Joe's Journal

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

Today's My 50th Birthday...

 

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!

Life Coach Helps Me Get New Habits

Good Morning,

When I'm taking on a new project or attempting to brake a life long pattern I seek support in the form of a coach, more specifically a Life Coach.

Most of the time it only takes a month or two to replace my old habit with a new one when I work with a skilled Life Coach.

So as you move into the new year, do you have a habit that you would like to replace?

I have a gift for you.

I would like to refer to you Mary Pinizzotto's, she is a terrific Life Coach.

Check out her blog. Get inspired .

Maybe you will let her coach you for a month or two, who knows!

Click here and find out more: Positively Attractive

Happy New Year

Joe

Pros Ask Mindful Question

When you ask profound questions you get profound answers.

When you ask shallow questions you get shallow answers.

When you ask no questions you get no answers.

Without profound thought-provoking mindful questions you and your clients make poor decisions.

So what do pros do that amateur don’t?

The answer is, the pro asks a mindful question in between stimulus and response.

When a pro is in the midst of an opportunity they pause and they have a process called asking mindful questions before they make a decision.

The amateur when stimulated responds without the process of asking mindful questions.

For example:  When an expired listing client says, this is just not a good time to sell my home because of the current market conditions, a the amateur say’s.." sure it is , I can get your home sold."

The pro asks a mindful question.

For example:  When an expired listing client says, This is just not a good time to sell my home because of the current market conditions, a skilled consultant would make a deep inquiry into that statement like this:

Mr. and Mrs. Client, you sound very certain that the market conditions are not right to sell your home.  May I ask what is your source for that data and how reliable has that source been for you in the past?

From here the consultant would truly search to see if the decision the client made is founded in solid, factual data that best serves his interest. 

Asking a provocative mindful question that will cause an immediate sense of dissonance would sound like this:

If I could show you that people just like you are selling their homes in this marketplace, would that mean I’m lying to you?

Here are several mindful questions you might ask a person who’s listing thinking about listing their property.

1.    What do you suppose will happen if you choose not to sell your home now?

2.    If you do put your home back on the market with the same agent, what do you suppose will be the result of that choice?

3.    Because marketing, conditions and price positioning are the three reasons a homes sells or does not sell, what do you imagine you will do differently when you re-list your home?

4.    Imagine if you could create the perfect scenario – what would it look like, sound like and feel like for you?

5.    How can you use what you have learned in the last six months to improve the chances of selling your home the next time you re-list?

6.    Given what you have learned, what is the most obvious change you would make first, the next time you re-list your home?

7.    As you think about who you will re-list your home with, what are some things that will be important to you in your next relationship with an agent?

8.    How do you know the characteristics you’re looking for in an agent are the right ones to achieve your goals?

Do like all the pros do carry these mindful questions with you on your next appointment.

Joe

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

Success In 3 Minutes

Merry Christmas,

Is it possible to learn the 8 secrets to success in 3 minutes ?

Find out by watching this video.

Click Here: Success In 3 Minutes

 Joe

What You Learn On Day 2 Of The Main Event

Six Step System To Getting 50% Referral Rate In The During Unit of Your Business.

1.    Create A Fabulous First Impression
2.    Plant Referral Seeds
3.    Deliver World Class Service
4.    Orchestrate Referral Moments
5.    Ask For Referrals Using Magic Words
6.    Follow Up Systematically With Each Referral

Each one of these steps is a part of the overall integrated referral process taught on Day 2 of the Main Event. Go to ByReferralOnly.com for dates times and locations.

Here is A Great Christmas Gift

Wondering what you can give all the agents and lender in your office as a Christmas gift?

Here is a good idea!

Imagine giving the gift of inspiration, insight, scripts, videos. audio trainings, and book reviews.

This year give the people you care about the awareness they want so they can be more effective as real estate or mortgage consultant.

Go ahead, feel comfortable giving Joes Journal to the friends and colleagues you care about.

Thanks

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.

Notes From Strategic Fourm Call This Morning

The Gallup Poll Research

Do your team members answer yes passionately to each of these 12 questions?

1.    Do I know what is expected of me at work?

2.    Do I have the materials and equipment I need to do my work right?

3.    At work, do I have the opportunity o do what I do best every day?

4.    In the last seven days, have I received recognition or praise for doing good work?

5.    Does my supervisor, or someone at work, seem to care about me as a person?

6.    Is there someone at work who encourages my development?

7.    At work, do my opinions seem to count?

8.    Does the mission/purpose of my company make me feel my job is important/?

9.    Are my co-workers committed to doing high-quality work?

10.    Do I have a best friend at work?

11.    In the last six months, has someone at work talked to me about my progress?

12.    This last year, have I had opportunities a work to learn and grow?

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

Simple Strategies To Help You Get 3 Transactions In The Next 60 Days

Good Morning,

Not long ago  I a recorded an 87 minute training program called...

