Joe's Journal

What is Commitment?

Good Morning,
5:05AM

4-27-2007

This morning I found myself considering all my current commitments.

Then as I was thumbing through an old journal this passage instantly got my attention.

After reading several times it was easier to re-commit.

Enjoy

Joe

Commitment

Commitment is what transforms a promise into reality.

It is the words that speak boldly of your intentions. And the actions, which speak louder than the words.

It is making the time when there is none.

Coming through time after time, year after year.

Commitment is the stuff character is made of, the power to change the face of things. It is the daily triumph of integrity over skepticism.

~Anonymous

My Six Short Sale Rules

In some parts of the country short sales are becoming common place.

It’s important that you define a set of boundaries or rules that you adhere to in this type of situation.

These would be My Six Must For Me To Work On A Short Sale.

Do you have any to add?

1. The seller wants to keep their credit in good standing.

2. The seller has some cash to contribute to the short fall.

3. There is enough money in the sales to pay a second mortgage or any liens or judgments.


4. You know the lender will accept short sales.


5. You are willing to work with buyer who will wait two to three months to close.


6. You get paid full commission.

Be conscious what type of deals you get involved in.

If you apply these six rules to a short sale situations, more than likely you're going to serve someone during a difficult time.

Joe

Comment:
The seller must have a "hardship" and be able to document it.
(ie:illness,divorce,reduction in income,family crisis, loss of job etc.)

They need to show the lender why they cannot continue to make payments.
They also need to provide all their income/expense information. If they
are "payment capable" even if its difficult chances are the lender will
not accept a short payoff.

Cherie Tiscareno
cheriet@comcast.net

What Does It Mean To Make a Difference?

Good Morning,

Watch this short story and rediscover the truth about our ability to make a difference in this world, one person at a time.

Click Here : Make A  Difference Movie.com

Thank you Paula!

Joe

Your Primary Business Purpose is to be Referable!

Another way of saying that is, 'your primary purpose in business is to be on purpose'.

Your purpose is who you are.

Who you are is a person who is committed to showing up in all your relationships knowing your advice, your knowledge, your wisdom, your love, your compassion, all your systems, methods and procedures, and all your actions, are leading to one very simple outcome – your client respects and trust you so deeply, that they refer you to the people they care about most.

Because of who you are, your purpose is your highest priority.

Choose To Have An On Purpose Day

Joe Stumpf

The Power of Awareness by Neville

I have read almost everything written on the “Law of Attraction” and what Neville wrote in 1944 in his book the Power of Awareness has more truth per word then virtually anything written since.

Take a few minutes and deeply consider what Neville is saying.

The Power of Awareness by Neville

Page 19

To become the master of your assumptions is the key to undreamed of freedom and happiness.

You can attain this mastery by deliberate conscious control of your imagination.

You determine your assumptions in this way: From a mental image, a picture of the state desired, of the person you want to be.

Concentrate you attention upon the feeling that you are already that person. First visualize the picture in your consciousness.

Then feel yourself to be in that state as though it actually formed your surrounding world. By your imagination that which was a mere mental image is changed in to seemingly solid reality.

The great secret is controlled imagination and well sustained attention firmly and repeatedly focused on the object to be accomplished.

It cannot be emphasized too much that by creating an ideal within your mental sphere, by assuming that you are already that ideal, you identify yourself with it and thereby transform yourself into its image thinking from the ideal instead of thinking of the ideal.

Every state is already there as “mere possibilities” as long as we think of them, but are overwhelming real when we think from them.

How Can I Be A Low-Maintenance Person?

Good Morning,

It's a great question?

Low-maintenance people have low levels of conflict and “drama” in their lives.
Whenever you experience conflict in a transaction, it is a result of one of these characteristics – on the part of you, your client or a team member! 

The best way to attract low-maintenance people in your life is to become more low-maintenance yourself – the “Law of Attraction.” 

When you tell the truth, take responsibility, appreciate others, keep commitments by making only those where you control the outcome, become “other” focused and integrity driven, you are not only referable but desirable.

Characteristics Of a Low-Maintenance Person

1.    Has the ability to tell the truth.
2.    Has the ability to be 100% responsible.
3.    Has the ability to keep commitments
4.    Has the ability to appreciate you.

Telling the truth means not overpromising – ever. 

Being 100% responsible means you neither blame nor become a victim.

Keeping commitments means doing what you say you’re going to do. 

Appreciating means acknowledging others for how they behave and what they contribute.

Have a great day!

Joe

How Can I Get Past My Fear of Asking for Referrals?

Everyone wants to be accepted, don't you"

That’s at the core for all of us:  I want you to accept me. I want you to like me.  I don’t want you to reject me.

