FLOYDWICKMAN NEWSLETTER

Floyd's Perspective...

No Pain - No Gain

Let's say you buy that old adage, no pain ' no gain, and you want the gain. In other words, you're not satisfied and content with things the way they are, and you know that in order to grow, there has to be some ' pain' involved. That's the bad news. The good news is there are two types of pain, and you get to choose.

First option is the pain that comes with feeling pressured, fearful, tired and rushed' and the second is the pain of feeling depressed, embarrassed, sad and hopeless; which would you choose? Both groups have negative elements, and for each you must pay a price. So, which would you prefer?

Here's a helpful hint. Both are painful, but the former are the pains of winning. The latter are the pains of failing.

Picture these scenarios:
1. You feel "pressure" because you accepted a challenge to out-produce another agent. Whether you win or not, you probably will have produced more as a result and ultimately will become more "successful."
2. You have a sense of "fear" on your way to a FSBO. But you gain knowledge and experience which will eventually make you a more "successful" agent.
3. You're "tired." You have just put in three 12 hour days in a row. Those three days probably resulted in an offer, an offer being accepted, a new listing or any number of activities that have made you more "successful" and brought you closer to your goals.
4. You feel "rushed" because the last appointment ran late, you have two more to go and you still have to prepare for the next one. Your obvious ability to keep yourself booked will ensure a "successful" career.

Now, let's pretend instead you chose the pain of feeling depressed, embarrassed, sad and hopeless. One of my brainstorming-mentor group consisted of Hall of Fame members of the National Speakers Association. At one of our meetings, we brainstormed the definition of Hell. Here's what Nido Qubein (past president) came up with. To be shown the person we might have become, and the talents and abilities we might have fulfilled, at the moment of our death ' and then to be sent somewhere for all eternity where we can do nothing about it.

No Pain ' No Gain: Doctor Alexis Carrel said, "Man cannot remake himself without suffering; for he is both the marble and the sculptor."

For success, be willing to do these four things:
1. Put the "pressure" on yourself to produce. (All great athletes feel the pressure the moment they enter the game.)
2. Make those contacts despite your "fear." (Heroes and cowards both have fear. The difference is that heroes don't let fear stop them.)
3. Get "tired" by putting in a couple of long days each week. (Long days equal pay days. No one will write you a commission check for watching American Idol.)
4. Schedule yourself with so many appointments that you feel the joy of being "rushed." (Better too much work than to be out of work!)

Love ya,
Floyd's Signature

"IT TAKES NO MORE PAIN TO SUCCEED THAN IT DOES TO FAIL...
CHOOSE SUCCESS!

For a Frameable print of this Words Of Wickman Saying, CLICK HERE.

Soft Market Selling Tips

Meet the Silent Motivators That Help Sell Houses in a Slow Market

Any agent that has learned to thrive in a slow market understands the following truths: You can't control the economy, but you can control your economy; listings are still the name of the game; listing inventory level will determine income level; and, of course, worse than no listing at all is a listing that doesn't sell.

These truths are obvious, as are some of the ingredients that cause a listing to sell in a slow market, such as: the lowest possible price; the highest possible commission; the home has curb appeal; and holding open houses.

While all of these are apparent, are they enough? When we understand the needs and wants of buyers, we realize that below the surface are motivators that can make or break a sale. I refer to these as the "silent motivators." These less obvious ingredients are necessary to cause buyers to want to look at and purchase a given property over its competition.

I would recommend including the following 'Silent Motivators' on each and every one of your listings:

1. If at all possible, offer the property as a lease with option to buy. This can often create a deal with a buyer that isn't quite ready, willing and able to purchase today.

2. Quick possession. Many times buyers have an urgency factor to consider and would purchase a property based on the option to move in immediately.

3. Seller agrees to offset many of the costs. This is one of the most common builder marketing ploys today, because it works.

4. Seller pre-orders inspection and agrees to complete necessary repairs. This can remove doubt for buyers that they are really getting what they paid for.

