Try this when you get sweaty palms.

Are you uncomfortable asking for business? I know I was. I have been working with my real estate clients on what to say when are meeting with someone in your sphere of influence (or a stranger for that matter). Every sales trainer in the world, your managing broker and your coach tell you to ask everyone you know for business. Sometimes it just frightening.

And anyway you are asking your friend to switch gears from talking about their weekend in the mountains and how exciting it was to your business. It is hard and often perceived as rude.

Ask people, "who do you know who is the next person to move?" Those who have practiced this a few times before saying it have found that it helps your contact narrow the brain-search from the 200 folks that they know to just a few.

They are getting leads.

Let me know how this works for you when you use it.

To your continued success,

Reg Gupton

What Housing Bust?

A while back I noticed that the cover of one of my favorite trade publications, Business 2.0 was covering real estate. The lead article was entitled The New Rules of Real Estate. When time permitted I sat down to read it and found a great resource.

One of the pull out cards listed 7 additional resources which ranged from a movie, Chinatown, (water battles in southern California), a couple of books, a blog Housing Doom, and a research web site by Torto Wheaton Research.

Check out these valuable resources. What are you using to gain perspective on your market? Let me know. I am very interested.

To your continued success,

Reg Gupton

No more late payments with money in the bank

Today during a coaching call, my client and I were speaking about Quicken, cashflow and how to make sure that bills were paid on time.

We had previously discussed how to record expenses and revenue in a way that made it possible to run a profit and loss statement easily, quickly, and frequently. That we had under control.

He mentioned that occasionally he was charged late fees on various credit card accounts when there was plenty of money in the bank to pay them. What to do??

We explored various ideas for having him not impact his credit by having (and paying) late payments.

I suggested a plan that I have used successfully for quite a while. Here it is. Put a repeating to-do in your electronic reminder system (mine is in my Palm) for about the 20th of the month to give you an alarm (reminder) to pay your bills.

I use this reminder to reconcile all credit cards and pay the amount owed. It is easy for me as weekly (every Monday morning) I post all receipts, checks written and income rec'd to Quicken. This takes me about 20-30 minutes.

This is time well spent. Saves your credit rating and eliminates those late fees.

If you don't do something like this, what system to you use to pay your bills? I would love to hear.

To your continued success,

Reg Gupton

Google takes the mystery out of Blogs (again)

This evening while noodling around I found another great resource from those folks at Google.

About Google Reader

Google Reader makes it easier to keep up with your ever-expanding reading list of content from across the web. You can:

• Automatically get the latest news and updates from your favorite sites.
• Sort your reading list based on what's most relevant to you.
• Organize what you read with labels and stars.
• Quickly share interesting items with friends via email or by blogging them, directly from Reader.

Go here http://www.google.com/help/faq_reader.html#why for more information and to sign-up.

I did.

Reg Gupton

The secret way to receive the latest information on your passions.

Ever since I read about Blogging several years ago, I struggled with how to find information written in the Blogging style. I was unwilling to take my time to search out content on topics that were of interest to me. What I wanted was a service hopefully free that would let me know when there were postings to some Blog somewhere on topics of interest me. If you are as busy as I am, I am not going to visit a Blog without knowing if there is new content.

The other day another blogger sent me a request to link to my Blog. I was honored.

I called him to learn how he found me. What was the process? I hoped that it was simple. Was I glad I got in touch with him.

He said that Google has a system called Google Alerts that allows you to specify the topics or words that you wish to learn about on Blogs and other Internet related sources.

Here is what Google has to say about their new system.

Welcome to Google Alerts

Google Alerts are email updates of the latest relevant Google results (web, news, etc.) based on your choice of query or topic.

Some handy uses of Google Alerts include:

• monitoring a developing news story
• keeping current on a competitor or industry
• getting the latest on a celebrity or event
• keeping tabs on your favorite sports teams

Visit www.google.com/alerts to start having too much fun. Let me know if you like this powerful new service as much as I do.

Reg Gupton

There are more things to negotiate than you think

There are more items to negotiate than you think in a real estate transaction. Not in real estate, this is for you too. You buy and sell property don't you. Read on.

I wonder if you know of a property for sale for, let's say, $300,000? I wonder if the seller would take $900,000 for it? Before you say anything, listen closely. I will pay $900k for the property but I get to chose the terms. I will pay $1.00 per week for 900,000 weeks.

In most purchases the main and often only focus is on price. Price is only one of the items that you can negotiate.

Jim and Millie are in the motel with the kids, dog and cat. Jim has already started his new job and is working 12 hour days. The money provided by his new company is running out is 10 days. Do you think that they might pay a little more for a piece of property that they can move into in a week? You bet they will.

Here are the 5 things that can be negotiated in the purchase of most anything.

1. Inclusions: What comes with the purchase. I have had numerous clients who walked away from the closing table with little or no cash. If their new (to them) condo was without a stove and refrigerator they would have been cooking on a camp stove and storing food in their cooler. Since the stove and refrigerator were included they were willing to pay a little more since they could finance these necessary items.

2. Contingencies: What must take place before the purchase can be completed? Does your 45 year old dad have to die so you can inherit his money for the down payment?

3. Possession: See Jim and Millie's story above.

4. Terms: See the $900k story above.

5. Price: And last but not least there is price.

Focusing on items other than price takes some practice. But practice this tip so you and your clients can buy and sell more.

To your continued success,

Reg Gupton

Reg Gupton reports another problem with Top Producer 7i

Recently I discovered and reported on a problem with Top Producer and its ability to print "detailed closing reports." TP does not allow you to change the orientation of the report from portrait to landscape. See my other post.

After I faxed the report to my client, I deleted the closing guessing that all the "to-dos" would disappear from my "today's business" as was the case with Top Producer 6i, which I had used for too long.

Guess what? It does not delete items from your calendar after the closing is deleted.

I chatted with tech support on this too. They said that there would be a call from another group in the company to discuss.

Let's raise the heat on them to fix these minor and yet important problems. You can communicate with them at programsuggestions@topproducer.com.

Users will love you. Me too.

To your continued success.

Reg Gupton

Reg Gupton reports a problem with Top Producer 7i

I have discovered a problem with Top Producer 7i recently. As you know I no longer sell real estate and have an active coaching practice. I am still using Top Producer 7i as my database/contact manager. I have been a user of this powerful, useful program since it was a DOS program. I used to teach a previous version too. Top Producer calls me a power user.

The other day a REALTOR coaching client asked me to share my closing action plan with her. I was pleased to help her.

I created a closing with her as the seller and myself as the buyer. In order to get the details of the plan to her, I wanted to print a report and then fax it to her. Because some of the action descriptions are long, I attempted to print the "detailed closing report" in landscape mode so there would be more room for the descriptions to be visible to her.