An easy way to get people to accept you and not reject you is to avoid asking for anything.  That’s the little child in us, that 10-year-old who learned early that you risk rejection when you put yourself in the position of asking someone for something. 

So, you’ve got to recognize that that child has grown up.  This is an adult in business.  When you ask for a referral and the person says they don’t know anyone, they’re not saying they don’t know anyone forever.  They’re saying, “I don’t know anyone right now.”  It’s not a personal attack or a rejection. 
You may have to do some inner work along with the outer work of implementing systems and strategies.  Focus on gaining your acceptance from yourself, not from others. 

Self-esteem is a lot of little victories over a long period of time that you add to an internal bank account.  Eventually you’ll take bigger risks because you’ve got something to withdraw on. 
The thing that kills self-esteem the fastest is setting unrealistic goals. 

Don’t get attached to the outcome, get attached to changing your behavior of asking.  And then, every time you ask or BRAG or plant a referral seed, you’ve got a victory.  Let the victory be about the behavior and not about the results.

  If you work on your behavior, the results will come

Put Some Conscious Magic In Your Purpose

Are you passionate about communicating your business purpose?

Imagine using the script below when you are in dialogue with a current client.

Magic Words

Mr. and Mrs. Client, my purpose is for you to be so outrageously happy with the help I provide you that you’ll gladly introduce me to at least two people you really care about before I even sell your home, or help you buy a new home or close on your loan.

Three Things To Learn From My Dialouge

1. Outrageously Happy Not Satisfied.

When you use the word outrageously you are raising the frequency of your communication to a level of attraction. Just say the word outrageously 3 times loud and notice how much better you feel.

2. Help Not Service.

As you may or may not know service is a wimp word. Help means someone is in trouble and they need and want you. Every time you are about to say the word service, stop and think how can you say the same thing using the word help.

3. You’ll Gladly Introduce Me Not Refer Me.

As Dean says at the Main Event, “the word referral is a soft meaningless word,” However it’s a great in the name of a company - By Referral Only, and it's weak word when your asking people for help.

You are far better off asking for people to introduce you to their friends, family and neighbors that they believe could benefit from your wisdom and real estate and mortgage strategies.

Here to help.

Joe Stumpf

P.S. Have you heard that over 900 people have signed up for the Las Vegas Main Event.
Come and join us for the worlds most specific training on How To Build A Referral Business available any where, including on this planet!

How I Use Conscious Language When I Write My Daily ‘To Do’ List

Yesterday, a good friend of mine asked me to share with her, one specific tool that she could begin to use immediately to improve her time management skills.

I told her that she could improve her productivity by 25% by planning through her day, not just making a list of To Do’s.

Maybe you have heard me say, “Plan through it, not to it.”

She looked at me like what I just said was too big for her ears. 

So I asked her to show me her daily ‘To Do’ list to demonstrate my point.

Here is what was on her list that day:

•    Workout -- run 1 mile.
•    Call Larry on Hawthorne property.
•    Call BRO coach @ 10:30am.
•    Drop off Calhone paperwork at bank.
•    Set appointment with Chiropractor.

I wondered out loud how inspired she got when she read her list.

So I said, “I’m not going to tell you that when you read your list of things you want to do today, it’s not very inspiring, because I believe you already know that."

"What I would like to suggest you do is rewrite your list using conscious, inspiring words that plan through the item, not just to it.”

So I helped her rewrite her ‘To Do' list using conscious, focused language:

•    Workout -- run 1 mile.

I choose to work out from 7am to 8am at LA Fitness. When my workout is complete, I feel invigorated, alive and ready to have a great breakfast. My breakfast fuels me perfectly throughout my day.

•    Call Larry on Hawthorne property.

I choose to call Larry and fully inform him about my lease agreement on my Hawthorne listing. My desired outcome for my communication is Larry is confident and self-assured that he has chosen me to represent him on his investment property.

•    Call BRO coach @ 10:30am.

I choose to call my coach at BRO at 10:30am. I make my appointment no matter what. I show up, willing to be coach-able. I follow my coach’s advice – I love my thought “I am coachable."

•    Drop off Calhoun paperwork at bank.

I choose to drop my paperwork off at Coastal Bank for my Calhoun Project. When I walk in my bank, I smile and make eye contact with everyone. Each person in my bank sees me as a light of positive energy.

•    Set appointment with Chiropractor.

I choose to set up my perfect appointment with my chiropractor. As I talk to my contact person who sets my appointment, I visualize receiving my most convenient time for me in relationship to my full schedule.

•    Call Carol about new office.

