Ninja Selling Podcast

Today's episode dives into Parkinson's Law and its two main components. Firstly, work expands to fill the time allotted, meaning that if you give yourself a certain amount of time to work on a given task, you're going to use up all that time to get it done. For example, if you tell yourself you need to make a phone call by the end of the week, you'll switch back and forth between tasks until you finally arrive at the end of the week and rush to get it done. The second piece of Parkinson's law states that time will be spent inversely proportional to the importance of an activity. In other words, we typically spend less time on important tasks, like creating a business plan, than we do on unimportant tasks, like scrolling through social media. Matt and Garrett explain why Parkinson's Law is primed to be broken, and how Ninjas can go against it by making the absolute best use of their time and spending it in a highly productive, highly focused, highly motivated frame of mind. Top agents look at which tasks are going to produce the biggest and best returns, and make those first priority with no negotiation. Our hosts also discuss the importance of using a schedule to give yourself set times to work on certain goals, rather than leaving your calendar open-ended and allowing for distractions. This way you're setting yourself up to work with maximum efficiency within that devoted time block, and you'll be able to fully concentrate on your other Ninja Systems later on, or even enjoy events in your personal life, without having unfinished projects looming over your head. Accountability partners can also help you stay on task and be on purpose with your hours. And most importantly, being aware of Parkinson's Law is the first step to overcoming it. Join the Ninja Selling Podcast group on Facebook at www.facebook.com/groups/theninjasellingpodcast. There you can also ask questions, give advice, and connect with other Ninjas. If you have not been accepted to the group yet, please check your messages for a follow-up from Matt. You can also leave a voicemail with your direct feedback at 208 MY-NINJA. And visit NinjaSelling.com/events for more information about upcoming open installations. Episode Highlights: A reminder to submit your topic requests and suggestions on the Ninja Selling Podcast Facebook group Today's topic is about Parkinson's Law and how to maximize the way you manage your schedule and time The first part of Parkinson's Law is, "Work expands to fill the time allotted" If you give yourself a certain amount of time to work on something, you're going to use up all that time You're spending mental time and energy thinking about a given task up until the moment you get started If we had just hammered it out and completed the job right away, we wouldn't have spent all that time with it looming over us and taking up mental space Then we can actually be more efficient as we tackle other tasks as well Real estate review is a great example of this Switching between tasks also wastes time Give yourself a set time to work on something instead of leaving it open-ended and allowing for distractions (e.g., allotting 45 minutes to complete your Monday morning agenda rather than letting it drag out for a day and a half) You incur an Opportunity Cost when you allow things to take up more time than is necessary Put goals on your calendar and schedule time to work on them instead of leaving the completion date vague (e.g., "I've got to get that done this summer"), otherwise it will keep getting pushed off over and over again Be reasonable and give yourself enough time to complete a task, but Garrett is also up for the challenge to see if you can actually get things done faster than you think Part Two of Parkinson's Law is that time will be spent inversely proportioned to the importance of the activity Business plan is a good example of this - we often spend more time scrolling through Facebook than we do focusing on developing a business plan that will create direction and growth Another example is that we often choose to spend our time and energy picking up fast food instead of cooking healthy meals at home that will nourish our bodies Prioritize the Ninja Nine, run the system of a weekly routine, and you'll see incredible results Top producers go against Parkinson's Law as they make the absolute best use of their time and spend it in a highly productive, highly focused, highly motivated frame of mind They look at which tasks are going to produce the biggest and best returns, and that's what gets their time with no negotiation If you don't focus on the most important tasks, they'll quickly find themselves in equilibrium with unimportant tasks, and you definitely do not want that This ties back to our episode about Extreme Ownership and having discipline in your life Ask yourself if you had integrity today and showed up for the things you said you were going to do Try to practice this and make sure you schedule time for important activities If you take care of these first, it leaves plenty of time for your Hour of Power, customer service calls, etc. Accountability partners can be incredibly helpful (unless they let you off the hook) If you tell yourself you are finished at 6 o'clock, you'll be more efficient with the time you've given yourself instead of letting it spill over into all hours of the night Having a detailed schedule will help you do this - don't just write "Ninja Activities" between 8 and 10 o'clock This is called not being on purpose with those hours The first step is to experiment with your calendar and analyze what works for you Remember that it will constantly change and evolve based on what's going on in your life But making sure you're scheduling enough time to get everything done means that you can focus and be present in other areas of your life, rather than being distracted by everything you need to do later Be aware of Parkinson's Law and know that you can overcome it Quotes: "If you have enough time to do something, naturally that's just what we do." "Your brain is actually burdened with it not being done, which stops you from being able to run at the highest efficiency with the other tasks." "You need to set time aside, you need to focus on it, schedule it and get it done, get it completed. Because as of right now, we've got no deadline on it, we have dreams of this thing we want to do. And the reality is it's just taking time and energy and effort to be successful moving forward. Because again, it will expand, it will keep expanding and keep expanding until it has to be done." "I think there are things we can get done way faster than we ever imagined." "So we'll spend less time on important tasks and more time on unimportant tasks." "It's funny how we interpret things of what I have time for and what I don't have time for." "I think you can also make sure that those 30 minutes are in a high productive zone of doing that important task, versus, let's say, 25 of minutes of that being done doing unimportant things." "I think the law is primed to be broken. And I think that if you're running without focus, this is how everything just kind of equalizes out. This is how the majority of the population runs their life, is time being spent inversely proportionate to the importance of the activity." "I do think highly focused, highly motivated, top producers in anything that you're setting your heart into, they go against this law. Because they are going and starting their days and saying, Okay, what are the things that are going to produce me the biggest and best returns that I have for the future here? And that's what gets their time with no negotiation." "They're approaching it along the lines of, Nope, this gets my time, first and foremost, upfront. And if I have time for the unimportant activities, I will let them kind of fill the void." "[The Monday morning agenda] is a very important activity. And it gets so little time, particularly when you let that time just expand. And man, if you contracted that, and just took care of that...it's going to help you take care of showing up for an Hour of Power, customer service calls." "Now it's not just you letting yourself down, it's letting somebody else down, which is way more powerful. We are way more inclined to let ourselves down before we let somebody else down. And that's why accountability partners work so incredibly well." "If you can help yourself get to that level of intensity internally, where you're not condemning yourself, but you're being honest with yourself, you're going to be able to control this a lot more." "What's so interesting about that person that gives themselves 24 hours, and if I need to, I'll be up till three in the morning - some of the most efficient people I know, that are cranking out really high levels of business, are done by 6 o'clock." "This is not available time to work, which means you become more efficient with the time that you've given yourself." "When you watch somebody who's struggling with the Ninja Nine, I'll be like, Show me your schedule. And we'll get into their schedule. And their schedule says from 8 to 10 o'clock, it just says Ninja Activities - just wide open Ninja Activities between this time." "This is called not being on purpose with those hours." "It needs to be scheduled out so you have a start time and a finish time. You can complete it rather than this, I'm just going to fill the Ninja stuff in this time. And you wonder why you're not getting it all done. You wonder why you're floundering. You wonder why you're stressed out and last minute trying to cram stuff in. That simple thing will change your calendar." "Acknowledge that this law exists, and then acknowledge that you can break it. You can overcome this one… Having awareness of [Parkinson's Law] helps you recalibrate." Links: www.TheNinjaSellingPodcast.com Email us at TSW@TheNinjaSellingPodcast.com Leave a voicemail at (208) MY-NINJA Ninja Selling www.NinjaSelling.com @ninjasellingofficial Ninja Coaching: www.NinjaCoaching.com @ninja.coaching Ninja Events www.NinjaSelling.com/Events Garrett garrett@ninjacoaching.com @ninjaredding Matt matt@ninjacoaching.com @matthewjbonelli The Ninja Selling Podcast Facebook Group