"Simple Strategies To Get 3 Extra Transactions In The Next 60 Days" 

Here is a good idea!

Schedule a 87 minute chunk of time to work on your business and as you sit and listen take lots of notes, this may be the most important 87 minutes of your career!

#1 Click Here: How To Build A Business Development System

#2 Click Here: How To Build A Before Unit

#3 Click Here: How To Build A During Unit

#4 Click Here: How To Build An After Unit

#5 Click Here: How To Get A $25,000 Guarantee!

Find Out About: The Main Event

I can't thank you enough!

Joe:  Your 87 minute presentation is wonderful.  I remember when I first went to a half day session in 2003, I was 8 months new to real estate, not making any money and couldn't afford the $798.  I came up to you after your talk and spoke with you privately and you again reiterated your money back guarantee. 

That $798 was the best money I ever invested in my future, because working with you and the other people of the By Referral Only Community has been what has enabled me to develop the skills and confidence to make a successful career of real estate.   

I shared at the Dallas Main Event awhile back telling those in attendance how much By Referral Only has helped me.   I continue to learn and grow from you, others in your organization and members of the By Referral Only community.

I can't thank you enough!

Debbie Geavaras
Baird & Warner Real Estate
President's Club
Phone 847 394 6031 Fax 847 259 0814

Coaching For Handling An Incoming Call From A Referred Client Using Magic Words

Good Morning,

A few years ago I did a seminar where we would make live calls to offices to see how well they would handle incoming calls.

If you ever want a good laugh call your competitor and act like you’re a prospect looking for loan information if you want to cry call your own office.

Take a look at how I script an incoming call using my magic words language pattern, and compare it to your current approach and see which method produces the best results for you.

Let me caution you before you read this, that is different then what your doing now, so before you judge it’s effectiveness be like my flower lady and try it ten times.

The script that I’m going to give you is an exact transcript form a live call I recorded during an in-house training program I did in a few months ago for a large mortgage company in San Diego.

The words that are initialized are magic words.
******
Caller: “Hi, I would like to get information on the loan.”

Consultant: “My name is Joe Stumpf and I’m curious do you have a piece a piece a paper and pencil.

Caller: Yes.

Consultant: I’m not going to tell you to write down everything I share with you because I know you know that what I would like to suggest is, on the top of the page, in large letters write my name J-O-E  S-T-U-M-P-F and below please jot down my the number you just dialed 8-0-0-9-5-7-3-2-5,

What is your name please?

Caller: Bob

Consultant: Thank you, Bob.

Consultant: Experience tells me that I don’t know if I can’t help you or not until I can ask you a few questions, listen actively to your answers and if I’m not the right consultant to help you I can let you now immediately, does that make sense to you Bob?

Caller: Yes.

Consultant: Bob, you may or may not know that most people I help get loans are referred to me by friends, family members and people in the neighborhood could you tell me who referred you to me?

Caller: John Jackson.

Consultant: That was nice of John.
Isn’t nice to know you have a friend that cares enough about you to refer someone they trust?

Caller: It sure is.

Consultant: I’m curious what did John tell you about my service and how I helped him?

Caller: He told me you did a great job getting his loan closed even though he had a few problems with his credit history.

Consultant: So what I heard you say is, “He told me you did a great job getting his loan closed even though he had a few problems with his credit history”, is that correct.

Caller: Yes.

Consultant: Is that important to you?

Caller: Yes very important, because I might have a few challenges with my credit.

Consultant: I’m curious; do you trust your friend John?

Caller; Yes.

Consultant: Bob, I’m not going to tell you that the advice I’m going to give you is accurate and the best advice you can get, because John has probably already told you that, but I would like to suggest that we do the same thing John did, which is I would like to invite you to come into the office like john did, for a mortgage planning session, what day would be best for you to come in Tuesday at 2pm or Wednesday at 3pm.

Caller: Wednesday would work best for me.

Coaching The Flower Lady

I was having diner with a friend of mine at a nice downtown San Diego restaurant, when lady-selling flowers walked up to us and said, ”do you want to buy a flower for your lady?”

I would call that a “hard question”, it cause me to make a hard quick decision.

So I looked at the young lady and said, “are you open for some coaching” She enthusiastically said, “ Yes tell me”

I said, "I’m not going to tell you that your approach to selling flowers could be greatly improved because you already know that, what I would like to suggest is that you change your opening statement using my Magic Words Technology".

She smiled and said,” What is Magic Words Technology?”