I choose to fully express my pros and cons with Carol about my new office. My outcome from my collaborative conversation is, I understand Carol’s reasons to switch spaces, and I fully communicate my three concerns about my new space.

When I was done helping her rewrite her 'To Do' list, she was obviously more inspired with my version.

It may take about ten minutes to write your daily ‘To Do’ list using my conscious language approach and planning through it, not to it.

The extra ten minutes is like sharpening your saw before you cut your lumber.

The little extra time in advance, will make your day flow with ease and grace.

Two Simple Tips On How To Write Consciously

1.    Replace the words 'I need' and 'I want' with 'I choose'.
2.    Replace the words 'the', 'it', 'then' and 'they' with 'my'.

For example:

I choose to write a meaningful, thought-provoking blog for my joesjournal and post it to my blog before 1 pm PST.

Choose a wonderful day!

Joe

“ How Reach The Highest Levels Of Personal Development”

Larry Laveman has been my personal coach, "therapist" for the past 7 years.

He is a remarkable, wise, insightful teacher and guide. Well he has finally written a book.

It's packed with brilliant advanced awareness.

I highly recommend that you add this easy to read and profoundly intelligent book to you life library. He has condescended into 135 pages what has taken me seven years to figure out and integrate into my life.

Here are a few lessons Larry has taught me that you will discover in his book titled "Mysticism & Modern Life – Ancient Wisdom for Personal Growth"

I don’t like the title that much. Since I have a marketing mind, if I were going to re-name it would be...:)

       “ How Reach The Highest Levels Of Personal Development”

         Life Lessons I Have Learned From Larry

• Why the simplest things in life are the deepest, how to discover them and then orient your life around fully enjoying them.
• Why it is so difficult to take action even when it means making our life’s better.
• What does anxiety in life really mean? (This one thought is worth the price of the book)
• How to change awareness by changing behavior.
• How to break habitual life patterns.
• What are my patterns?
• Who do I attract?
• Why do I attract certain people?
• How was my identify formed?
• How am I connected mentally, physically, and spiritually?
• What are my strengths, talents and natural abilities?
• What do I expect of myself?

Lets Do A Tele-Book Discussion

When you buy the book and read it I would love to do a book study with you.

Just email me and let me know you want to be part of the book discussion. I will send you dates times and a phone number to join in.

I will share with you specifically how I have been able to work with the material presented to greatly improve my relationship with my children, my friends and most importantly myself.

Joe

Click Here To Order:
Mysticism and Modern Life: Ancient Wisdom for Personal Growth

The Hawthorne Effect

How Can You Use The Hawthorne Effect In Your After Unit?

In the 1930's, some studies were held at the Western Electric production facility outside Chicago in a place called Hawthorne.

The intent of the study was simple enough: invite a handful of employees to participate in various working condition tests to determine which conditions were most conducive to increased production. Those conditions that "tested" best were then to be rolled out to the general production floor. One of the things they tested was brighter lights. Production went up.

Then they tested dimmer lights. Production went up. In fact, no matter what they tested, production went up!

Dr. Paul Marsden, from the London School of Economics, brought my attention to the study and the results, which have come to be known as the "Hawthorne Effect." He explains it like this in the preview chapter of his book 'Connected Marketing':

By singling out a small group of employees to participate in an exclusive trial, participants felt valued, special and important. The special attention they received gratified their ego and created a positive emotional bond with what they were trialing.

The practical upshot was that the research trials effectively transformed the research participants into advocates for whatever it was they were trialing.

What does the Hawthorne Effect have to do with growing your business? Creating advocates, or promoters, or evangelists, is the first step to harnessing the power of referral marketing.

The researchers at Hawthorne created advocates by singling out a small, exclusive group, giving them special attention, and asking for their opinion. It is possible to do the same with your real estate or mortgage business.

Here is how you may put the power of the Hawthorne Effect to work for your business today.

Choose some buyers, seller or borrowers, make them feel special, and ask for their feedback on a new system, a new website, new blog, or a new event you're planning.

Not only will you get good feedback, you'll get advocates and all those they go on to tell.

Charger and Raven Fans

How long do you stay on it?

How long does it take you to recover from a setback?

Imagine a transaction falls out of escrow, how long do you cry about it?

How long do you choose to whine and complain and be a victim of the circumstances??

What is your rule, for how long you get to dwell on the negative before you let it go and move on?

On the other hand, how long do celebrate after a victory?

Imagine you get a listing, or close a transaction, how long do you gloat and celebrate?

How long do you continue to tell people how good you are and how successful you are?

Patriots and Colt fans, how long do you plan on celebrating your victories?

Don Shula, the famous coach of the Miami Dolphins, had what he called was the 24-hour rule.

It was simple.