I learned after a difficult call with TOP Producer tech support that it is not possible to do what I want as the program creates a PDF file which can not be modified.

If you are as upset as I am, how about we all send a request to their wish list which is located at programsuggestions@topproducer.com asking for this to be changed? There in power numbers.

Let's all work together to make the program better.

Reg Gupton

Reg Gupton posts a book review of Think and Grow RIch

Think and Grow Rich
by Napoleon Hill

Reviewed by Reg Gupton

The other day a friend and I were talking about progress and getting unstuck. I mentioned that over the years I had received much support and incredible ideas from my Master Mind Group. “What is a MasterMind Group. I’ve never heard of one” my friend said.

I then launched into a story about Think and Grow Rich by Napoleon Hill. “Never heard of it” he said. Being a passionate reader, I take time to read all sorts of things. Magazines to articles to mysteries to techno thrillers to business books. I am guilty of assuming that others read the same amount. I know that this is not true and I can dream.

Andrew Carnegie, 1835-1919, the multi-millionaire of the late nineteenth and early twentieth century challenged Napoleon Hill, to study more than two decades and interview more than 500 extremely wealthy men to reveal the source of their riches. He did as challenged. Think and Grow Rich is the result. The book was first published in 1937.

Hill interviewed people like Henry Ford, George Eastman, Charles Schwab, Theodore Roosevelt, William Jennings Bryan, J. Ogden Armour and too many other successful men to list here. They were the wealthiest and most prominent men of the early 20th century.

Quoting from the notes from the author, “…all achievement, all earned riches, have their beginnings in an idea.” Very, very true.

Hill lists 13 principles of success. For example:

desire, the starting point of all achievement,
faith, visualization of, and belief in the attainment of desire,
autosuggestion, the medium for influencing the subconscious mind
and 10 others.

The book characterizes a meeting of minds or better put, "Mastermind Alliance" where many people put their thoughts, ideas, and experiences together to create a synergy and compilation of ideas that benefits each individual. Read Think and Grow Rich to learn more about the Mastermind principle and many other ground breaking ideas that I have found so useful in my life.

While re-reading my copy, dog eared, marked up, I recalled that for years I read this powerful book every year between Christmas and New Years. Every year when I revisited the book I took something new away. The book was the same and I was different.

I have slipped out of the habit over the past several years. It is now in my reminder system to be re-read every year from now on. You should read it too.

You can add this timeless classic to your library here: Think and Grow Rich: The Andrew Carnegie formula for money making

Reg Gupton

Reg Gupton posts a guest book review of Excuse me, Your Life is Waiting

Excuse Me, Your Life is Waiting
Lynn Grabhorn

Reviewed by Scott Wiseman

In Excuse Me, Your Life Is Waiting the author emphatically states that we attract what we feel, not what we want or don't want, nor tediously plan for, but what we feel about attaining our desires. This is her take on the Laws of Attraction-applying the physical laws of magnetism to personal attainment. Our feelings positive or negative vibrate at high or low frequencies that will attract positive or negative experiences.

Her proof is in anecdotal stories of her own and others experience, rather than scientific fact. For some that may be difficult swallow, as the target of this book seems to be those very individuals that are skeptics or over-analyzers. However, if you are wondering why it might be that the other guy always seems to get the prize or others still are able to obtain indescribable success, this may be the piece to the puzzle you are looking for. She suggests that we get out of fear based thoughts about money, relationships, health and other critical areas of life and train ourselves to feel, what it would be like to live in the abundance of our desires.

There are plenty of ah ha's in this book and the reader will undoubtedly find themselves reviewing experiences in their life, both good and bad, that seemed to manifest themselves out of feelings they were flowing at the time. There seems to be enough proof that these concepts work. Lastly, Grabhorn cautions that changing how we think and feel may not be easy, but it is guaranteed to be life changing. To that end she offers a 30-day plan to kick start you on your way to positive feelings and a life of abundance.

You can add this book to your library here: Excuse Me, Your Life Is Waiting: The Astonishing Power of Feelings

Reg Gupton

Reg Gupton posts a guest book review of the Millionaire Next Door

The Millionaire Next Door
by Thomas J. Stanley and William D. Danko

Review by Peter Butler

Oh no - not another “Get Rich Quick Book”, mercy!

I originally bought this book in a moment of weakness. I thought it promised juicy tittle-tattle about how overpaid sports stars blow their stash on state-of-the-art toys and fun. The book turned out to be nothing like that. It was far more interesting. Stanley and Danko are post graduate economists who have spent many years talking to and analyzing rich folks. That is real rich people. Not the ones wearing Calvin Klein as they drive their Lexus to the Country Club, but those who actually have two to ten big ones in the bank. They asked the genuine wealthy everything about their lives. What they do, what they wear, what they eat, where they live and how much time they spend on their monthly finances. The results surprised them and they surprise the reader too. They might turn many of your previous assumptions on their head. The people who look as if they are worth millions are the ones who are in weak financial shape, whereas the real millionaires barely deserve a second glance.

The authors show the value of great offense as well as great defense. Just like football, it is important to have both. Making a high salary (good offense) will not keep you rich unless you have a plan to keep it and build it (good defense). One interesting parameter that can change your life is the measurement of your unemployed survival period. This is a number that is extremely influential on the amount of stress in your life. Imagine that you are fired from your job. How many days, or weeks, or months can you survive before you default on your mortgage payments, your car loan and your credit cards? If the period is measured in days or even weeks you are likely to be a nervous wreck. If the period is a few months, you can be pretty calm. But if you can survive for a few years, you are as cool as a cucumber. It’s one of those ostrich-head-in-the-sand considerations that is not rocket science, but can make a big difference to your life if you put the odds in your own favor. If you feel that striving to get rich is a bit distasteful, think of it more as not being poor, and also not being stressed.

The book is full of observations such as this one. It doesn’t scold or preach but the message soon sinks in. At our house we think it is so useful, that we give copies to close friends, young family members leaving home for the first time, and friends getting married.

So not only does this book help you to get rich slow, it will also reduce your stress. And as an added bonus it gives you the confidence to sneer at drivers of brand new luxury cars while bumping along in your humble jalopy. Ooh delicious.

You can buy the book here: The Millionaire Next Door

Reg Gupton

Reg Gupton's Top 10 tips on the 80/20 rule

80/20 Principle: The Secret to Success by Achieving More with Less
by Richard Koch

How would you like to earn 80% of the money that you made last year by working only Mondays. Most of us would be thrilled with that prospect. More time with the family, more time with our other passions.