Today's "Quick Hit" episode looks at the importance of taking your listing marketing seriously. A recent study by Inman reviewed 25,000 listings across Zillow and Realtor.com, and found that the vast majority of real estate listings lack good visuals, with only 10% of single family home listings including a floor plan, less than 30% of the photos on the listings meeting best practices, and 94% offering no video or virtual tour whatsoever. This is a huge missed opportunity for agents, and today Matt and Garrett explain why. Lack of floor plans, poorly lit, grainy or upside-down photos, and "just okay" online listings give the impression of unprofessionalism, and tell potential buyers that you are "just okay" as an agent as well. As Garrett points out, you want to give your listing every opportunity possible to be the "cream puff" people will want to check out right away. Matt and Garrett break down the many excuses they hear agents make for not taking their listing marketing to the next level, beginning with the expense of hiring a professional. Hiring a skilled photographer will make your listing truly shine. This will not only help your current listings sell faster, but it will also attract more business as it speaks to the kind of quality work and attention to detail you offer. Next, they discuss the importance of a floor plan as it helps potential buyers visualize themselves in the home after they've walked away from it, and can even limit potential barriers for them putting in an offer. Hiring professionals to include exceptional visuals in your listing sets the stage for who you are as an agent. It also ensures that you're making the best use of your time by keeping the focus on phone calls and other important Ninja systems. And at the end of the day, it isn't an expense - it's an investment in your business that will pay you back over and over again. Join the Ninja Selling Podcast group on Facebook at www.facebook.com/groups/theninjasellingpodcast. There you can also ask questions, give advice, and connect with other Ninjas. If you have not been accepted to the group yet, please check your messages for a follow-up from Matt. You can also leave a voicemail with your direct feedback at 208 MY-NINJA. And visit NinjaSelling.com/events for more information about upcoming open installations. Episode Highlights: Today's "Quick Hit" episode looks at the trend of people not taking their listing marketing seriously It's important to be a professional and show up for your clients to make their listing as attractive as possible (e.g., professional photography, getting floor plans done, putting together a virtual tour) A study conducted by Inman searched 25,000 listings across Zillow and Realtor.com and found that the vast majority of real estate listings lack good visuals Only 10% of the single family home listings had a floor plan, less than 30% of the photos on the listings met best practices, and 94% had no video or virtual tour More and more people are using professional photography Floor plans are very important as well, but a lot of agents make excuses for not using them Floor plans help potential buyers visualize themselves in the home when they're away from it This is a huge missed opportunity With photos, even if the quality or lighting are slightly off, it can give the impression that no attention to detail was paid and cast doubt in buyers' minds Give your listing every opportunity possible to be the "cream puff" that people will want to go check out It's okay to hire professionals to help you do this Make your listing "shine" This will not only help your current listings sell better, but it will help you attract more as it shows what kind of high quality work you do Understand your dollar per hour as a real estate agent Even if you're a great photographer, it's a much better use of your time to be on the phone than to be taking listing photos yourself It is absolutely better to hire a professional in these cases, and it also limits your stress If you're not including floor plans or you're using poor quality photos, it speaks to your lack of process and conveys unprofessionalism Photos that look "okay" are not good enough, especially when it doesn't cost a lost of money to make them exceptional Every single thing you put out there relates to who you are as a business If a photo is just "okay," people will think you are just "okay" as a realtor, too Hiring a professional to do the floor plan or take exceptional photos takes it to the next level and sets the stage for who you are as a professional It's not an expense, it's an investment in your business Floor plans can help eliminate potential barriers to buyers putting in an offer There's no excuse for not having a floor plan - Home Depot and Lowe's offer them Again, just because you can do it doesn't mean you should - there is a better use of your time Quotes: "It's one of those things that they are starting to document more now, they are starting to pay attention to more now. And it's funny that people still don't show up and do it. And we watch people cut corners all the time." "[This study by Inman] searched 25,000 listings across Zillow and Realtor.com and found that only 10% of the single family home listings had a floor plan, less than 30% of the photos on the listings met best practices, whether they were done 'professionally' or not. And 94% had no video or virtual tour." "My first installation that I went to, Larry talked a lot about floor plans. And still to this day, so many Ninjas don't use floor plans - Well, we don't need that. Well, I don't know where to get that. Well, nobody will do that. And it's just the excuses that come out. I love a good floor plan. It makes it so much easier to understand a home and connect with it at a different level." "Give that listing every opportunity it has to be the 'cream puff'. And if you're the weak link in it, figure it out! Go hire a professional to take you out of the equation. And it's okay to be the weak link. I don't want you to all become professional photographers - you're professional real estate agents." "Part of this isn't even just making your listing shine so that they sell better and all that. It's also, if your listing shines online, as Larry [Kendall] says, people are going to see that. And so the next listing pitch that you go on, they're going to see what type of work you do." "More of you are $1,000 per hour people than you realize." "There's a better use of your time in this industry that you're in. I would much rather you be on the phone calling people for that whole time... You will pay for your photographer over and over and over again by you not being there." "If you're not putting some of these things up, what it says to me is you don't have a process. There is not a process. There is not a marketing plan that exists, at least not a high quality one, when it comes to you launching a listing." "If a listing gets launched with 10 photos, and one of them is an upside-down photo, or it's just 10 photos, and they're grainy, if there's no floor plan listed in the documents - it just shows to me that you're not using a good process. And that's not somebody that I'd want to work with as a professional." "Even the ones where those photos look okay - okay is not good enough when it comes to this, because it doesn't cost a lot of money to make them exceptional." "Every single thing that you put out, whether you are directly putting it out, you're directly having a conversation with somebody, or it's a piece of marketing that goes out directly, relates to who you are as a business." "When you bring in a professional to take care of it for you, when you take that little extra step to have it done at that level… This is your opportunity to set the stage of who you are as a business owner." "At the end of the day, every single dollar you put into this is an investment into your business. It is not an expense because every single dollar you put into this will help you get more business. It will help you be more successful." Links: www.TheNinjaSellingPodcast.com Email us at TSW@TheNinjaSellingPodcast.com Leave a voicemail at (208) MY-NINJA Ninja Selling www.NinjaSelling.com @ninjasellingofficial Ninja Coaching: www.NinjaCoaching.com @ninja.coaching Ninja Events www.NinjaSelling.com/Events Garrett garrett@ninjacoaching.com @ninjaredding Matt matt@ninjacoaching.com @matthewjbonelli The Ninja Selling Podcast Facebook Group