If you lost a game, you got 24 hours to feel the pain, whine about, cry, whatever you needed to do. Then you had to forget about it.

The next morning  be at practice, ready to go like nothing happened.

If they won a game, they got 24 hours to play, party, celebrate, goof off, whatever they needed to do to fully express their happiness for 24 hours.

Then forget about the victory and show up at practice ready for the next game.

You work in a business that has many highs and lows.

You can walk into the office and be at the heights of exhilaration and with one phone call go to the depths of depression.

What I have noticed from the most successful “A Players” in our industry is they don’t try to get rid of the highs and lows, they have learned how to ride them.

When you get a phone call that the appraisal comes in low, set a very specific amount of time you get to complain about it, then once that time is over, you focus all of your attention on a solution and never talk about how bad it is.

When you loose a transaction or a client, you get 24 hours to get off it.

When you do something big and celebratory, you get 24 hours to party, then get off and move on.

The ability to get back up after you have been knocked down is the hallmark of real champions, and how quick you can get back up is what will keep your spirit fully engaged in your life purpose.

I love what Mary Kay said, “A setback is a set-up for a comeback.”

Have a brilliant day.

Joe

Forming Good Habits

What habit have you developed that you really like?

For example, I have developed the habit of getting up in the morning at 5am.

I really like that about myself.

I feel like I get my day off to a great start when I meditate for one hour before I do anything else.
I like to imagine that my body is like a light bulb and I am the electrical current running through the bulb.

I am not the bulb.

When I go to bed at night, I turn off the light. When I wake up in the morning I first must turn on the light.

Experience has shown me that when I meditate for one hour first thing in the morning, I turn on my lights.

The stronger my meditation, the deeper my connection, the more focused I am on my God First consciousness, the brighter and the stronger the current.

Only after I have fully plugged into Gods Love, then I begin my day.

Now this is a habit that I developed for myself to strengthen my spirit.

I imagine you too have developed a few very positive habits in your life also.

A good habit can strengthen your self-esteem and bolster your confidence.

Experience shows that once you perform an action, it leaves an effect or impression on the consciousness.

After several repetition's, that inclination is so strengthened that the action becomes a habit.

Clay can be molded into a vase and while the clay is soft, it is easy to change the form of that vase again and again. But once it is fired in an oven, its shape becomes firmly set.

Your thoughts are molding your actions and your mental conviction from repeating of those action is what creates a habit pattern.

If you have molded clay into a vase and fired it and now you want to make that object into a tray, you cannot do so.

But you can pulverize the vase and add that powder to fresh clay and then form it into a tray. Likewise, when a habit is fired in the mind and you want to change it, you will have to use your strong will to pulverize that habit and absorb it into fresh, pliable, good actions that can be re- molded.

So what bad habit do you choose to pulverize and re-mold so you can experience being the highest version of your self?

Get Focused, Stay Focused

Happy New Year...

I was wondering if you have begun to notice that without focus, it is difficult to succeed?

Yet, in my experience, I believe that no matter who you are, you lose your focus.

Is that true for you?

Also, in my experience, I have noticed that what separates the Pro from the Amateur is the Amateur will lose focus for days, even weeks, maybe even a month at a time.

While the Pro never loses focus for more than a day, maybe two, because the Pro has mastered the skill of refocusing.

I imagine you may want to know how to get refocused when you seem out of focus.

I’m not going to tell you that it is easy to turn Pro because you already know how to be Amateurs, but may I suggest these three habits be woven into the fabric of your life, so you can enjoy the benefit that Pros receive that Amateurs only dream about.

Three Pro Habits That Get You Refocused

#1. Recovery Time.
Once a year, get away for a least 3 days to redefine your dream and revisit your 3 major life projects. (Read the post “What Separates Pros From Amateurs").

This year, as a matter of fact, while you read this, I’m in Idyllwild, California, fully emerged in a 5-day spiritual retreat, fasting on lemon water, maple syrup and cayenne pepper and meditating 3 to 5 hours a day, getting refocused on what is important to me.

#2. Remodel Time.
Each month, take 5 uninterrupted hours focusing on what projects and activities will give you the most significant thrust towards the accomplishment of your 3 major life projects.

#3. Results Time.
Pick one project at a time and invest 75% working on it until it is complete.

So for example, you want to get 3 listings or loans this month, upload all of your data from your database system to myclients, and you want to hire an assistant.

The secret is to pick just one of those three projects and pour 75% of all your time and energy into that one project until it is complete, instead of 25% on listings and loans, 25% on data transfer, 25% on hiring an assistant.

When you focus your energy on one thing, you get it done faster and better.

Those are three simple and easy tools to help you get focused and stay focused.