This way of thinking changed my life. I learned while selling real estate that 80% of my earnings resulted from 20% of my time and efforts. I was able to reduce my work and not have any dramatic reduction in earning. What a joy.

The "Pareto Principle" believes that you get 80 percent of your results from 20 percent of your efforts. This powerful proven strategy is explained in a great way in The 80/20 Principle by Richard Koch. To maximize this 20 percent, use the following tips to give you a competitive edge:

1. Develop a clear idea of what tasks are important so that you can focus on them.

2. Make a to-do list that categorizes each task for the day according to priority: High, Medium, and Low.
Do only the Highs. And maybe the Mediums. Never the low tasks.

3. Ask the other members of your team, associates and family what is important to them.

4. Set several appointments with yourself to respond to voicemail and e-mail.
Don't work on these items until the appointed time slot arrives.

5. You need time to think.
Set a rigid appointment with yourself at least once per week when you can cut your creative side free.

6. Write down your goals.
Have your goals visible to you at all times. They will provide your focus.

7. Clear your work space of all clutter.

8. Plan each month, each week, and each day.

9. Plan each project by going backwards from the deadline.
Break it down to its components, allot reasonable time estimates to each component, and decide how many days ahead you should start the project - and how much time you can devote to it each day.

10. You don't have to do everything yourself.
There are many people out there who can do many tasks for your very inexpensively, freeing you to do the things that you are really good at and that make you the most money.

Add this valuable book to your library: The 80/20 Principle: The Secret to Success by Achieving More with Less, by Richard Koch.

To your continued success,

Reg Gupton

Reg Gupton's Top 10 tips for attending a seminar

As a seminar junkie, I have attended many, many training programs. And as a trainer for over 20 years, I have been in front of 1,000s of students.

Some people come prepared to make the most out of their time in a seminar and some just show up.

Following are ten things that will make your investment of your money and more importantly your time used the best way possible.

1. Bring a pad and a pen.

I can not tell you the number of attendees that I see show up with nothing other than the smile on their face. Be prepared to take notes and lot of them.

2. Create a to-do and aha page.

Start with a blank piece of paper and draw a line vertically down the center from the top to the bottom. On the left side at the top write the words to-do. On the right side at the top write aha.

Periodically throughout the program, stop to see what you can do and note what you can implement (to-do's) and ahas (the light goes on-an epiphanous moment) that came to you during the program.

3. Create a Conference Notes file.

Create a file folder into which you place all the notes from the conferences you attend. Think about taking the conference workbooks and tear out the most relevant pages and put them in the folder too.

Many of us have "smart bookcases" on which reside the tombs that we have been given from the programs that we have attended. And we are too busy to dig through the workbooks to find that one idea that we remember hearing.

Put the really good stuff in the folder. It will be easier and quicker to find.

4. Take a stack of business cards to pass out

Pass out cards (and more importantly get business cards) from all those at the table where you eat lunch or dinner. Put your cards in one pocket and the cards you receive in another pocket. Don't mix them up. It is embarrassing to dig out and pass on the someone else's card.

Also, consider making a note or two on the back of the cards you get so you can personalize your thank you note. See number 5 below.

5. Make this your goal.

Assume that you are going to learn the material presented at the conference. Make your goal to build your network/database. Have a goal of getting as many business cards as you can. Not giving.

Then when you return home or in the evening at a multi-day event, send a thank you note to those whom you met. It will surprise and delight them. You will clearly stand out from the crowd. Recall how many notes you have ever received after a conference or convention. Even from a vendor who was trying to secure your business.

6. Invest in the recorded programs, especially of those that you did not attend.

Buy the recorded tapes/CDs from the sessions to listen to while you are driving around after you return home. Repeated listening is very powerful. It will make the material yours. It will be much easier to implement the ideas both new and material you have already heard if you hear the material often..

There are recorded programs that I have listened to many times to remember. Every time I listen to a program, I learn something new. The ideas are the same but I am in a different place. This difference makes the concepts available to you in a new way.

7. Don't go chasing the cheapest non-conference hotel rate.

Stay at the conference hotel. That is where all the action is or at least begins. The networking begins there.

8. Be on-duty while at the conference.

You and/or your company paid for you to attend. Be present at the seminars, luncheons, dinners and cocktail hours. Stay coherent. You are representing yourself and your company. You may meet your future boss or a new employee that you have been seeking.

9. Return calls and check messages between sessions and/or when on breaks

Other than that be present and available while you are in a session. Put your cell phone on stun or turn it off. Pay attention to the session you are attending.

The speaker would not be hired if they were not good. Get all you can. You deserve it.

10. Be a good attendee

Ask pointed questions that are on-topic. Don't ask questions that are off point to where the speaker is at the moment. Raise you hand and wait. Please have respect and be patient until you are called on to ask your question.

To your continued success,

Reg Gupton

Reg Gupton's Top 10 reasons to join a MasterMind Group

Napoleon Hill described the concept of a MasterMind Group in the classic book, Think and Grow Rich. The book published in 1937 was based on research conducted about the successes of the most powerful and wealthy individuals of that time.

In a properly configured MasterMind Group you will be surrounded with positive thinking people who are strong, independent, and focused. One of the principles that Hill discovered in his research was that people achieve great success in life through collaboration and alliances with others.

You will be the same person in the future that you are today except for the people you associate with and the books you read and the audio programs you listen to.

1. All of us are smarter than any one of us.

2. You will be nurtured in the MasterMind Group environment as the members encourage and support you and what you do.

3. You will have an opportunity to share something positive that has happened since the last meeting.

Many times we have limited chances to tell someone who really cares about a success that we have had in our personal or business lives.

4. We all need an accountability structure in our lives so we can achieve greater progress and more successes.

5. The environment fosters intimate, honest relating. In this safe place there is nothing that is too silly or small that the others will not care to hear.

6. You can brainstorm solutions to your problems and struggles so that you can multiply the number of available ideas that you have to work with.

7. You will have complete access to a repertoire of resources and ideas by associating with the
wisdom of the group.

8. You will have the chance to cleanse your spirit as you get things off your chest (so they can be left behind and you can move on).

9. You will experience the principle of giving and getting.

10. Everyone comes to the meeting with something to contribute and expects to take something good away from the meeting.

To your continued success,

Reg Gupton

Reg Gupton's Top 10 lessons from cycling

Most activities that we do with our lives will teach us something if we are open to learning and don't just blindly carry out the routine steps. This has been true for me with long distance cycling

1. If you can ride 10 miles, you can ride 20. If you can ride 20 you can ride 30.

Get started, do what you think you can do. Then rest briefly to marshal your energy, focus and intention. And begin again.

Don't quit. You can do much more than you ever thought, much, much more.