I explained to her that her greatest opportunity to improve her ratio of flower sales is to use words that caused people to be five times more interested in what she is saying” I asked her out of ten people she approached now how many would actually buy flowers?

She said 1 maybe 2.

I said, " I’m curious, can you imagine what would it would feel like if you had the exact words that caused 4 or 5 people out of 10 to buy flowers from you.” She said, "that would be incredible"!

I asked, "I’m wondering, what’s important about improving your flower sales by 100% to you?”

She said, “I could go home earlier and take care of my daughter.” I said, “ I won’t tell you that you will feel better when your home with your daughter instead of out here pumping flowers because you already know that, but I will tell you that until you change your approach you won’t be home with your daughter.”

She said, “ What should I say?”

I felt the shift from me giving her advice to her asking me for help. This is a critical step if you want to influence people.

So I suggested that she use the following Magic Words when she approached a man to buy flowers for her his lady.

I was wondering, if you can imagine how happy you would feel by giving a beautiful flower to your lady?

The flower lady went into a trance. She said, “Say that again.” So I took my pen out and wrote her script on the napkin.

I was wondering, if you can imagine how happy you would feel by giving a beautiful flower to your lady?

I asked her to role-play it with me a few times to get the right tone and cadence.

She was really a terrific student.

We practiced it a half dozen times then I said, "It's show time, go get'em".

My friend and I watched with amazement as she sold 7 out of 11 tables flowers.

She came back to our table beaming with joy, she looked me right in the eyes and said, “ I’m going home."

It was a magic moment because one more time I realized that the right words, at the right time deliver with the right intention are magical.

Now the ironic thing was in the next hour three more flower sellers approached us with the statement “do you want to buy a flower?”

We chuckled and choose not to do any more coaching that night.

My Purpose

12-10-2006
6:50am
Seattle Washington
Cold. Wet.

Good Morning,

I'm here at the Westin Hotel downtown Seattle for day one of the Main Event.

Almost 600 people are registered to attend the conference.

I will keep you posted with a few video blogs of all the action so check back with me in the morning.

I got up extra early this morning (3am – went to bed at 8pm) because I wanted to listen to Jack Canfields book on tape.

I love his message about purpose.

It reminded me once again that it is easy to be persistent when I am clear on my purpose.

I can overcome all my limiting thinking, imagined and real obstacles when I’m passionately and enthusiastically working in the direction of my life purpose.

Jack recommends that you rewrite your purpose statement every morning in your journal.

So I did.

My life purpose is inspiring people by teaching and training the principles, providing the exact turnkey tools and modeling the behavior of referrability?

What is your purpose?

Would you share it with me?

Have a great day!

Joe

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?

What Are They Saying...

Click Here and Find Out What People Just Like You Are Saying About The New Strategic Forum Conference

What is a mindful question?

A mindful question is designed to reveal and share information that is not already known.  When neither the consultant nor the client knows the answer, they share a sincere collaborative effort in searching for a solution or answer.

However, if a consultant asks a question when the answer is already known, the client starts to wonder, “What the consultant is fishing for?” or, “What are they trying to sell me?”

Mindful questions, open the opportunity for the mind to be sold on a new thought, different than original view or belief.

Careful and intentional questioning is one of the most powerful tools a skillful consultant possesses. 

The theory of cognitive dissonance states that contradicting cognitions serve as a driving force that compels the mind to acquire or invent new thoughts or beliefs, or to modify existing beliefs, so as to reduce the amount of dissonance (conflict) between cognitions.

What is the purpose of asking a mindful question?

The purpose of a mindful question is to present an alternative view that challenges an existing belief.  This creates “conflict” or dissonance in the mind of the person being asked the question.   They are now forced to find a way to reduce the conflict or the tension in their mind by seeking additional information or modifying their beliefs. 

Effective consultants create dissonance in two ways:
(1) By raising uncertainty or discrepancy in the content, or
(2) By pressing clients to raise such points as they try to understand what is being
      presented.

For example:  When an expired listing client says, This is just not a good time to sell my home because of the current market conditions, a skilled consultant would make a deep inquiry into that statement like this:

Mr. and Mrs. Client, you sound very certain that the market conditions are not right to sell your home.  May I ask what is your source for that data and how reliable has that source been for you in the past?

From here the consultant would truly search to see if the decision the client made is founded in solid, factual data that best serves his interest.  Asking a provocative question that will cause an immediate sense of dissonance would sound like this:

If I could show you that people just like you are selling their homes in this marketplace, would that mean I’m lying to you?

Here are several mindful questions you might ask a person who’s listing has expired.

1.    What do you suppose will happen if you choose not to sell your home now?

2.    If you do put your home back on the market with the same agent, what do you suppose will be the result of that choice?