The recent news about Sir Richard Branson launching into space on his Virgin Galactic rocket plane has Matt and Garrett thinking about the way we interpret people going after their dreams. On today's episode, they talk about the inspirational element of this story getting lost in the news cycle, with many feeling that they're simply more motivated by everyday folk in unexpected moments of greatness instead. But we forget that Branson did not start out as a billionaire with a space company. Like all of us, he started as a kid with a dream, who worked tirelessly, overcoming failure after failure, to get to where he is today. This happens all the time in the real estate world, with agents often dismissing the success of others as lucking into a favorable marketplace, rather than the result of hard work. This kind of mentality places limits on ourselves, and prevents us from learning in the presence of masters. Our hosts discuss the idea of hitting rock bottom before you can turn things around and go after your dreams, and explain that we can do this at any point in our lives. We can also learn a great deal from other people's failures and successes, and use them to grow and build a better life for ourselves, if we are paying attention to how people are pushing through instead of condemning them. We always need to be asking ourselves, "What can I learn from this?" Each day we can choose to take ownership over our lives and put in the work towards reaching our goals, or we can make excuses. Matt and Garrett challenge us to start taking action today, and remind us we don't need to venture into space to accomplish the extraordinary. As "Mastery" points out, we can be inspired by ourselves in our "ordinariness" as well. Sir Richard Branson's journey is a testament to what can happen when we embrace our inner child, let go of limitations, and truly believe that we can make our dreams a reality, no matter how big or small. Join the Ninja Selling Podcast group on Facebook at www.facebook.com/groups/theninjasellingpodcast. There you can also ask questions, give advice, and connect with other Ninjas. If you have not been accepted to the group yet, please check your messages for a follow-up from Matt. You can also leave a voicemail with your direct feedback at 208 MY-NINJA. And visit NinjaSelling.com/events for more information about upcoming open installations. Episode Highlights: Sir Richard Branson recently launched into space on his Virgin Galactic rocket plane He made his childhood dream of going into space come true, and gave a speech encouraging kids to follow their dreams as well Matt and Garrett feel that the inspirational element to this story did not get enough attention in the news A lot of people feel like they're more inspired by everyday folk and unexpected moments of greatness People forget that Branson did not start out as a billionaire with a space company - he was once a kid with a dream It took many years of hard work and overcoming failures to get to where he is today, and this is where we can draw inspiration from People forget that Branson was everyday folk, and worked tirelessly to get to the point where he is today It's not necessarily space travel that's inspiring - it's the idea of having a dream and continuing to pursue it, which anyone can do If you look at other people's success and tell yourself that they had special advantages that you don't have access to, you're placing limits on yourself and getting in your own way For example, when realtors hear about people breaking the $1 million mark in one year in gross commission income, their first question is what the marketplace was like For every successful realtor, there was a point when they were a brand new agent who just got their license A lot of people hit rock bottom before they're inspired to go after their dreams, but it definitely does not have to work this way - you can grab onto moments of motivation and run with them at any time We all face hard times and feel discouraged at different points in life, but the whole challenge is to push through and not quit Instead of condemning other people for their successes or failures, we can learn so much from them to grow and become a better person ourselves We always need to ask ourselves, "What can I learn from this?" This comes back to taking ownership of our life, making the decision to put in the work toward our goals, and not make excuses Branson is an excellent example of embracing the kid inside of us who doesn't have limitations and isn't afraid to go after what they want Tough days and hard work are what build up our resiliency and push us to do better Take a look at what other people have been able to accomplish and ask yourself what limitations you've placed on yourself and what limiting beliefs you're holding onto Set a goal for yourself that seems like it might be out of reach, and truly believe that it is going to happen Branson undoubtedly hit many roadblocks and had people tell him he was crazy, but he was able to persevere and accomplish his dreams A master will embrace his/her 'ordinariness' and use it as a foundation to build the extraordinary We can be inspired by ourselves in 'ordinary' moments, too Your dreams are all possible, but you need to start taking action - it doesn't just happen by accident Branson's journey to space is a perfect example of that Quotes: "[Sir Richard Branson] was like, Hey, all you kids down there. If you have a dream, follow it. I was once a kid with a dream. And now I'm an adult in space." "Some people were like, Oh, yeah, that's cool. Some people were like, Wow, that was inspirational. And some people were like, Yeah, that's cool. But I'm more inspired by everyday folk." "The space race has changed from nations to literally corporations, and people trying to figure out how to get there. This accomplishment is absolutely amazing." "I think these big, big, big dreams, these big goals, a lot of people get that taken away from them at some point because of failure after failure and they go, Fine, then we're not going to do them." "This is where it ties right into real estate, because we see a lot of people who will look at top producers and say, Well, they had that or this that's special for them… And by doing so, you're actually placing limits on yourself. You're affirming that you cannot and your brain goes, Okay, great. That's a limit of ours, and we will never be there." "I've had a good handful of people over the years that have broken the million dollar mark in one year in gross commission income… When you share it with other people, the first thing they ask is, Well, what marketplace was it in? It's like, yes, there are some pieces to that. But when we're talking about a million dollars in one year, there's a bigger scope going on here of what it's taken to get to that point." "We all have this even playing field up front here. And there's some people that tear into it, and there's other people that watch other people tearing into it going, Oh, yeah, but that's not for me, or, They have things that I don't have… And we see that happen all the time." "We all face challenges, and we're all going to hit points where we think, this is it, or maybe I can't, or I'm going to give up… The whole challenge is to push through, and to not quit." "The opportunity there is that everybody around us, whether they're finding their rock bottom, or they are finding their dream that they set for themselves, instead of condemning people for being in those areas, if you want to, you can learn from them." "You can make a massive, massive, massive change in your life by understanding somebody else's rock bottom." "You can either condemn that person for who they are and where they're at, and what's going on, or you can learn from them and grow and adjust and build a better life for yourself." "I think at the end of the day, the whole piece here is that, are we constantly learning from those around us? Are we constantly looking at everybody's achievements and failures and saying, How can I use those to better my world and my growth of who I'm going to be?" "Each day, we can make an advancement towards where we want to go, or we can choose to not. And if we're choosing to not, it's usually because we're...making up all the excuses." "If I can take that away from [Branson]... The best thing I can do for my life, continuing to move forward from here, is to find that kid that's still inside me and embrace it. Because that kid inside of me doesn't have limitations. That kid inside of me doesn't have the, But we don't have enough money for that, we don't have enough time, we don't have enough energy." "Those are the little micro challenges that we're going to face that we must show up for and we must push through. Because those are building up our resiliency… Don't let those tough days take it out of you." "You are unbelievably powerful as a human being on this planet right now. And take a look around and look at what some people are achieving with their desire and their energy to go and go big." "It doesn't matter how big the goal is. It could be, Hey, I want to pay off my entire mortgage. You need to know that that is going to happen, believe that that is going to happen." "A master, rather than condemning himself for his 'ordinariness,' will embrace it and use it as a foundation for building the extraordinary." "Let's be inspired by ourselves, too… Why don't we inspire ourselves by doing something great today, doing something that maybe we thought we couldn't do… And maybe it starts with picking up the phone and making that extra phone call." "Start taking action to create the dreams that you have, and start walking in alignment with the dreams you have." "This is all possible, but you have to take action in some way, shape, or form. It's not just going to happen on its own. [Branson] didn't just end up in space by accident." "Take action, everybody. Take action today." Links: www.TheNinjaSellingPodcast.com Email us at TSW@TheNinjaSellingPodcast.com Leave a voicemail at (208) MY-NINJA Ninja Selling www.NinjaSelling.com @ninjasellingofficial Ninja Coaching: www.NinjaCoaching.com @ninja.coaching Ninja Events www.NinjaSelling.com/Events Garrett garrett@ninjacoaching.com @ninjaredding Matt matt@ninjacoaching.com @matthewjbonelli The Ninja Selling Podcast Facebook Group