2. Give it every thing you have, then take a break.

Many, many days when riding, I have been convinced that I could ride no further. Not true. If I stop for even 10 minutes I learned that I could ride another hour or so. Breaks are a good thing.

3. Every equipment upgrade enhances the riding experience.

I read magazines and on-line newsletters about the latest and greatest cycling equipment breakthroughs. And I wait a while to make the next investment in new equipment. Upgrades are a good thing, just not on the bleeding edge.

Plan and budget for appropriate equipment purchases. Don't get the latest and greatest. Just move up and continue to educate yourself with what is going on with the equipment necessary to make your work more fun and productive. Upgrade to broadband (spend less time on line), upgrade your computers (spend less time watching the hard drive spin) and upgrade your skills (get or keep your job)

4. Keep learning from those that are better than you.

Lance Armstrong revolutionized the sport of competitive cycling. Along the way he won the Tour de France 7 times. His contributions include year round training, riding the difficult stages ahead of time (let's call that practice), hiring a coach, focus on winning only one event a year (the Tour), massive upgrades to the equipment, attention to detail, and understanding the difference between strength (low pedal cadence) and aerobic capability (fast pedal cadence).

5. Keep your equipment clean and in good repair.

A recent conversation with a friend of mine who has been off his bike for a while (too long) convinced me that something as simple as washing your bike can re-kindle the spirit.
A coaching client recently told me that cleaning her 180 (removing the clutter that she can see while sitting at her desk had the same result) She feels energized for hours if not days after this little exercise.

Just don't look on the floor under or behind her desk.

6. Ride with your friends.

A lot of my early cycling was done alone in training for the MS-150 described below. Feeling the wind in my face and the rhythmic movement was kind of hypnotic.

After a while these rides ended up boring, just like working alone. Find an individual or group that you can speak with about your work. Create or join a Mastermind Group, form a group that will meet and discuss the latest books or articles that have a bearing on your work and life.

I now ride with a group 2-3 times per week. We have created some great friendships. The miles just roll along and the hills are not so painful.

Learn from others mistakes and successes. You don't have to make every mistake yourself. It is painful and time consuming.

7. Get warmed up.

Stretch, get the Cardio Vascular system opened up. These days it takes me about 30-45 minutes to get the body ready to ride.

Consider that your brain and creative processes could use some warm up too. Consider listening to educational tapes/CDs on the way to and from work. Not talk radio. Talk radio will not help you move your life and/or career forward.

8. Look up the road

Not always at your wheel (or feet) or at the task at hand. That is where the sights are. Too many times to count, while cycling on two lane country road in Boulder County, Colorado, there are raptors on top of power poles and in the large trees beside the road. If you look up, you will see wild things.

You will gain perspective and a clearer vision of what is ahead. A bigger picture too.

9. Learn to play well with cars.

Where I ride, Boulder County CO, cyclists and drivers have worked out an uneasy truce (most days) On many of the more popular routes the city/county/state have painted bike lanes, posted Share the Road signs and done numerous betterments to allow cyclists to safely enjoy the beautiful cycling that is here. Sometimes when riding (and driving) I notice cyclists abusing their size and maneuverability. This antagonizes drivers and rightly so. Remember, cars are bigger than bikes.

Taking on the your biggest competitor head on, can be suicidal. Carve out a niche that is under served. More opportunity, more profits.

10. Learn the rules on the game.

My first longer rides were on MS-150s. These are benefit rides for the MS Society.

On the first ride that I attempted to complete (no, it took three attempts to finish my first one) I was surprised to hear people who I did not know, saying to me as they passed, "on your left" to let me know that I was being overtaken, while complete strangers pointed out road hazards that they saw first.

Every sport, business, industry, and company has traditions and culture that are important to understand. At least when you violate them, you are aware. Awareness is very, very useful.

Reg Gupton's Top 10 reasons to market with color postcards

Think about it: You could spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars on a nice newspaper ad and not hear from a soul. Why is that? One reason could be (and likely is) that they were not in the market for your product/service when you made your offer. Just as likely, they did not read the page that contained your ad.

Print media salespeople will tell you that it pays to advertise-that you must spend money to make money. What they don't tell you is that advertising does not equal marketing. There are many other ways to market your product or service.

I've found a way around this dilemma by using color postcards. They have been an essential part of my marketing toolkit for years

Experts say that if a marketing effort is to be successful, it must be repeated. You will get results from your targeted postcards if you repeatedly send to the same audience.

Continue advertising in the paper, but only if it has worked for you in the past. Measure your responses. If you are not getting the sales/calls that you want, stop.

1. Even for the smallest of businesses can afford postcard mailing.

If you have as few as 100 customers/prospects in a database you can afford to send a targeted color postcard.

2. You can make a sneak attack.

Your competition will know if you're advertising in the newspapers/magazines! It will take them longer to find out with direct mail postcards.

3. It's easy to track your results.

Your card can tell recipients to bring the card into your place of business for a special discount or call for a free (value added) report. Further you can direct them to use a special code when they place an order on your web site.

4. Postcards are versatile.

In a single mailing, you can seek business from prospective customers, and solicit repeat business from existing customers.

5. Postcards can establish and support your brand.

When you use a systematic, direct mail postcard program, you and your business will become familiar to your target audience.

6. No more wasted marketing campaign money.

Send your proposed/test card to a small sample of your database. Measure the response. If you are pleased with the response, mail to the rest of the target audience. If not, change one thing and test again.

7. Postcards are read quickly.

You have only 6-8 seconds with the reader of your mail. That is enough with a postcard.

8. Postcards don't take up a lot of space.

If appropriate, they can be easily carried around until the time to redeem them for your great offer.

9. Postcards are easy and inexpensive.

Visit www.expresscopy.com/partner/reg_gupton. You will find powerful new tools that make sending color cards as inexpensive as 40 cents per card, addressed, printed (in four color) including postage.

10. Postcards are fast and simple.

You can create/use a template so that the majority of the card stays the same (for great branding) and just change your offer.

To your continued success,

Reg Gupton

Reg Gupton's Top 10 reasons to stay in touch with past clients

Top 10 reasons to stay in touch with your past customers

1. You would like them to buy from you again.

2. You would like them to give you a testimonial.

3. You would like them to send you their friends as customers through referrals.

4. You would like them to be brutally frank and rate your customer service delivery system.

5. You would like them to honestly and candidly evaluate your product or service.

6. You would like to learn the many ways that your customers use your product or service.

7. You would like them to give you ideas on ways to improve your product or service

8. You would like them to talk to a prospective customer who has asked to talk with a current customer.

9. You would like to develop a friendly relationship with them so that they are comfortable discussing problems with you.

