from Frank and Brian over on Think Big Work Small really hit the nail on the head!

From Wood Piles to Gold Mines is just one more reason to reach out to your SOI using the telephone.  Email marketing simply isn't working any more and people connect  and remember you when they truly feel you care about (and remember!) them.  

I loved the comment (especially the last line) on this video by Mitch Lichterman:

Wow, did Frank and Brian just crawl inside my head? This is me. I’m a lazy, half-witted LO who has embraced the internet and web marketing about 15 years ago and completely stopped connecting on the telephone. My emails, videos, newsletters, drip, drip, drip have been the total package. I’m proud of my creative, personal and innovative marketing that has often gotten me pats on the back. But my business is dying. Month-by-month my email list gets smaller as past clients opt out and my once heavy referred base network is all refi-d out. Call a client? Heck, i threw out their old 1003′s years ago and dumped my list of phone numbers. Now all i have are email addresses. I wonder what would my world be like if I’d just done a phone call once or twice a year to my positive closings. Where is that guy I closed 20 years ago who loved me? At least i have the memories.

Get on the phone today...

Today is a perfect day to get on the phone to all of your referral partners.  If you are in town through the holidays, let them know you are available to answer questions or help their clients.  If you will be gone, give them the dates and who their contact person is if they need help during your absence.

Make sure they know you are also available after hours and on the weekends.  Realtors are busiest during those hours and you don't want them hesitating to contact you (or worse - calling your competition).

Before you hang up.... ask for referrals!  "By the way, do you have anyone that needs my help?"

Then, put this on your calendar for next Thursday (12/22)and the next Thursday (12/29).  This consistency will do much to strengthen your relationship.

Networking Thursday - Week 49

As I mentioned here, I am working my way through the 52 chapters of The 29% Solution by Ivan Misner and Michelle Donovan, covering one chapter every Thursday. If you choose to take the journey with me, these weekly networking success strategies will help develop your skills as a networker and also give you the tools necessary to build a strong referral-based business.

Week 49 - Become the Hub Firm of a Power Team

I love this concept... it is truly being a connector (Malcolm Gladwell's book The Tipping Point is a great reference for this idea) to not only grow your business, but also to help others in your network.

To capture the image of a hub firm, imagine the spokes of a wheel, with one business positioned in the center - the hub - surrounded by other businesses with which it has very strong collaborative relationships....This is the true essence of a strategic partnership.

You must have a high level of trust in and credibility with each business, since you will be calling on their services to help your clients.  Imagine how much value you begin to add to those relationships when you position yourself as a hub firm.

Week 49 Action:  Your task this week is to design a power team with yourself as the hub firm.  Identify projects or clients you might better serve using the power team strategy.  Which businesses would you involve?  Who do you know in those businesses?  How well do you know them?  If you know them well enough, talk with them about collaboration.

Note:  Content in italics taken directly from Ivan Misner and Michelle Donovan's The 29% Solution. 

Click here to see all previous Networking Thursday posts.

$20 Challenge... spread the word!

This has nothing to do with marketing.... but everything to do with reaching out to others.

Today, a girl asked me if I could spare a few dollars to help her catch the bus. I said no, my theory being it probably wasn't for the bus. But now I can't stop thinking about it. So I am starting a $20 challenge. I'll give everyone in my family $20 to give away, do something good or use it to help someone before Christmas. We'll share what we did on Christmas eve.

My 16 year old is helping under-privileged kids on Saturday through his school.  Each student is paired with a child and they head to Walmart with $50 to help the child purchase things they need or gifts.  He plans to give his kid some of his $20.  Love his idea!!

TAKE THE CHALLENGE WITH ME AND SPREAD THE WORD!!!!  Facebook, twitter, emails.  Let's see what good we can do with this.  

My version of Meet the Team

Here is what I will be sending out on all new loan set-ups... you can also see Rhonda's version over here

 

 

What's your biggest obstacle?