Happy New Year,

Joe

Stop 'Needing' Referrals

Have you ever heard, “Whatever you focus on, you attract?”

On a recent coaching call, one of my clients said, “I really need to get more referrals.”

My response was, “As long as you need them, you won’t get them, because the more you need something, the more you attract the energy of needing.”

She asked me to explain what I meant.

When you need something, it means you don’t have it.

When you don’t have it, you come from a place called 'I need'. You’re in scarcity and you lack something. From that place, you attract more neediness.

So, when you think and say “I need more referrals” – what you manifest is a need for more referrals, and you’ve achieved that goal.

That’s not the goal you want. Your goal is getting referrals, not the need for them.

Try this: Right now, begin to stop needing referrals.

Starting today, choose Being Referable versus Needing Referrals.

Affirm these two statements out loud with passion and commitment:

I love the thought of being a highly referable consultant who easily receives two great referrals from each of my current clients.

I love the thought that today, I have decided to get two great referrals from each of the people I talk to in my sphere of influence.

Keep playing these positive affirmations in your head.

What you think about, you talk about, and what you talk about, you bring about.

Go for it!

How The Pro Stays Motivated!

The amateur is waiting around for someone to get them motivated to get them inspired to light a fire under their ass.

The pro is self-inspired, they don’t need any one to light them up, they are on fire, they inspire themselves.

The Pro is internally motivated.

Do you want to know how to go from amateur to pro, its; simple there are 3 steps to becoming self motivated.

Step #1 Know Thyself!

Socrates guiding rule was, "Know Thyself."

These words are of eternal significance.

No better advice has ever been give to man or woman.

When one begins to explore this dictate it leads to profound understandings about all of creation. It makes unhappiness, fear, sadness, doubt, and all the negative emotions meaningless.

You begin by knowing what need MUST  be met at all times for you to feel like you are the highest version of yourself.

There are eight basic core needs, look at the list and ask yourself which need MUST you have met and then orient your life around always getting that need met.

Rate yourself on a scale of 1 low and 10 high which need MUST be met for you to feel joy, happiness and fulfillment.

1-    To be loved
2-    To be significant
3-    To be admired
4-    To be recognized
5-    To be appreciated
6-    To be respected
7-    To be secure
8-    To be accepted

Once you are crystal clear on your single highest need then you will turn pro the day you orient your entire life around getting that need met in an honest and ethical way.

Of course, the real pros get their need completely filled while they service others.

Step #2 I Had A Dream

What is your big life dream? 

Do you have a Big Harry Audacious Dream?

It could be what you want to become, what you want to achieve, what you want to do or what you want to have or specific you want to witness in your lifetime.

What is your big dream, pros dream BIG!

Step #3 What Are Your Three Life  Priorities

What 3 specific measurable things do you want to get done before you die?

1
2
3

Take time right now to go through each of these three steps and feel what happens to your internal inspiration.

When you know what you need, you got a dream and you know your BIG 3 life projects you get out of bed early, you eat healthly all day, you get plenty of rest and you focus on what's important.

Go PRO today...

Joe

Who Wants $100 Bill?

Merry Christmas,

The longer I coach and the more I witness success in the lives of people who apply my teachings the more aware I become of the real secret to significant change.

It's one word.

Action!

This brief video demonstrates exactly what action is all about.

Leads Appointments Presentations and Services

Doing business is simple.

1.    Get a lead.
2.    Set up an appointment.
3.    Make a presentation.
4.    Provide your service.

Being your best in each of those 4 areas is what By Referral Only is all about!

Joe Stumpf

The Ultimate Question

Good Morning,

How likely is it that you would recommend us to a friend or colleague?

                           Low  0   1   2   3   4   5   6   7   8   9   10  High

Is it possible that this single question has the power to guide and direct all of your business decision?

Imagine asking this question to your client at several strategic times in the relationships to determine if your client is a promoter of your service or a detractor.

Fred Reichhels has proposed a powerful and simple matrix to determine if your company has more promoters of your service or more detractors of your service. I am going to his seminar in New York in January to study more of his methods and will share more with you as I learn.

I'm curious, on a scale of 1 low and 10 high how likely is it that you would recommend By Referral Only to a friend or colleague?

Magic Words Language Pattern #2

I’m not going to tell you that your buyers, sellers and borrowers feel fear from time to time, because you already know that, but I will suggest that you better learn to ask profound, insightful questions that help them get out of their fear.

After all, that is what a skilled consultant would do!

Now, imagine what it would feel like to have two powerful questions in your arsenal of Magic Words that you could ask anytime you sense your client is in fear.

Imagine having two questions that instantly get your client to change their perspective from one of limited options to unlimited opportunity; fear to fearless!