10. You would like them to buy more frequently from you.

To your continued success,

Reg Gupton

Reg Gupton's Top 10 reasons to delegate

The more I am around the housing industry, and especially the real estate and mortgage sectors, the more I am amazed by the unwillingness of some to delegate. Everyone that does not delegate has what are to them, the best of reasons. And to be sure, I have made every mistake in the book when it comes to delegation.

I received the following the other day and was reminded why I do delegate and why it is critical to an individual's success in business.

If you would like help in specific ways to learn to be better at delegation, give me a call.

1. Frees up your time and energy to perform at a higher level because there is less clutter.

2. Lets you see more clearly what kinds of tasks or projects REALLY could use your direct attention.

3. Dispatches responsibility to others working in your immediate group and fosters team building. Make sure
that the objectives of the responsibilities are clear and agreed-to in order to maximize buy-in.

4. Lends a new dimension as to how things can be done. Cross-pollination can lead to interesting results!

5. Builds others skills and esteem. Lets others have a go at a task previously performed by someone else, most likely someone at a higher level in the organization. Delegating reflects trust in the other party's ability to perform.

6. By appropriately delegating, you create for yourself a more professional, streamlined appearance to the outside world.

7. Delegation reduces delay. Demonstrates an ability to manage with an eye toward getting tasks into action and not letting them wait their turn on an already-full plate.

8. Creates greater efficiency if tasks are delegated to and performed by individuals with more expertise than you have. No need to spend time reinventing the wheel. There are outside vendors and consultants for just about anything. Be sure, though, not to overlook in-house expertise.

9. Can help work to get accomplished on time. Sometimes an outside source is more dependable than we ourselves are at getting something signed, sealed, and delivered! Consider automation as a form of delegation.

To your continued success,

Reg Gupton, CRS, MBA

Reg Gupton's Top 10 Interview Questions

During one my first jobs decades ago, I was hired to be the Assistant Administrator in a 120 bed acute-care hospital in Michigan. One of my many duties was overseeing the Personnel Department. We now call this critical function Human Resources. After about a week I went to the Administrator, a Mercy Order nun. I, as politely as possible, informed her that I was clueless in the area of interviewing candidates for jobs in the hospital.

She told me to find a class in this subject and sign-up and take it. That I did. One of the most important things that came out of this class is the list of questions that follows. I have used them ever since. They have served me well in hiring at all levels. From Controllers and other senior level people to Professional Assistants in my real estate career and every level in between.

Use them well. Oh, there are 11 questions. You get a bonus. If you don't do the hiring for your organization, forward these important tools on to the person that does.

1. Describe to me a great day on a previous job.

You are looking for the things that they truly feel good about.

2. Describe to me a terrible day on a previous job.

Look for the things that drive them crazy. Are they the things you love to do?

3. Why are you interviewing for a new job now?

You need to learn their history

4. What are your expectations from this job?

Do theirs match yours?

5. One year from now, what do you expect to be earning?

Does what they are willing to earn match what you can pay?

6. What other requirements do you have on your time?

This is very important. You need to understand their true time requirements for their outside life.

7. Please share with me two of your past successes. What did you learn?

You need to know what rings their bell and what kind of things excite them.

8. Two of your past failures? What did you learn?

How do they talk about them and specifically what did they do about the failure(s)?

9. What are a few of your strengths?

Do their strengths compliment your needs? There is a significant tendency to hire people just like ourselves.

10. What two areas in your life would you like to improve upon?

Have they thought about this or are they complacent about where they are?

11. Tell me about the best and worst boss you ever had.

Are you like either of these? You would be better to find out now rather than later. You need to know what the traits are that are important to the candidate.

To your continued success,

Reg Gupton

Reg Gupton's Top 10 E mail etiquette tips

If you are like me, more and more of my daily communication is by e-mail. It is less expensive and quicker. And it seems that we adopt a whole new persona when we are sending e mail. Just think about the e mails that you like to receive. Send the same kind.

1. Have a business-like e-mail address.

Upgrade from joe41799@aol.com to something a little more classy (joe@joeinc.com for example). AOL is not a real business e-mail address.

2. Check incoming mail at least once or twice in the morning and afternoon, depending on the speed of expected contact in your industry. Four times a day is enough; more often may be a time waster.

3. Respond to each message within 24 hours. No matter what. Even if only to verify receipt and say you will get back to them.
.

4. Write in complete sentences with no misspellings. Use your e mail program's spell checker.

Use paragraphs like Mrs. Snelling taught you in grammar school. One more thing, DON'T USE ALL CAPS. It is interpreted as screaming in cyberland.

5. Answer all questions. If the message to you had questions, make sure to answer each of them completely.

6. Longer is better. Explain yourself completely. Misunderstandings happen easier in cyberspace.

7. Verify that your attachments are being received and can be opened and printed by asking for a confirmation.

Some users are not technically literate and don't know there is an attachment. Check to make sure they are receiving the attachments you are sending.

8. Make sure that you use an e-mail signature like the one below.

9. Don't rely on e-mail alone to maintain contact. Call periodically. It is more personal.

10. Etiquette requires some communications to be written and sent by snail mail. Use good judgment

To your continued success,

Reg Gupton, CRS, MBA

Reg Gupton's top 10 reasons to hire a coach

The following was originally written by Thomas Leonard. A great thinker about business, life and coaching. I think that it is great food for thought any time of year.

There are over 100 things that you can work on with a Personal/Professional Coach, but here are the Top 10.

1. You will set far better goals that motivate you in a healthy and stress free way. Did you have Goal Setting 101 in high school? Probably not. Enter the coach, an expert in helping you to identify and set the goals that you really want, not the ones that are shoulds or pipedreams, that you've been recycling or that mirror the goals of your parents, society, or Madison Avenue. Choosing the right goals for you is an art and the coach takes the necessary time to help you clarify your personal values, so that you have something really solid on which to develop your goals. Value-based goals are naturally motivating, but it takes good coaching to get to these.

2. You'll accomplish goals and tasks and projects much more quickly. One of the reasons that people hire a coach is to save themselves time. Working with a coach, they learn how to be far more effective, efficient and productive in everything that they do, including their job/business

or personal projects. We humans just aren't that naturally effective, even if we think that we are. The coach has tools and techniques to share with their clients so that things get done in half the time. (Even the coaching process is efficient -- on the phone, 1 hour a week, reasonable fee.)

3. You'll make fewer mistakes in your business life or in your personal life.

The old model of learning from your mistakes has deteriorated to be more like: How else will you learn if you don't make mistakes? Too expensive, in our view. With a coach, you have a third eye, someone who's been there and who has coached others in your situation, and an expert in getting the job done with the minimum of fuss (called learning curve, mistakes, errors in judgment, wrong tunnels, etc.). The costs (emotional, financial, time) of making mistakes has gotten very expensive in the past decade. A single mistake can ruin you in today's hyper-paced business environment. Some clients use their coach as an inexpensive insurance policy.