5. Allow the co-brokers to call the seller directly for showing. While in a hot market it is normal to have co-brokers jump through hoops to show a house; in today's market, making it simple and quick is crucial!

The above motivators may seem unusual for many of you and they should. The seeds of failure are sown during the good times. Thus, the slow market requires that we work "differently." The best part of all of these recommendations is they require no more time or effort on your part. Let's face it. You are already too busy trying to outsell your slow market.

Inside The Floyd Wickman Team

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR LOYAL CLIENTS. We just added it all up, and our most recent 3700 students produced 18,966 transactions (that's listings and sales) for our clients, while taking the S.M.A.R.T. Program. They also generated 49,268 referral leads in just 42 days. What that all boils down to for our clients is an additional $18.5 million dollars added to the bottom line! We thank you for trusting us with your salespeople, and for your continued faith in Floyd Wickman training.

CONGRATULATIONS TO MASTER TRAINER CY CAWTHORN. Cy just started four S.M.AR.T. Programs, all in one week, for clients in the Southeast. And he and his wife are expecting their third child in late May. Now that's what we call a top producer!

CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR STUDENTS THIS YEAR! Students in the S.M.A.R.T. Program this year have heard about the slow market, but elected not to participate. Year to date, listings and sales have increased 16% over last year, to .99 transactions per person per week. That's virtually a listing or sale per person every week during the program. "When the going gets tough. . . the weak get going, and the tough get back to the basics!"

WHAT'S IN A NAME? Late last year, our CFO/COO Steve Linn arranged a wonderful birthday present for Floyd, the domain name www.FloydWickman.com. We had been The Floyd Wickman Team since restarting the company, but didn't own the rights to that web address. Now to make it easier for everyone to find Floyd and use the website, we are @www.floydwickman.com. You'll find the S.M.A.R.T Program, Core Values Club, Master Sales Academy, products, coaching, our vendor partners, the Gallery of Trainers, and information on how to join the Floyd Wickman Team as a trainer, all at one internet address.

Upcoming Events

Mark Your Calendars For...

June 6-8 - Floyd Wickman School of Speaking and Training, Wednesday through Friday at the Livonia (MI) Marriott. Have a desire to improve your speaking and presentation skills? There are a limited number of scholarships available for clients of The Floyd Wickman S.M.A.R.T Program. Call your trainer or ClientCare at 1-800-910-5351 for more information.
July 13th - Floyd meets with his coaching clients as a prelude to this years Masters FORUM.
July 14th - The annual Floyd Wickman Masters FORUM. Saturday at the Livonia (MI) Marriott. Networking, brainstorming, problem solving, and staying on track to achieve your goal! The FORUM is open to all attendees of the annual Master Sales Event in Chicago.

FLOYD SPEAKS:

May 7th, 2007 - Speaking
Houlihan Lawrence Real Estate
White Plains, NY
Subject: The Greatest Dialogues of Floyd Wickman
May 8th, 2007 - Speaking
Cotton Center for Real Estate Studies
Cape Cod Community College
Hyannis, MA
Subject: The Greatest Dialogues of Floyd Wickman
May 9th, 2007 - Speaking
Century 21 Access America
Wethersfield, CT
Subject: The Top 25 tips, Techniques & Dialogues for Thriving in Today's Challenging Market
May 17th, 2007 - How To Thrive, Not Just Survive Workshop
Troy Hilton: 9:30am to 2:00pm
Troy, MI
Subject: Greatest Dialogues Workshop
May 22nd, 2007 - Speaking
Century 21 Broker Council - Great Lakes Region
Crystal Mountain Resort
Thompsonville, MI
AM Keynote Subject: Only the Strong Survive
PM Session Subject: The Greatest Dialogues of Floyd Wickman
May 29th, 2007 - Speaking
The Real Estate Store
Whittier, CA
Subject: How the Best Get Better

For information about these events, go to www.FloydWickman.com, or call 1-800-910-5351.