I first learned these questions from my friend and mentor Brian Tracy.

Here is my story.

Back in 1985, I was promoting seminars for Brian Tracy. After a few years of working for Brian, I decided that I wanted to be the speaker more than I wanted to be the promoter.

I had to tell Brian what I was planning.

Because I admire and love Brian, I wanted his advice and his blessing.

I called Brian and asked him if he would give me some much-needed advice.
We met in the backyard of his mansion in Solana Beach.

I told Brian that I was ready to move on from being a promoter to being a speaker/trainer like him. He smiled and said, “Well, what is stopping you from doing what you dream of doing?”

I said, “Fear!”

Brian asked me this very profound question. He asked, “Joe, what would you do if you knew you could not fail?”

The question put me into a trance.

I stalled for a minute and he asked me the question again in a different way. Brian said,     “What would you do if it was OK if you fail?”

It was these two questions that opened up my mind to possibilities. For the next hour, I described to Brian that my intention was to teach real estate and mortgage lenders how to build referral business.

Brian smiled after listening vigilantly to me for over an hour and said, “Joe, go for it. I totally support and encourage you to live your dream.”

As I reflect back on that critical moment, it was these two questions Brian asked me that gave me freedom to dream bigger then ever before.

Sometimes all we need is someone permission to dream big!

1. What would you do if you knew you could not fail?

2. What would you do if it was OK to fail?

I now give you permission to ask your clients the same question when they are in fear or confused about what to do next.

My Three Key Books

A few days ago a friend asked me what three books have had the biggest impact on my business life.

I had to think about it long and hard. I went into my library, then I pulled out my old journals and here is what I came up with.

Discovering and Exploring Habits of Mind
by Arthur L. Costa and Bena Kallick                                  

A deep look at the 16 most important habits a child can learn to live a full and happy life.

If they are not learned by the age of 10 they become the the adults life mission. It is much easier to learn them before ten then it is between 10 and 50. At the Strategic Forum I will share the 16 habits.

Synchronicity:
The Inner Path of Leadership by Joseph Jaworski

Profoundly changed my point of view of what it mean to be a leader.
I will show you how I  create the space in my life to make my vision come true through the power of thought, agreement and following my instincts.
I have used the 5 key insights from this book to build By Referral Only to be the best training company in North America.

The War of Art:
Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles by Steven Pressfield

This is the kind of book you read everyday. It gave me the awareness to overcome my resistance to write. My work is my art and my business is my gallery. I will show you how I overcome the natural resistance to produce huge volumes of content daily.

22,000 Pages Viewed as of Today

The day that I conceptualized joesjournal.com, my intention was to have a creative outlet for all good stuff that I am thinking.

My thought was, if I could share my insight, wisdom and passion for building a referral business, that there must be a person who would benefit from my gifts.

I'm humbled at the remarkable reception of joesjournal.com

In 90 days, over 22,000 pages have been viewed.

My intention remains the same -- each day, share with you from my heart, my gifts.

What I want for you is more freedom, more prosperity, greater health and a deeper spiritual awareness.

I believe that I can give you the critical knowledge, the proven strategies, and powerful techniques to help you get from where you are to where you want to be.

So, thank you for referring joesjournal.com to the people in your life that you really care about.

The Best Is Yet To Come,

Joe Stumpf

Three Ways To Grow Your Business

Early in my career, I partnered with Jay Abraham to form a company called The Insiders Club.

We had about 1,000 real estate agents and lenders meet once a month on a conference call, and Jay and I would address their marketing, advertising and referral strategies.

One of the things we taught back then was that there are three ways to grow your business.

Understanding the power of this principal is what helped shape my belief system and also influenced me in changing the name of my company from Joe Stumpf Star Performance Seminars to By Referral Only.

Read this carefully. Maybe read it several times until the magnitude of what I am saying strikes you at the core of your business being.

There are three ways to grow your business and only three ways.

1. Increase your number of customers through marketing, advertising and promotions.

This is where almost every real estate and mortgage salesperson focuses most of their attention. While a consultant, like a true By Referral Only trainee consultant, focuses on the second and third way where you will have the greatest potential for sustained growth.

2. Increase your average transaction value.

This simply means increasing the amount of money you make per transaction. You can charge more for your services, sell higher priced homes or loans, have more transactions fees, or lower your cost per acquisition.

For example, charge a reasonable team transaction coordination fee, or only do transactions where you don’t pay a referral fee, or focus on only doing both ends of a transaction, meaning you help people who want to buy a home only if they sell their home with you, or you set a goal and create a plan to improve your average sales amount or loan amount by 30% by doing 20% of your transaction in a price range that is 50% higher then your current average.