Today's episode looks at referrals and where your business really comes from. Referrals generally consist of either repeat clients who keep coming back, or new clients who have been referred to you by a trusted family member or friend. Matt and Garrett explain the 2:1 ratio in terms of referrals, with the goal being more honest-to-goodness referrals than repeat business, as this is where you can truly unlock the referral potential that your business has to offer. But building a strong referral-based business does not mean simply pursuing people and asking them to give out your information - this is not part of the equation. Instead, what sets you apart is a high level of care of concern for your clients, and maintaining strong relationships, as this is where the real referrals come from. Join Matt and Garrett as they break down how to set up a quality referral system, whether it comes naturally or is something you need to work toward. They talk about building momentum and keeping the flywheel spinning once you get started, the role of auto flow and customer care systems, and using marketing strategies to make sure your name stays top of mind as people discuss real estate decisions within their social circles. If you're not currently operating at a 2:1 referral ratio, today's episode will show you how to tap into opportunities that are already on the table, and help create a tribe of people who cannot wait to send you business! Tell us where you listen to the podcast by joining the Ninja Selling Podcast group on Facebook at www.facebook.com/groups/theninjasellingpodcast. There you can also ask questions, give advice, and connect with other Ninjas. If you have not been accepted to the group yet, please check your messages for a follow-up from Matt. You can also leave a voicemail with your direct feedback at 208 MY-NINJA. And visit NinjaSelling.com/events for more information about upcoming open installations. Episode Highlights: Referrals consist of either 1) Repeat clients who keep coming back, or 2) New clients who have had you recommended to them Goal with referrals is to have a 2:1 ratio, with more brand new referrals than repeat business 1:1 is also great, but 2:1 is where you're truly maximizing your referral potential The overall trend right now is 2:1 Garrett believes this is because in times of uncertainty or weirdness, people turn to their tribe for advice more than ever, and friends and family give the name of someone they really trust who can help Building strong relationships and taking great care of your clients is crucial, and you will be rewarding greatly for making this a priority It's not about pursuing people or bombarding them with marketing, asking them to refer you to everyone you know - this should never be part of the equation When you truly care about your clients and what's going on in their world, that is where the strong referrals really come from Some people have that natural ability to show they care and want to be involved, while others may need to build a system to help this happen This won't happen overnight - it's a matter of building momentum Auto flow and customer care system Use of marketing tools is also important, as it gives clients a piece of content that they can directly show other people This also keeps you top of mind when people are discussing real estate needs within their social circle Having a built-in system and truly caring about your clients will open so many doors and make sure you never leave another referral on the table Quotes: "My goal always is to get somebody to a 2:1 ratio. If I can get them to a 2:1, that is where I'm like, Okay, you are really maximizing the referrals, you're crushing it." "If you're not at a 2:1 now, that's okay. Having a lot of repeat business is a great thing. Like even 1:1 is really good." "[The 2:1 ratio is] when you know you have fully unlocked the referral potential that your business has to offer." "In times of uncertainty, in times of weirdness...we lean into our tribe. We lean into the people we know, the people we trust. Instead of just throwing ourselves out into the craziness of the world, we turn to our friend next to us, our neighbor, and we say, Hey, what should I do? And they go, Oh my gosh, let me introduce you to Matt Bonelli - he'll take care of this for you. And then boom, we have a referral." "Relationships are so golden right now. And I want everybody to embrace this, because you will be rewarded greatly. That's the reason for the topic today." "People that are experiencing this, it's not just falling into their lap. These are people who take great care of their clients, they have great auto flow going on. They're very good at their customer service calls every single week to make sure that their active customers not only feel like they're taken care of in the process, but they're taken care of period." "It's not asking for the referrals. It is not, in every piece of marketing that goes out, saying, Hey, send me referrals to anybody. It is not chasing or pursuing people in any way, shape, or form… What it is, is a very high level of care and concern for the people that they're working with." "The real referrals came from the people that had been doing this for two years before COVID hit. And they had been maintaining these relationships and growing with these people, and they knew the importance of what was going on in their life." "It just happens a lot of the times naturally, and it just creates this energy, which is incredible that all of a sudden referrals just roll in. The other side is building a system to help this happen." "With this, you're creating a brand energy amongst the people who are your tribe that then cannot wait to send you business." "A lot of people don't even look at their business this way… They know they have a referral-based business, but they don't think of, what is the real potential of the referral-based business. And this is a very easy way for you to go, Am I leaving referrals on the table?" "If you're 1:1, meaning you get one referral closed for every piece of business you close directly within your sphere, that's still a really strong business. If you're upside down the other way, know that there is a ton of opportunity to swing the pendulum back around, add more customer service, add more client care to then attract those referrals that you literally do have access to, that we're just not achieving at the moment." "When I'm working with somebody, Matt, that is what I'm always looking at, is if I can help them unlock that area, that's when all of a sudden crazy numbers start happening. That's when all of a sudden doors start opening up that they didn't even know existed before." Links: www.TheNinjaSellingPodcast.com Email us at TSW@TheNinjaSellingPodcast.com Leave a voicemail at (208) MY-NINJA Ninja Selling www.NinjaSelling.com @ninjasellingofficial Ninja Coaching: www.NinjaCoaching.com @ninja.coaching Ninja Events www.NinjaSelling.com/Events Garrett garrett@ninjacoaching.com @ninjaredding Matt matt@ninjacoaching.com @matthewjbonelli The Ninja Selling Podcast Facebook Group

Matt and Garrett welcome special guest, Tara Tooley, to the show today. Tara has been a Ninja in Fort Collins, Colorado, for over six years, and she has an incredible ability to take every system we work with and completely own it to create a unique and highly successful experience for her clients. She breaks down her process for Matt and Garrett step-by-step, and tells them about integrating a "Ninja Filter" in everything she does. She begins with the "Magic Wand" conversation, then begins the funnel process by opening a broad search for her clients to make sure they don't miss any important options. Tara's only motivation is to help her clients find a home and make their dreams come true. She explains that she doesn't stop until she sees the "happy dance" from her clients, and this no-pressure approach instantly builds trust and shows clients that you're on their team. Tara chats about setting clients up to be the "smartest buyer out there," the importance of guiding them to a trusted, local lender versus impersonal online options, and how a solid pre-qualification empowers clients with the coolest idea ever - a "shopping license." She goes into the recasting loan, a huge secret weapon, in great detail, as well as her "magic" tip to help clients recalibrate if they haven't found a house that makes them do the happy dance yet. You'll hear about Tara's approach to step back and let buyers find their own potential home, her "dance with the other broker" and building relationships before even visiting a house, using the online feedback form to give her buyers a competitive edge in the sellers' eyes, and how investing in clarity of process shortens her timeline significantly. Tara offers these, and so many other great takeaways as we begin to take a closer look at how actual Ninjas are using the 10-Step Process and applying it in practice. We can learn so much from Tara's "Super-Size-It" attitude and proven track record, and her fascinating