3.    Because marketing, conditions and price positioning are the three reasons a homes sells or does not sell, what do you imagine you will do differently when you re-list your home?

4.    Imagine if you could create the perfect scenario – what would it look like, sound like and feel like for you?

5.    How can you use what you have learned in the last six months to improve the chances of selling your home the next time you re-list?

6.    Given what you have learned, what is the most obvious change you would make first, the next time you re-list your home?

7.    As you think about who you will re-list your home with, what are some things that will be important to you in your next relationship with an agent?

8.    How do you know the characteristics you’re looking for in an agent are the right ones to achieve your goals?

Great calls the past two days!

Hi Joe,

I wanted to share with the community a great success we had from a BRO

system in hiring an assistant before we had a good pool of past clients
to choose from (which is how we now hire).

In the MORE library was a program that utilized the APS
system to record a script for applicants to hear a prerecorded message.

This was a great system as the ads are LOW COST compared to your
typical help wanted ad and the candidates were HIGHER QUALITY because
the APS system screened out the duds!

The candidates really appreciated the unique way we went about hiring.

Second, in my life before real estate I was a Human Resource manager
for several years. I created a tool screening candidates was a simple
Excel spreadsheet that weighted important factors for the position I
was hiring for and then after interviewing a candidate I would rank the
candidate in each category in the spreadsheet.

The spreadsheet showed me who was the strongest category based on my predetermined priorities
& weights.  Sometimes a strong personality will lure you in the wrong
direction because it "feels good".  A really good interview or a strong
personality trait can sometimes get in the way of a good hiring
decision.

I would be happy to send you a sample to share with the community if
you like.

Thanks again to you and Terry for a great call!

Blessings,
Paula

Notes From Terry Moerler

Hi Joe,

Thank you so much for the opportunity to be part of the call this morning.

I am forwarding you the questions I use to hire a new team member and also
the Profile of my ideal team member for the last position I hired for. One
side of the post card said: 

DO YOU KNOW THIS PERSON?

He or she is.....

and the Other side of the post card said: 

He or She is Seeking.......  I printed this request in my newsletter. 

I then made the post card and gave that post card out to everyone....other agents, lenders, escrow people, title rep,...restaurants, stores I shopped at, etc. 

For the gal on the call today who said......"how long does it take?"  I first set my
intentions, wrote a detailed description of who I was looking for and then
put it out into the Universe KNOWING that I would connect to this person.
I hope that make sense.
 

Help Me Put This Out Into The Universe

Do you know this person?

He or she is…   

--Former assistant to a CEO
--Excellent communicator both verbal and written
--Hard working, dedicated
--Strong managing & supervisory skills
--Strong organizational skills
--Desire to learn new things
--Adaptable to change
--Friendly, diplomatic
--Approachable
--Good family life
--Husband travels, children grown
--Older/mature
--Energetic
--Good “presence”
--Sense of humor
--Bi-lingual
--Real estate license a plus, but not required

Seeking…

--To be an integral part of a dynamic, committed team.

--Has a strong desire to be elevated to the next level.

--A long lasting opportunity to work closer to home in a smaller, cozier environment with less stress, less politics and more opportunity to see immediate results, personal and professional, for their time, effort and commitment.

   

Hi Joe,

Thank you so much for the opportunity to be part of the call this morning.

I am forwarding you the questions I use to hire a new team member and also
the Profile of my ideal team member for the last position I hired for. One
side of the post card said: 

DO YOU KNOW THIS PERSON?

He or she is.....

and the Other side of the post card said: 

He or She is Seeking.......  I printed this request in my newsletter. 

I then made the post card and gave that post card out to everyone....other agents, lenders, escrow people, title rep,...restaurants, stores I shopped at, etc. 

For the gal on the call today who said......"how long does it take?"  I first set my
intentions, wrote a detailed description of who I was looking for and then
put it out into the Universe KNOWING that I would connect to this person.
I hope that make sense.
 

Help Me Put This Out Into The Universe

Do you know this person?

He or she is…   

--Former assistant to a CEO
--Excellent communicator both verbal and written
--Hard working, dedicated
--Strong managing & supervisory skills
--Strong organizational skills
--Desire to learn new things
--Adaptable to change
--Friendly, diplomatic
--Approachable
--Good family life
--Husband travels, children grown
--Older/mature
--Energetic
--Good “presence”
--Sense of humor
--Bi-lingual
--Real estate license a plus, but not required

Seeking…

--To be an integral part of a dynamic, committed team.

--Has a strong desire to be elevated to the next level.

--A long lasting opportunity to work closer to home in a smaller, cozier environment with less stress, less politics and more opportunity to see immediate results, personal and professional, for their time, effort and commitment.