So, if you are doing 20 transactions this year with an average sales price of $200,000, create a plan to do 4 transitions at $300,000 and 16 at $200,000. It’s like doing two extra transactions for the same amount of work. I am sure you can brainstorm dozens of other ideas that would allow you to increase the value of a transaction. You can own a title company, a carpet cleaning company, a moving company, and any service that people will need that is related to buying, selling or borrowing.

3. Increase the frequency of repurchases or get more residual value out of each customer through a deliberate, organized referral process. Hence “By Referral Only”.

How To Sell Your Referral Business

Joes Mailbag!

Do you have a question that you would like to get my thought on?

Just ask in the comment section and I will do my best to give you the support you need to get you from where you are to where you want to go.

Grandpa Wants To Spend More Time With Grand Kids

Joe, you may remember, I am currently in a ‘we’ business and am looking to ‘retire’ to be near the grandchildren in about 3 years.

You made it very clear that I must never tell my clients I intend to do that and I have been working hard to bring my partner, Nancy, to whom I intend to sell my book of business, into my business, more and more daily.

My question today is, foreseeing a time when clients will call to arrange a listing appointment, showings etc. in the future, I need a system and script response that introduces Nancy to them, without the client feeling slighted, and at the same time giving no indication that I have left the business.

Your thoughts?

Love, Grandpa

Magic Words that Get Referrals

Grandpa,

Yes, Grandpa I remember you well. You have built a business that is making your dreams come true.

Congratulations, I’m very proud of you.

Here are my thoughts…

Of course you know you have no control over how people feel. Part of the risk as a business owner is that people want to deal with you and only you.

The fact is, that that number is a much smaller percentage then you think.

The truth is, people want to sell their house or buy a house that meets their needs first.

They want their outcome, and who does it for them is secondary.

Grandpa, here are three things I would suggest you start doing right now.

1.    Get testimonial letters from clients about how great Nancy is.

Start singing her praise everywhere. Have you seen how I have been able to transfer the Half-Day division to Todd and Spencer? Since then our business has grown by 3%.

For years, I thought I was the only one that could provide that service. It’s amazing when you discover that the client wants the benefit you give, more than they want you the person, giving it to them.

2.    Start introducing Nancy now, as your equally skilled partner.

I would start a blog, just as I have, with video and have it mostly feature Nancy and her talents.

3.    Practice these words: Client calls in…

“Hi, is Grandpa available? We want to buy or sell a home.”

“Thanks for calling. This is Nancy, Grandpa’s partner, may I ask who is calling?”

“This is Dave Johnson.”

“Hello Mr. Johnson, Grandpa has told me so much about you.”

Go into my client’s database)

Use the FORD conversation skills. “Grandpa is not in right now, but he has asked me to make sure you get everything you need when you called.

How can I help you?”

I would seriously start calling yourself ‘Grandpa’, so when people ask where you are, Nancy can say, “He is being Grandpa.”

Sounds and feels better then “He sold me the business.”

Hope these thoughts expand your awareness or confirm what you are already doing.

Joe – Your Business Coach

12 Minutes A Week Will Make You More Referable For A Lifetime.

I love fresh starts and all the possibilities they offer. Every Sunday night is a fresh start to a new week.

Here is a simple exercise to help you organize your thinking so you can be more referable this week.
Six sheets of paper, an egg timer and a ballpoint pen are all the tools you’ll need to make sure that next year is your best year ever.

Here’s how it works…

Step 1: Take the first piece of paper and your ballpoint pen and write Recovery Time on the top of the page.

Set your egg timer for 2 minutes, and start writing about all the things you’d like to do with your Recovery Time this week.

Step 2: On the second piece of paper write Remodel Time.

Start with the goal of scheduling 3 hours a week where you don’t do anything but work ON your business.

Set your egg timer for 2 minutes, and write down a list of all the things that you’d like to get handled in this week.

Step 3: On the third, write Results Time.

Set your timer for another 2 minutes and write out an ultimate scenario of what a perfect Results Day would be for you - a vision of what that day would look like if you could have it any way you want.

How many appointments would you have?

Would they be listing appointments or buyer appointments?

Would you be taking loan applications?

Write down all the things you can imagine that would make that Results Day perfect.

Beginning the week with a clear picture of what 'perfect' looks like will be an inspiration for you in your Remodel Time to work towards making your perfect Results Day a reality.

Step 4: On the fourth piece of paper write Before Unit.

Now that you’ve got the vision for your Results Day, Remodel and Recovery Time, it’s time to make a list of all the things you ALREADY know you want to do in the Before, During and After Units of your business.

Set your timer for 2 minutes and free flow a list of all the things you’d like to get in place for your Before Unit.