insights highlight the many ways you can make the Ninja process work for you in a way that feels fun and authentic, so you can help bring your clients' dreams into reality as well. Send us your request for future episodes by joining the growing Ninja Selling Podcast group on Facebook at www.facebook.com/groups/theninjasellingpodcast. There you can also ask questions, give advice, and connect with other Ninjas. If you have not been accepted to the group yet, please check your messages for a follow-up from Matt. You can also leave a voicemail with your direct feedback at 208 MY-NINJA. And visit NinjaSelling.com/events for more information about upcoming open installations. Episode Highlights: Tara Tooley has been a Ninja for about six years She works at the group in Fort Collins, Colorado The advice based on her marketplace can work in any area She has an incredible ability to put her own unique spin on the 10-Step Buyer Process, and has used it to create an extraordinary buyer process for her clients She puts everything she does through a "Ninja Filter" When people first reach out to her, they have already thought about this decision for a long time and they're ready to make their move She asks them a series of questions and has the "Magic Wand" conversation She begins with a very broad search so that her clients don't miss any options (one of the biggest buyer fears), then narrows the focus from there This is the funnel process She includes homes in a higher price range as many sellers begin too aggressively and may lower their prices later She sets her clients up to become "the smartest person in the market" as they watch for these prices to drop Her mindset is laser-focused on helping her clients find a house Her only goal is to help make people's dreams come true and see their "happy dance" Setting her clients up with a trusted local lender versus online lenders who typically don't care and will not go to bat for them Being pre-qualified with a solid lender empowers clients with a "shopping license" Tara is not afraid to tell people she can't move forward with them, if she feels they are not a good fit Bridge loans and recasting When clients have not yet found the home that makes them do the happy dance, she gives them an actual magical wand to help them recalibrate and shift their mindset Most of the time, her clients find the home themselves - she is there to help them get that house once they've found it Her "dance with the other broker" and creating a relationship with them before they even view the house The importance of broker-to-broker relationships The buyer who drags you around to house after house does not know what they want, but maintaining a positive relationship with them can still lead to referrals Success is taking care of the client The 10-Step Buyer Process often happens in the house There is no such thing as the perfect house - the goal is to be happy with 85% Tara is a huge believer in expert coaching and learning from the professionals She's very transparent about her process with clients Garrett's name for Tara is "Super-Size-It Tara" because she takes every idea to a new level and isn't afraid to make this business fun and authentic Quotes: "Tara is an agent that takes every system I've ever worked with her on, and she goes, I'm going to make this mine. And she owns it." "I consider myself a Ninja 1,000%. I put everything I do through what I call a Ninja Filter." "We have that quick little conversation. I'm like, Well, What are you thinking? Tell me, if you wave the magic wand, what might happen? What kind of - how big of a house? Why are you moving? And I go through some of the questions. How many bedrooms? What price range are you thinking? What town are you thinking?" "I always take notes. I never talk without a pen in my hand." "You're going to become, what I call, the smartest person in the market. You're going to watch those prices - that overpriced person come down maybe into your price range if they sit on the market, because not everything sells if it's overpriced." "I had a buyer call me on a Friday.... She said, Well, we're going to be buying somewhere between now, three months, six months, nine months. We're not really in a hurry. And...we're under contract six days later. Their first offer." "My mindset is - my only goal is to help these people's dreams come true. That's it. That's where it ends." "If there's no happy dance, I'm like, Hey, I think we need to keep looking." "When you put people into a position where they really want to buy, yes, you are a great salesperson. Because you didn't have to sell them on anything. You just put all the pieces together, and all of a sudden they're buying. As far as I'm concerned, that's about as Ninja as you can be." "I'm like, This house, I don't see it. And then I'm like, Aren't I a great salesperson? They just laugh. And then all of a sudden, that trust level just goes out the roof, because they're like, Oh, she's on our team. She's not trying to sell us anything. She's trying to help our dreams come true." "Your lender is going to be your most valuable player, maybe even more important sometimes than I am in this process. If we don't have a lender that can go to bat for you, literally seven days a week, that's trusted in our local market, I'm not sure I can get you a house and be competitive on your offers. Because what's been happening is these online lenders, they just don't care." "I had a 45-minute conversation with an older guy that was qualified with his big national bank. And I'm like, Dude, I can't win a house for you in this market with that as your lender… He finally succumbed. And sure enough, three days later, we got the deal because of that lender." "What we really need is a really good shopping license. If you don't have a good shopping license, it doesn't make a lot of sense to even go look at houses, because we don't really even know what you can buy. And so your lender will give you a pre-qualification, which I consider your shopping license." "The shopping license is the most powerful if you don't have to sell your house before you buy." "There's a product out there called recasting loans, a recasting product, and that's how I get most of my people from A to B without a contingent offer." "If you talk to your lender, and they don't know what recasting is, you need to go dial the phone and find a lender that does, because that is a huge secret weapon in this market." "I find it very interesting when you hand those magic wands out, sometimes the game completely changes, and they buy something that feels to me, as a realtor, 100% different than what they told me." "I don't look at houses online. I don't think I've ever, maybe one or two times actually, been the one that found the house. The buyer finds the house. And they're like, Let's go look at it." "I feel like the buyers are the smartest people in the entire market. Realtors think they're all smart and everything. It's not their money that's buying the house." "I'm starting what I call, the dance with the other broker, because that's one of the most important dances of the whole deal in a competitive market. So I start the dance before I ever get to the house." "That feedback was so powerful and so emotional, that literally the sellers fell in love with the hope that these buyers would buy the house." "It's really important to me that I follow the leader of success. And Ninja is the most successful life a realtor could ever ask for, and being able to serve the world with our expertise as realtors." "I believe wholeheartedly, if you're going to be successful at whatever you want to be successful at, you need a coach… And I tell people, Go find the very best coach you can find. And I didn't say the very best coach you can afford, I say the very best coach you can find." Links: www.TaraTooley.com www.TheNinjaSellingPodcast.com Email us at TSW@TheNinjaSellingPodcast.com Leave a voicemail at (208) MY-NINJA Ninja Selling www.NinjaSelling.com @ninjasellingofficial Ninja Coaching: www.NinjaCoaching.com @ninja.coaching Ninja Events www.NinjaSelling.com/Events Garrett garrett@ninjacoaching.com @ninjaredding Matt matt@ninjacoaching.com @matthewjbonelli The Ninja Selling Podcast Facebook Group