4. You'll move up to the next level of your professional and personal life.

Almost everybody is moving up the ladder of business success, personal development, awareness and emotional balance. The coach can help you see where you are right now and point out ways to grow and get where you want to get to. Or, if you're not even on the ladder, the coach can guide you to it and help you get started on your path.

5. You'll reduce the number of problems you have and better resolve the problems that are left.

The first step in solving a problem is to ask yourself why you have this problem. The second step is to ask yourself why you have problems at all. The third step is to get on track to having no problems -- aka, becoming a Problem-Free Zone (PFZ). This is not a joke. Being a PFZ is becoming even more important along the path of sustainable success. You cannot afford to have problems, period. Life's too short and problems are too expensive. A well-trained coach can help you become a PFZ. A well-trained coach is a PFZ herself.

6. You'll likely make more money in your career, profession or business.

Clients don't keep paying their coaches just for the fun of it. Coaching, like every other professional service, needs to improve the financial bottom line and it does. Coaches are trained to help clients to leverage their ability to make money, i.e., getting a raise, choosing a better career, starting a business, improving profitability, adding more value to their customers, proper pricing, productivity and others. Sure, coaching is personal, but it almost always includes a strong financial aspect.

7. You'll be a lot happier and this happiness will last.

Coaches know how to help you to reduce stress, integrate all aspects of your life, simplify or downshift, and reorient around what makes you the happiest. What good is increased productivity and profitability if you're not happy?

8. You'll be much more effective and influential with others: family, business and personal relationships.

Communication makes life life. A coach is an expert communicator and trains clients on how to come across better, relate well with others, listen aggressively, influence, coach, motivate and support others. There are over 100 communication and listening skills that clients can learn from a coach.

9. You'll become much more attractive to others -- on the inside and on the outside.

Selling, as a profession and as a proven technique/process, is on its way out. Why? Because humans are getting better at choosing for themselves and buying better. Humans will respond less to advertising and selling techniques and instead be drawn to a product or service and they will be more likely drawn because of who is offering the product or service. This process is called attraction and Coach University wrote the book on it (called Irresistible Attraction). It's real. It works. And it will replace much of the promotion, marketing, selling, seducing and other very expensive budget items. Remember, the world (aka consumers) is rapidly eliminating virtually all waste and inefficiencies in how business is conducted, products are sold and how services are delivered. Selling and mass marketing, while certainly still very effective right now, is on the hit list. Attraction is the next generation of selling and the well-trained coach can help you and your business gets on this track immediately.

10. You'll have a better life, not just a better lifestyle.

The term Quality of Life has become overused in the past few years, but the trend of Americans seeking to create a much better life for themselves is accelerating. In fact, people are re-examining what they had assumed that a good life was (married, 2.3 kids, nice car, secure job, church on Sundays, 3 weeks of vacation a year) and are now creating their own life, often breaking the rules and flying in the face of conventional wisdom in the process. A coach has been trained in the Life Design process and has already made the kind of design changes in their life, that their clients are just now beginning to make

Reg Gupton

Draw a T

Yesterday, I was teaching a Business Planning class to a number of Realtors in the Keller Williams office in Boulder where I live.

At the beginning of the class I had them turn their handout over to the back blank page. I then taught them a technique that I have both used and taught for years and years to get more out of any seminar or workshop you attend.

Here it is. Draw a line vertically down the middle of the page from the top to the bottom. Then on the left side at the top write "to-do", on the right side write "ah-ha." You can spell ah-ha any way you like.

Then write your action items on the left and on the right side write down the items that are an explanation of why something is or how it work, as if a light bulb goes on in your head. I like to say those epiphanous moments.

For me seminars are about learning and action. Using this tool, you can easily record your action items and the most important things you learned in one convenient place.

At the end of the program, you can if you like, throw away the workbook and save only your to-do/ah ha page. I have a file in by desk drawer labeled "Conference Notes." And have done away with what I call my intelligent bookshelf. You know, those workbooks that you are going to pull out and use some time, which never comes.

Reg Gupton

The 3-D desk cleaning plan

Is your workspace full of piles of work to be completed? Post-it notes all over your computer monitor? Scraps of paper all of shapes, sizes and colors scattered about.

Try this for one hour every two weeks. Do it, Delegate it or Dump it. Pick up each piece of paper and apply the 3-D plan.

Once your workspace is clean, use the 3-D plan every day with every piece of paper that crosses your desk,

BTW...put the reminder to use the 3-D plan in your automated reminder system as a to-do.

You will love it. I do.

To your continued success.

Reg Gupton

Work with anyone who is younger than you are?

Digital Natives invade the workplace.

This online article is a MUST READ for employers (managers and HR), 'mature' workers, the younger workers it describes (to help them understand our perspective), and PARENTS (to help us understand our kids' world).

Go directly to the full article at Pew Research Center, to understand what they are thinking and how they will impact your world.

Reg Gupton

What the heck is Systematic Spontaneity?

Do you often come up with ideas that you would like to share with your prospects, clients and friends? I do.

Do you have a database with email addresses? I do.

A REALTOR friend of mine periodically sends me information that he finds interesting. It could be an article, some stats on the local market or a question. For example he purchased a new home not long ago. Using the transition as a excuse, he thought he would get all his telecommunication services under one carrier (if that made sense). He sent an email message that was no longer than 2-3 paragraphs to his database. He surprised himself by receiving 44 responses.

He achieved two important goals. First, he rec’d some valuable input on his dilemma. Second, he touched his prospects quickly and easily. Remember, no contact-no relationship, no relationship-no contact. Some of the folks who replied just wanted to vent. Others gave him very valuable insights into his disbursed telecommunication services problem.

While on a coaching call the other day, I coined a phrase based on having ideas and a database. If you have both of these, you can employ Systematic Spontaneity.

My REALTOR friend frequently sends messages (using primarily email) to his prospects having no plan and with no reason other than to touch them.

He receives very positive feedback, in writing, on the phone and in person.

Try it and let me know how it works.

Reg Gupton

Attend the Audio University

Are you wasting much time?

The other day driving between appointments, I listened to an audio CD featuring Zig Ziglar, one of best salesmen of all time and Dan Kennedy, a marketing genius.

Zig said that he never, never, never listens to the radio while in his car. He has a stash of audio tapes and CDs in a small box to listen to while cruising around. He called it Auto University.

I had never heard it called that before and LOVED it. Think of all the time that you spend in the car. It is generally wasted.