This has been my question recently to many of my coaching clients.  And kudos to them, they got it right!  Your biggest obstacle is YOU.  Not the market, not appraisers, not interest rates, not your grandma's gout.  Y-O-U

I recently received a very nice email from Andy Turner, an originator in Las Vegas (in case you were wondering, Las Vegas is one of the absolutely hardest-hit markets in our country) and in my reply email I asked him how business was going.  Here is his response:

The last few years have been a great opportunity to learn that market conditions really have nothing to do with my success or failure. 

Let me repeat that for you.  And put make it larger... and bold it... and italicize it... and make it red.  Just in case you weren't sure how much value I put on this statement.  

The last few years have been a great opportunity to learn that market conditions really have nothing to do with my success or failure. 

Andy gets it.  
Do you?

Huge success!

Last night was the Pictures with Santa event that we hosted along with a real estate group.  I was a little unsure what kind of turnout we would have, but it was a fantastic success!    Everyone pitched in to set up and keep things running with the games, food and cameras.

It was a great time to reconnect with clients and also deepen our Realtor relationships.  Santa had a few helpers running around secretly finding out names and wishes from the kids before they sat on his lap.  The kids were amazed that Santa knew them and what they wanted.  

Buddy the Elf was a huge success...

 

I was also amazed at the amount of food we collected for our local food bank.

Nice little personal touch

December Time Machine

The first each month, I share "the best of" from the past 3 years of my blog for those that are new readers or anyone that wants a look back at some great ideas.  Enjoy!

One Year Ago:

• A bit of advice - take a look at this if you are struggling
• Snag-it - I still use this program and love it!
• End 2010 with a flourish - just as applicable for this year!

Two Years Ago:

• January HUD letters.  Get organized now!
• What are your distractions?  This is a great month to NOT get distracted
• Closing Costs.  Probably shouldn't share this with your borrowers

Three Years Ago:

• Do you have more time than applications?
• Reaching out to sellers.  Simple and effective
• Two success stories

Three Years Ago:

 

Facebook giveaway idea

Denise Wargo recently shared with me her fabulous idea to get people to "like" her new facebook fan page. Here's what she is doing:

As a way to get some likes I am using one of your ideas about offering a contest for installation of holiday lights.  When someone likes my page they are entered.   You can check out my page at https://www.facebook.com/txreco#!/TexasMortgagePro.  I found a Groupon that heavily discounted their service.  They will come and hang the lights and remove them after Christmas.  

A deal from Groupon made it affordable. I am going to go out and take photos with the winners in front of their new home all decorated and post them on my Facebook page.

I am putting this in my idea "tickler" file for next year and will start promoting it around the first of November.  You could also do this with just about anything.  It's a fun way to get people to your Facebook page and start having conversations with them.  Thanks, Denise for sharing!!

 

 

 

 

Networking Thursday - Week 48

 

As I mentioned here, I am working my way through the 52 chapters of The 29% Solution by Ivan Misner and Michelle Donovan, covering one chapter every Thursday. If you choose to take the journey with me, these weekly networking success strategies will help develop your skills as a networker and also give you the tools necessary to build a strong referral-based business.

Week 48 - Conquer Your Fear of Public Speaking

No matter how hard you try to avoid it, networking your business is going to involve public speaking (and that is actually a good thing!)  If you really struggle with speaking in public, I recommend joining a Toastmasters group in your area.  

Here are few tips that might help reduce your stress:

• Prepare, prepare, prepare.
• Be specific, and talk about the things you know best.
• Use handouts, visuals, or PowerPoint.
• Remember, you're the expert.  It's true.  in the eyes of the audience, you are the expert, and they want to hear what you have to say.
• Be creative.

Week 48 Action:  You can't get better at something if you never practice it!  Your task this week is to go looking for opportunities to practice the above tips.

Note:  Content in italics taken directly from Ivan Misner and Michelle Donovan's The 29% Solution. 

Click here to see all previous Networking Thursday posts.