Continuing on with our last episode about taking extreme ownership, Matt and Garrett discuss Marianne Williamson's moving poem, "Deepest Fear," a beautiful representation of why we sometimes do not show up in life as our full, brilliant selves, and the power that comes with embracing how much we are truly capable of. Many of us often "play small" and stay in the darkness because it feels comfortable and safe, but our hosts explain that this does not serve the world, and that we all deserve to grow and let our lights shine at their brightest. Pushing through discomfort to the growth zone, and going after big goals actually inspires others to do the same, and creates a culture of people who are living their best, most authentic selves - who are liberated from fear, and feel free to pursue their passions wholeheartedly, which we can all learn so much from in turn. Matt and Garrett share their insights on each enlightening section of "Deepest Fear." They talk about reconnecting with our childlike mindset of seeing opportunity everywhere, and feeling excited to learn and grow as much as we can. You'll also hear about letting go of fear, giving yourself and others permission to be exactly who you are, and reframing life's challenges as happening for us, not to us. Garrett reflects on how these principles have guided him personally, and explains that if you start by tackling small obstacles in your life, you'll slowly start to chip away at barriers and suddenly find yourself overcoming bigger fears. Together with Marianne Williamson's empowering words, today's conversation shows us what can happen when we no longer fear our light, but instead allow it to shine the way it was meant to. Share the ways you've knocked down fear by joining the growing Ninja Selling Podcast group on Facebook at www.facebook.com/groups/theninjasellingpodcast. There you can also ask questions, give advice, and connect with other Ninjas. If you have not been accepted to the group yet, please check your messages for a follow-up from Matt. You can also leave a voicemail with your direct feedback at 208 MY-NINJA. And visit NinjaSelling.com/events for more information about upcoming open installations. Episode Highlights: Ninja principles apply to any business or industry Matt shares Marianne Williamson's "Deepest Fear," a poem that demonstrates why we sometimes don't show up or why we're not as amazing as we could be They begin with the idea that our deepest fear is that we're powerful beyond measure Massive breakthroughs happen when we realize how powerful we are and what we're capable of It can feel comfortable to hide in the darkness as it can feel scary when your light is shining and all eyes are on you This comes back to taking ownership and moving into the growth zone We all start to question ourselves and our abilities as time goes on, but there is so much power in accepting that we all deserve to grow and be our best selves When you ask yourself, "Who am I to be (fill in the blank of whatever you want to be)?", turn it around and say, "Who am I not to be those things?" There is nothing stopping you from being the person you want to be Sometimes we play small so we don't make others feel inadequate, ruffle feathers, rock the boat But this doesn't help you or anyone else As you get older, you don't want to look back and wish you would have taken action or done something differently Playing small does not serve this world Embracing your full potential and going after big goals actually inspires others to move out of their comfort zone as well Fear of discomfort stops a lot of people from pursuing growth Analogy of parents trying to protect their children from getting hurt, but setting these limits prevents growth Children see opportunity and brightness everywhere, but at some point, many of us lose this attitude Ninja can help you change your belief system and reconnect with that childhood mindset of embracing the world around you When children find something that are interested in, they dive in wholeheartedly We can learn so much from their energy and their excitement about learning and growing When we experience challenges, remember to take on the mindset that life happens for us, not to us There's safety in making sure other people are staying with us But when you give people permission to go outside the box and let their light shine, you'll be able to learn so much from them as well Give yourself permission to be exactly who you are, not what anyone else thinks you should be Living without fear creates a ripple effect and can inspire other people through small, everyday actions If you start with small obstacles or fears, you'll slowly start to chip away barriers and find yourself tackling bigger challenges Quotes: "What are we really giving up if we're not really being the best that we can be?" "Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us." "We ask ourselves, 'Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do." "We were born to manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others." "The truth is, we are all capable of incredible things." "It says it is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. I think that's because you can hide in darkness. When the light's on, when you're shining, when you're the source of that light, man, you're in a position where it can be a bit scary because all eyes are on you." "All of us have this really powerful piece that we can bring to the table if we want to unleash it, every single one of us." "Why wouldn't you be able to be that? Why couldn't you be exactly what you want to be?" "And the beauty of this is it makes you stop and really have to ask that question of, Why am I stopping myself from going and being this person that I want to be? Because it's amazing how much of it's right at our fingertips, when all of a sudden, we realize that we can - we can go do this." "A lot of times, we'll just be like, No, I'm just going to play it [small] right here. I don't want to ruffle any feathers. I don't want to rock the boat. I don't want to do anything. But that actually doesn't really help." "My playing small does not serve this world. There's nothing enlightening about shrinking." "By me going and being big and achieving these things, or going after these things, and growing into these roles that I want to be, it serves other people." "I think that level of discomfort as you grow stops a lot of people from the growth. That stops a lot of people from actually being able to really see that light that they might have on the other side." "When we talk about children, I think it's a very fun place to come from and watch how they approach learning. Watch how they, when they find something they're interested in, how they go all into it in this incredible way. Because they are fascinated by that." "What if you took investing in real estate or investing in retirement plans with the zest and excitement of a child?" "What are we really born and put on this planet to do? And it's to just share that brightness and glory with everyone around us... What if you brought that into your business?" "I can let my light shine, and give other people permission to do the same." "Give people the permission to grow, give people permission to go outside the box, give people permission to set new standards, because you will learn from them also. You can only do so much on your own. So when you have all these great people around you, and you're letting all their light shine and be the best they possibly can, you get to, at the same time, learn from all of them at different levels, which I think is a really important thing to understand about this. Don't put your fears on them." "You can't just talk about things. You've got to get out of your element and get out there and be who you are. Be who you want to be, not who others want you to be. None of this is about doing the things that society says you should do, that your parents say you should do, that your boss says you should do. This is about doing the things that you feel deep down inside, that you're like, This is who I am, and who I want to be, and who I want to share with the world. And it's going to help other people do the same in their own way." "It's amazing, when you're around somebody who's letting go, and just going all in. And every once in a while you come across somebody like that, that is just like, Look, I'm going to be me, I'm going big, I'm going to share who I am and my thoughts and my feelings and my energy." "There's a much greater good around all of this when you truly are moving in that direction." "As we grow, I think one of the biggest benefits, if you can lean into this, is if you start small and realize that the fear that was holding you back - when you cross a threshold and accomplish it and move towards it, and you get to see the light on the other side, it's like, Oh, it's okay. I can create, I can do this. I have all these resources around me. I have all these great people I can ask questions to, I have all these great books around me that I can learn from and grow, that allow me to be better every single day. You start to realize by the little wins that all of a sudden, you start to start tackling the bigger wins, the bigger fears." Links: www.TheNinjaSellingPodcast.com Email us at TSW@TheNinjaSellingPodcast.com Leave a voicemail at (208) MY-NINJA Ninja Selling www.NinjaSelling.com @ninjasellingofficial Ninja Coaching: www.NinjaCoaching.com @ninja.coaching Ninja Events www.NinjaSelling.com/Events Garrett garrett@ninjacoaching.com @ninjaredding Matt matt@ninjacoaching.com @matthewjbonelli The Ninja Selling Podcast Facebook Group