You will learn nothing useful listening to talk radio nor music for that matter. Most talk radio (it has been reported to me) is largely people of opposing points of view screaming at each other. What is the benefit?

Make a commitment to get your hands on educational audio programs. Carry them with you and listen often. You might try the library for a selection.

Get a group of friends together to share audio programs that each of you like.

Most of us spend hours and hours in our cars. Put it to productive use.

Reg Gupton

Establish your credibility instantly.

Have you ever met a new prospect who asked you “how are the market?” How do you answer? Great!! I am having the best year ever? What do you say?

When you answer this way, you don’t gain credibility. You don’t sound very believable. You sound weak.

Here is a way to gain credibility in about 40 words or less. Memorize 5 facts about your market place.

During a recent class, I demonstrated this point by making up (completely) five facts about the local market place. The audience was wowed that in the short time I had been there I knew and had committed to memory data about their local market.

I hadn’t memorized anything. I made up all the data. I gained credibility instantly, even though the data was a complete fabrication.

Clients using this method report that people’s demeanor is shifted in the correct direction. You become an expert. And you do it quickly.

Your MLS should have a statistics function that will allow you to quickly gather facts that you can use. Give yourself a reminder on your calendar for every Monday morning before your prospecting time to get the data, record it on a 3x5 card and carry with you. Always.

Want to know what are some of the possibilities are for data to commit to memory, write a comment at the bottom of this posting and I will tell you.

To your continued success.

Reg Gupton

Know what to say when you meet with a prospect.

I have learned recently that most personal service sales people don’t know what to say when they meet a prospect whether socially or at a networking event.

We have worked recently on a system to use when speaking with new people. I will discuss one of the attributes of the system here and others in future postings.

The first element of the system I want to discuss is the F.O.R.D. concept. Some of us, that would be me, have little difficulty talking with others. My problem is that I tend to talk too much. If you know me you know that is true.

FORD is a system for asking questions of a person that you just met. It stands for Family, Occupation, Recreation, Dreams. All you need is a couple of questions in each category to engage another person in a conversation for a very long time. You should commit these questions to memory and practice them in a safe setting. Practice makes permanent, not perfect.

Another tip I use in conversation follows: When someone uses an adjective or adverb in a sentence (these are modifiers) ask (politely) what they mean. For example when someone says that they want to purchase soon. You might ask, “what does soon mean to you”? Or when someone says “I want a large yard” You might ask, “what is a large yard to you.”?

In a class recently, I asked a number of Realtors from the western slope of Colorado, what was large parcel to them. The parcels ranged from 1 acre to 640 acres. For me, a large yard means anything that I can not cut with a weed eater, (on the short cord).

What are the conversation openers or extenders do you use? Let me know.

To your continued success,

Reg Gupton

Do you know where your next transaction is coming from?

A Realtor friend routinely/systematically sends emails to his prospect/client list periodically. He searches his local MLS for opportunities, writes up a summary of the value he sees and sends it out.

He recently searched the MLS for bank-owned/foreclosed properties, finding about a dozen. That e mail generated a few people who might be interested. No sales, yet.

Upon receiving his email, I replied asking how the leads that he rec’d from this system were doing. Here is his reply:

Up to 3 sales loosely tied to my monitoring of this market. Two contracts that didn’t close (1^st ½ of 1031 exchange fell thru out of state). Three offers that didn’t result in contracts.

Up to a dozen prospects walking around the pool, sizing it up from different angles, trying to decide if they want to jump in.

I replied that he should embrace this philosophy. SW, SW, SW, N. He did not know that this meant. Do you?

“Nope,” was his answer. So here it is. Some will, Some won’t, So what, NEXT. The emotional power is in the word NEXT. This means that you believe/know that there will be a next transaction. Do you know where

Most folks that are in the personal services sales business do not know that there will ever be a next. They have no proven lead generation system whether marketing nor prospecting. Watch for a future posting on marketing vs. prospecting.

Do you have a lead generation system?? What is it? Let me know. I will write it up.

Do you know that there is a transaction coming to you? How do you know that?

Tell us how you know.

To your continued success,

Reg Gupton

How to design a profitable direct marketing strategy

An important element of most profitable marketing systems can be direct mail. In many businesses, it has the highest return on investment (ROI) of all the marketing dollars spent. If you have repeat purchases, direct mail is a powerful way to reach existing (and new) customers

1. Select a narrow target audience.

Hopefully your electronic database is segmented so that you can send a card to just a part of the entire list.

I receive cards (and more expensive direct mail pieces) that make absolutely no sense to or for me. The other day I received a very expensive four color, glossy 11X17 piece for spreaders and sprayers. I live in a condo and would not ever need a product like this. No lawn to take care of.

No wonder the rate of return on cold, one time direct mail is low and dropping. Target, target and target again.

2. Decide the frequency of your campaign

Be aware that research tells us that we need to send about 12-18 messages to a specific target audience before they even notice you. Make sure that you can keep up the campaign without any sales for months and months. Remember, send to the same target audience. Don't skip around.

Results that you receive in the first few months are low hanging fruit. Almost any contact with these individuals would have generated a sale. The real power comes after many, many contacts. The momentum builds and builds over time.

3. Select your offer

Your offer should be targeted to your audience and no one else. You can however, achieve top of mind awareness (TOMA) with cards. When your product or service comes to mind, you are the first or second person they think of. That is a great spot to be in.

4. Select a card vendor.

I have been totally satisfied with the prices and services of Expresscopy.com. As have a large number of my coaching and consulting clients.

Visit them at www.expresscopy.com/partner/reg_gupton. Learn what they do. Can you imagine about $40.00 per 100 cards, printed, addressed, postage and mailing? You will be pleased, especially if you can export your address file. Most software programs make that very, very easy these days.

5. Learn what your competition is doing with direct mail

Find out what your competition is doing with direct mail. Nothing I bet. Visit their web site or store and sign up for their newsletter, or catalog. Understanding the offers of the competition will put you at a distinct advantage.

6. Make it abundantly clear how you want people to respond.

Call, e-mail, fax or bring the card by your place of business to redeem, order the free report. Don't make it confusing.

If your target audience is spread about the country, make sure that you have a toll free number and e mail. Your response rate will increase dramatically. These days they are surprisingly inexpensive.

7. Decide how you will measure success

What are you after? Sales, entry in a drawing, or order a catalog? Just make sure that you and the recipient are clear on what is expected and you measure the responses you receive.

8. Don't quit

One of the actions that I see most often with direct mail is quitting after one or two mail pieces. Realize that embarking on a new direct mail marketing campaign is extremely painful in the beginning. This is true especially if you have not done this kind of marketing before. Plan your campaign. Plan for a year in advance. Get the schedule on your calendar. And follow it.