What kind of lead generation system would you like to work on?

How about your website? Your focus with the Before Unit is on generating qualified leads to work with in your During Unit.

Stay focused on the individual unit here.

Step 5: On the fifth piece of paper write During Unit.

Do the same thing for your During Unit as you did for the others.

Make a list of the touch points you’d like to add to your world-class service delivery system.

Imagine your customer experience time line and list the new systems you’d like to install in your business.
Remember, the goal of your During Unit is to generate one referral DURING the transaction from 50 percent of the people you work with.

Step 6: On the final piece of paper write After Unit.

How about Evidence of Success, Letters From The Heart and the By Referral Only monthly Client Newsletter?

Spend 12 minutes a week on the six topics, and focus on the most important thing you can do in each category this week.

I think you’ll find that with your Master list and the weekly review, you’ll get more done than you ever thought possible!

What Does The Process Of Becoming Referrable Look Like?

Always Work Harder On Strengthening Your Referral Mindset,                      Rather Than Trying To Make A Name For Yourself.

MadeManPrint

Isn't Nice To Know....

When a person gives you a compliment, instead of deflecting it, build on it. So when a client says, “Joe, I appreciate all that you’ve done,” you pause and say, “Bob, isn’t it nice to know you now have a friend in the real estate business that you can be comfortable referring the people you care most about to?”

Magic Words That Get Referrals

Isn’t it nice to know that you now have a friend in the (describe what you do) that you are now comfortable referring the people you care most about to?

Isn’t it nice to know that you now have a friend in the real estate business that you are comfortable referring the people you care most about to?

Isn’t it nice to know that you now have a friend in the mortgage business that you are comfortable referring the people you care most about to?

Isn't nice to know that you now have a coach in the real estate and lending business that you are comfortable referring the people you care most about to?

That would be me!

Joe

Strengthening Your Referral Mindset

Always Work Harder On Strengthening Your Referral Mindset, Rather Than Trying To Make A Name For Yourself.

You know that mindset is more important than technique.

You can have all the magic words in the world and if you don’t have the referral mindset, you will only tap into a very small percentage of your referral opportunity.

The referral mindset is made up of three key concepts.
1-    Purpose
2-    Boundaries
3-    Integrity

Purpose

I like to ask the agents and lenders I teach, what is the single word focus for their business?

The words I hear most frequently are ‘service’ and ‘profit’.

Then I like to suggest that a word that better encompasses everything they want is ‘referral’.

I would like to suggest to you that if you were to define your business purpose with one best word, that word would be ‘referral’.

Think about it.

If you have a plumbing problem, would you rather look in the yellow pages or contact a plumber that you are referred to?

If profitability is important to you, then realize building a referral business costs you literally nothing in marketing, since the marketing is done by people who like you, know you and trust you.

If service is important to you, then realize that in order for people to refer you, they must receive value that is remarkable.

The word ‘remarkable’ means they are willing to remark about what they received to others in a positive, powerful way.

So would you consider that the  reason you’re in business is to create an experience that people are so outrageously happy with that all they want to do is refer you to the people they care about?

Boundaries

Just like countries have borders, you have boundaries.
Imagine that boundaries are invisible lines you draw around yourself that shape your interactions with others. Just like countries have borders to shape their values and culture.

Borders and boundaries are similar because they are necessary in order to structure and unify the way you run your business or your country.

You can encourage collaborative, respectful behavior when a person enters into your life.

You communicate clearly before a person enters into relationship with you how you define healthy, supportive relationships.

It starts with the simplicity of a five-star prospect -- open, friendly, knows what they want, will do it soon, will work with you, and then goes deeper into your core values of how you choose to treat each other while in relationship.

Strong boundaries will help sustain your energy by tempering the interruptions that cause you to lose focus.

I am not going to tell you to begin to educate your colleagues, manager and the other professionals who have a stake in your success about your boundaries, because you already know how important it is to teach people how to treat you.

I will tell you that if you don’t communicate clearly your boundaries, don’t expect them to know what they are. You’ve heard me say that the only place you can read minds is in marriage and sometimes that doesn’t work very well either.

People who have already decided that the By Referral Only way of life is what fits them, naturally agree that removing all the   tolerations that ‘cost’ you in terms of time, money, energy, and inner peace, will become a higher priority the more you embrace the mindset of healthy boundaries.

Integrity

The final part of the BY REFERRAL ONLY mindset is integrity. 

Your integrity defines how you stand up for your values, morals, and ethics.

Your integrity demonstrates how your boundaries ‘translate’ into actions.

It’s important to be a person of integrity, is it not?

I wonder whether you are aware of the