In recent coaching sessions, Matt and Garrett have noticed that many agents are missing opportunities to go above and beyond for their clients, and are not taking extreme ownership of their businesses and themselves. When questions come up, or something goes wrong in a transaction, the best thing you can do for your client is be their expert and handle the situation for them - gather all the information, make phone calls, do the research, and make sure you are getting the job done. Passing the buck is not only unprofessional, but it also creates confusion and stress, and gives away all your power. When you own the outcome and take responsibility for doing the best job possible, your value as an agent will prove undeniable, even if you don't get the results you were hoping for. As Matt points out, taking ownership may not guarantee results, but it guarantees you the freedom of direction and more opportunity with your clients moving forward. Whether it be with your work, health, or wealth creation, Matt and Garrett discuss the idea of taking ownership today - no one else can save money or eat a healthier diet for you. Only you can make this happen. They talk about not making excuses or blaming other agents, and how taking ownership allows for incredible growth and new problem solving. They acknowledge that this is an ongoing journey, and that changing your belief system can be difficult. However, the consequences of not owning the outcomes in your life will be even more challenging. This does not mean you have to do every single thing that comes across your plate, but instead you can focus on changing your processes and looking for ways to add value. Today's profound conversation reminds us that there are opportunities for growth and excellence all around us, and if we take ownership of those moments instead of letting them pass us by, we can grow and improve in countless areas of our lives. Join the growing Ninja Selling Podcast group on Facebook at www.facebook.com/groups/theninjasellingpodcast, where you can ask questions, give advice, and connect with other Ninjas. If you have not been accepted to the group yet, please check your messages for a follow-up from Matt. You can also leave a voicemail with your direct feedback at 208 MY-NINJA. And visit NinjaSelling.com/events for more information about upcoming open installations. Episode Highlights: Terri Johnson is offering two open Ninja installations in August (August 10 and 23) Visit NinjaSelling.com/events for more information Today's topic is about the challenging skill of taking ownership of your business and yourself Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh will give you incredible insight on taking ownership in your life Garrett's observation that a lot of agents are not grabbing opportunities and running with them as they come up It's important to take extreme ownership of opportunities to go above and beyond for your clients, for example when questions come up or things go wrong Owning the outcome Example of problems coming back on home inspections When you blame others or pass the buck, it creates confusion and stress, and gives away all the power to other parties Taking ownership may not guarantee results, but it will guarantee more freedom of direction and more opportunity with your clients down the way Example of eating healthy and taking extreme ownership over what you put in your body, even when temptation is readily available Taking ownership as it relates to wealth creation for agents You need to take ownership of putting money away now as no one else is going to do this for you Matt and Garrett hear a lot of agents complaining that something was the other agent's fault Taking ownership allows you to grow, learn, find new solutions This can apply to anything in your life If you're not taking ownership, it's very easy to make excuses Brokers who complain that their agents are not productive need to remember that they hired them This also applies to agents who complain about buyers - ask yourself what caused you to choose a client who can't make decisions It's difficult to change your belief system around this, but the consequences of not doing so are even harder It's your responsibility to make these changes happen, not anyone else's When things don't go your way, it's an opportunity to reflect and figure out how you can do things differently next time You need to own that you are the creator of the results you get Taking ownership of your health is a great place to begin A lot of people are struggling with taking time off work after COVID Taking ownership in your life is an ongoing journey You don't have to do every single thing that comes across your plate, but instead focus on changing your processes and looking for opportunities to add value Opportunities for growth and excellence are given away all the time Take ownership of these moments, and they will help you grow and get better in countless areas of your life Quotes: "To your client, the best thing you can do is take extreme ownership." "Instead of just saying, The buyer agent messed this up - you personally [say], What could I have done better to make sure that that doesn't happen in the future? Because I'm owning this outcome." "When you don't take ownership of, We actually can control the outcome of what's going on, you're giving up all the power." "The [agents] that are winning every single time are personally taking responsibility of, My job is to get them this house. And if they don't get it, it is my fault." "Taking ownership doesn't necessarily guarantee results. It doesn't guarantee a particular result. However, in my opinion, it guarantees freedom of direction, it guarantees more opportunity down the way." "No matter whether it is - your health, your relationships, your business - if you are not taking that level of control and self responsibility, then you're not going to access the freedom that you could have down the road." "If you want to look at wealth creation, anybody who's listening to us right now - take ownership of it today. There's no reason you can't start today, there's no reason you can't start putting money aside today, no matter how much money you're making. There's no reason you can't do it. But you need to take ownership that you are the one that's going to make it happen. Nobody's going to do this for you." "We're not talking about creating a false level of complacency or contentment. We're talking about acknowledging that everything that happens for you, everything that happens to you, is for you, and you are the creator and receiver of those things." "Whatever is in your world, take it." "When you take ownership of it, you now get to grow. The minute you let go of the ownership of it, you're killing growth. Because you're not looking for solutions. You're not looking for answers. You're not looking for, How could I have done this better?" "It's everything in your life - you can take that opportunity, when you get an outcome that you don't like, take that step back and say, How could I have made this outcome go the way that I wanted it to?" "If you're not taking this level of ownership, this level of self-responsibility, then it's so easy to just go right into excuses." "If you actually build an organization around people who take that level of self-responsibility, everybody's going to step up, everybody's going to become a player. You're going to minimize the amount of victims that are in your environment." "The hardest part is changing your belief system." "That's my responsibility to make that happen. It's not anybody else's responsibility." "Anytime I don't get the outcome that I want, that's my opportunity to self-analyze and be like, Okay, what could we have done to get a different way to get the desired results?" "These are these little choices that we get to make throughout the day. And you need to own that you are the creator of the results that you get." "Don't give in that easy. If you've got something you want to do, own it, go after it and figure it out." "This is a long, never-ending path and journey." "It doesn't mean that you now have to do every single thing that comes across your plate when people are asking you questions. It's really about managing certain processes and looking for those opportunities to add extra value for your people." Links: www.TheNinjaSellingPodcast.com Email us at TSW@TheNinjaSellingPodcast.com Leave a voicemail at (208) MY-NINJA Ninja Selling www.NinjaSelling.com @ninjasellingofficial Ninja Coaching: www.NinjaCoaching.com @ninja.coaching Ninja Events www.NinjaSelling.com/Events Garrett garrett@ninjacoaching.com @ninjaredding Matt matt@ninjacoaching.com @matthewjbonelli The Ninja Selling Podcast Facebook Group

Matt and Garrett share their insights from the Ninja Selling Leadership Institute about how to become a better leader and good quality manager. They talk about how this can influence an office and lead to greater success for agents as well. Broker managers can make or break the entire company experience, but not everyone is meant to fit this role. Our hosts break down Larry Kendall's approach for bringing in the right people, hiring the best of the best, and making sure agents are coachable, not just great producers. They discuss the importance of having a strong vision for your company, how this can help you attract ambitious agents, and using your core values to guide every decision toward growth moving forward. You'll hear Matt and Garrett's most important takeaways from their time at the Leadership Institute, and they reflect on how these principles can work for leadership roles in any industry. Join the growing Ninja Selling Podcast group on Facebook at www.facebook.com/groups/theninjasellingpodcast, where you can ask questions, give advice, and connect with other Ninjas. If you have not been accepted to the group yet, please check your messages for a follow-up from Matt. You can also leave a voicemail with your direct feedback at 208 MY-NINJA. Episode Highlights: Matt and Garrett attended the Ninja Selling Leadership Institute Today's episode is about what they've learned from the course about good quality leadership and managers Informal leaders Larry Kendall's quote that effectiveness equals the quality of the decision multiplied by the buy-in, not plus A 10/10 decision with one buy-in is a "10" idea, but a 7/10 quality decision with 8 buy-ins is now a "56" idea What are you experiencing with your agents - Anxiety? Lack of buy-in? Stress? Confusion? Look back at the pieces you're missing that are causing this outcome If you make better managers, and make them better leaders, you'll see better agents