9. Realize that you only have a few seconds with the mind of the reader

Your offer or request should be plainly visible and clear to the reader. It is important to understand that you only have 4-8 seconds with their brain. They will decide if what you have to say is what they want to hear. Today. Next month your offer might be in alignment with their need. It was not last month and it is now.

10. Test you offer on a small segment of your list.

If your list is large, test the offer on a part of it. If the ROI is not what you need, re-think your plan, graphic, and offer. You should see sales (if that is your goal) that makes direct mail a profit center for you. Don't lose money on your direct mail marketing.

Reg Gupton

Reg Gupton's Top 10 Database buying tips to make the job easier

What follows is a Top 10 list of issues to consider when buying database software.

1. Ask friends what they use and how they use the database software that they use.

Surely one of your friends uses relational databases. They will be able to tell you what works and what does not with the package that they use.

2. Do your own due diligence on the features that you need.

After receiving suggestions on several packages from your friends, get on the web; use Google to search for the software

3. Purchase a Relational Database.

A Relational Database simply put is a lot of data like name, address, city, state, zip, phone number, e mail addresses etc that is searchable in too many different ways to list here. The power comes in allowing you to find any single record (read person) or group of records (group of persons) quickly and communicate with them in numerous ways. For example you can search for past customers that live in Colorado Springs. This search might be helpful if you are going to be in the city and wish to visit your existing customers.

4. Hire a coach/consultant/trainer to teach you how to most effectively use the software you acquire.

Your time is too valuable to noodle around in a database program trying to figure out how to perform the basic tasks that you wish to accomplish. An hour or two of a skilled consultant for the software will save you tons of time and get you productive in hours not days.

5. Make sure that the program will allow you to setup and implement marketing campaigns to both individuals and groups.

Some programs will allow you to send communications (e-mails, postcards, and letters) to individuals but you need to send each one individually. The better programs allow you to send all the necessary letters (for example) with a single mouse click (or two).

The program that I use sorts through all the letter and/or emails that are to be sent off into the future and lets you know how many are scheduled to go out today.

This should be done in the main program without add-ons or additional pieces of software.

6. Think about the expenditure as an investment and not a cost.

Investing in database software and building the list of names is truly like buying a printer or other piece of software or a high-speed connection to the Internet.

You will be able to conduct business in ways you never imagined prior to owning and building your personal database.

7. Assure that you can send emails directly from the database software that you acquire.

Some database packages force you to use intermediary steps or use the e-mail client that came with the software. Many are not supported nor are they in the mainstream.

8. Make sure that the software will allow you to mail-merge a group of people receiving different letters or e-mails.

Mail merge allows the software to look up the name, address, etc and the letter or e-mail put the two together and send them. Other pieces of software force you to do this manually. Not a good use of your time.

9. Realize that in the beginning there is a huge investment of time entering the data from your paper system.

Be aware that it could take you only 60-120 seconds to enter each person's contact information. And also be aware that you will only have to do this one time. Ever. Then you can use your personalized database as a Rolodex, phone list, birthday card reminder system and to carry out marketing campaigns just to mention a few uses. Once the contact information is entered, it is there forever.

10. Realize that once the database is built, its effective use will feed you and your business forever.

After you enter all the people that you know in the world, you can begin to make them well crafted offers for your goods and services.

No more hand writing (unless you chose), no more looking through stacks of business cards for a number to call.

All you have to do is enter the name and up pops their contact information to use in a money producing way.

Reg Gupton's Top 10 list of database mistakes

You don't need to. I have made them all and can help you learn from my mistakes and massively explode your business in a very short time if you are willing to get out of judgement and into curiosity.

1. Believing that your most profitable source of new customers is from print media ads.

2. Believing that your marketing energy and money should be spent predominately trying to attract new customers.

3. Believing that marketing to your existing customers is expensive, time consuming and not very profitable.

4. Not capturing the names, addresses and email addresses of your existing customers.

5. Not offering your existing customers incentives to stay with you.

6. Buying software that requires a Ph.D. in computer science to operate.

7. Buying software that will not allow you to create and run marketing campaigns easily and automatically.

8. Buying software that will not allow you to send e mails directly from inside the program.

9. Not investing in training or coaching on the use of the software that you buy.

10. Believing that contacting your prospects and past buyers 2-3 times per year is enough.

Reg Gupton

Reg Gupton's Top 10 Database Marketing Tips

Your wealth and success is in your database. Don't have one?? Stop back often to learn about this most powerful of all marketing strategies.

1. Start small.

Don't wait until you have your database completely assembled. It will never be totally finished. You will be constantly adding, deleting and changing information in it. You will get measurable benefit by starting now.

2. Build your list every chance you get.

Whenever you get the name (and contact information) of someone that you can do business with or more importantly, who can send you business, put them in your database. You can never have too many names.

3. Send messages (letters, cards, e-mails, and/or catalogs) until they ask you to stop.

Remember you are sending information of value to your list. The operative concept is "of value" The value can be notices of new products or services, birthday cards, special pricing.

4. Mix message content.

Send special offers, community service announcements, holiday greetings, and other items of value to them.

5. Send a minimum of 12 times per year (24 or more is better)
.

We each get thousands of solicited and unsolicited marketing messages every day. You need to cut thru the clutter to be noticed. You will be bored by the process of sending them before they even see your messages. Don't give up. Keep touching your client/customer base.

6. Mix the media.

Send messages delivered thru different channels. As mentioned above, send letter cards, emails, and/or catalogs. Keep changing the method of contact until you discover what works the best and provides the greatest return on your investment.

7. Buy a relational database and take classes to learn how to use it.

It is critical that your software will allow you to do marketing campaigns to a specific part or combination of parts of your database. This means that you can attach a plan made up of the items mentioned above to an individual or group of individuals easily. Most software will not allow you to do this.

8. Focus on your existing and past customers.

It is much, much more expensive (as much as 5 times more) to do business with new prospects than with current customers (who know, like, and trust you). Go here first.

It amazes me that professional service providers (that would be most of us) forget or are fearful about working with those that know, love and trust us. Why is that??

9. Make an appointment with yourself for a minimum of 1 hour per week to work on your database marketing program.

Better yet, one hour per day. It is too easy to get caught up in the crush of your day-to-day activities and forget this critical program. Set an inviolate appointment on your calendar to work moving your database marketing program ahead. Don't allow anyone to get in that time block. No one!!

10. Talk with your friends (or others) who are experts at database marketing.

Remember that you are an expert at what you do. It is unlikely that you are an expert at database marketing too. Find an adviser or consultant with years of experience is this rapidly evolving field. I can think of someone (that would be me).

Reg Gupton