as a result Managers can make or break the entire company experience Some people fit well into that role, others do not Hire managers who create a positive work environment and "rally the troops" Larry Kendall's process for hiring agents Bringing in people who are coachable is the most powerful thing you can do for your company It's not all about their numbers - you want to make sure they're ambitious and ready to learn as well Some offices have certain hiring quotas that make it difficult to focus on quality As managers, you need to ask yourself whether company core values align with the metrics you're required to hit This ties into the vision of the company You can have a productive company, but without a strong vision, it's never going to feel like freedom Make your vision big enough so that everyone else's vision can fit underneath it Productive time for managers and agents Manager's job is to drive GCI, and agents bring in the GCI These principles apply to leadership roles in any industry Quotes: "Being a great manager doesn't necessarily equate to being a great leader." "If you're a good leader in the office, you know who your informal leaders are." "Effectiveness equals the quality of the decision, multiplied by the buy-in." "You watch these offices that just struggle to get things accomplished. They've got all this great stuff, but they don't know how to make it come together." "What are you experiencing with your agents? Is it anxiety? Is it lack of buy-in? Is it stress? Is it confusion?" "A lot of people come to us because they don't have great managers." "It's not the commission splits. It's not the technology support that gets agents to stay or leave. Those things are important, don't get me wrong. But it ultimately comes down to who is the manager." "Who are you putting into that role? There are people that are meant to be good managers, and they're meant to rally the troops. And they're meant to give complex information in ways that everybody can understand… That's a skill. And a lot of that skill is not trainable." "Bringing in the top of the top, the best of the best, the ones that can follow rules, the ones that are coachable." "If you focus on coachability, you can take somebody who is brand new to the business, but they're ambitious, they're ready to listen. And that's got to be part of your recruiting process." "As managers, as leaders of a company, look at what you've established as your core values, and ask yourself, Do our practices that we have in place, in the metrics that we're telling people to hit, match with what our core values are? And if they don't, then we have a mismatch that you need to go back and say, Hey, let's just readjust some things." "When you have a vision, you can attract agents because they know exactly where you're going. And you'll attract the people who want to be a part of that and want to go with you." "Make your vision big enough so that everyone else's vision can fit underneath it." "[Vision] is what's lacking the most in most companies. And then they wonder why they are herding cats all the time." "The manager's job is to drive GCI - that's their job. And the people who bring in the GCI are the agents." "The biggest thing that I think people can take away from this is, this is a very, very important thing in this industry. Focus on quality leadership, quality management. Whether you're an agent trying to encourage that from your owners and your managers, or you're a manager encouraging it from your owners, or you're an owner. Let's go top down." Links: www.TheNinjaSellingPodcast.com Email us at TSW@TheNinjaSellingPodcast.com Leave a voicemail at (208) MY-NINJA Ninja Selling www.NinjaSelling.com @ninjasellingofficial Ninja Coaching: www.NinjaCoaching.com @ninja.coaching Ninja Events www.NinjaSelling.com/Events Garrett garrett@ninjacoaching.com @ninjaredding Matt matt@ninjacoaching.com @matthewjbonelli The Ninja Selling Podcast Facebook Group

For the second time ever, Matt and Garrett meet face-to-face to record today's episode about gift giving, and how to use this as a way to build connection with your clients. Whether you're doling out mugs, water bottles, cutting boards, or knives themselves, our hosts talk about how to do this tastefully, have fun with the process, give the right gifts, and do it in such a way that clients do not feel bombarded with marketing material. It's a delicate balance, but Matt and Garrett are here to walk that fine line with us. They break down the difference between gifts versus paraphernalia, the right time to give out branded products versus more personalized items, and the intention behind your gifts. Matt and Garrett discuss the idea of giving gifts that add value to people's lives, and the missed opportunity of providing branded moving boxes and supplies to clients. They caution against putting your information on day-to-day items as this can come on too strong, and encourage listeners to ask themselves whether their gift is related to marketing or simply a thank-you. You'll hear about branding items discreetly, and how to give gifts in a way that feels comfortable and personal to both you and your clients. Share your marketing materials by joining the growing Ninja Selling Podcast group on Facebook at www.facebook.com/groups/theninjasellingpodcast. There you can also ask questions, give advice, and connect with other Ninjas. If you have not been accepted to the group yet, please check your messages for a follow-up from Matt. You can also leave a voicemail with your direct feedback at 208 MY-NINJA. Episode Highlights: Matt and Garrett record today's episode face-to-face! All about giving gifts (mugs, water bottles, cutting boards, coolers, etc.) with your name or logo on them If done properly, this can help build connection with clients You can have fun with this Gifts versus paraphernalia and marketing materials You can personalize gifts for your clients rather than giving them something with your name on it Giving branded marketing tools (t-shirts, hats, pens) as gifts can take away from the personal energy you're aiming for What you put on the products can also make a difference - if you put your name, phone number, and email versus a simple logo, it can feel like you are handing that person a billboard to advertise your business It comes down to intention Promotional materials at trade shows and community events should definitely include your name and information Garrett's example of an agent who gives moving boxes and supplies to clients - this is a great opportunity for branding Is your gift related to marketing or simply a thank-you? If it's a day-to-day item, think twice about putting your name on it They will remember who gave it to them, and including your information may be coming on too strong Brand things as much as you can, until you get to particular thank-you gifts or personal gestures If you are sending a personal note, avoid writing it on branded stationery If you feel uncomfortable about giving certain branded items, you probably shouldn't do it You can brand things in a discrete, classy way Quotes: "There's so many different approaches to how you're supposed to do this. What are you supposed to do? And some people are like, I feel so awkward about this. And then some people are like, But you've got to do something." "There's a choice of you buying something with a logo on it - Someone buys a mug with Ninja Coaching on the side of it, that's their choice to have that mug. To say, Here's a mug with my logo on it, now turns into marketing." "The minute that it's a marketing tool that was intended as a gift, now the energy is lost." "When all of a sudden it has the name and the email address and the phone number that's now on the item - you gave me a billboard. You gave me a marketing piece to make your business better." "Anything that's delivering value to somebody as it relates to real estate, you want to have your information on." "Alright, so I'm going to give you boxes, as your realtor. And by the way, here's a thing of tape. And here's...labels and stuff for the boxes, and here's pens. If you want to brand all of that stuff, go for it. Have at it. That's the stuff that people are going to keep around." "I love moving boxes, I think they are fantastic. This is a very old school idea that a lot of people don't do. And it is a big missed opportunity, I think. This is a product that adds value. It's not a gift. It is a gift in a way, but it's helping somebody do something." "There's the right times and the wrong times. And I think for most people, you just need to take a look, and again, go, Is this marketing for me? Or is it a thank-you? If it's a thank-you, let it just be a thank-you." "They're going to remember who gave it to them. So I don't think you have to worry about your information on things that people are going to use often, use frequently." "If you feel uncomfortable about it, then probably don't do it. If you're totally comfortable with it, then go for it." "I see great moments for the right type of marketing and the right type of thank-you. And when you cross the line or you miss the opportunity, again, you can't really get that opportunity back." "The discrete placement of things, I think is a nice, classy way to do it." Links: www.TheNinjaSellingPodcast.com Email us at TSW@TheNinjaSellingPodcast.com Leave a voicemail at (208) MY-NINJA Ninja Selling www.NinjaSelling.com @ninjasellingofficial Ninja Coaching: www.NinjaCoaching.com @ninja.coaching Ninja Events www.NinjaSelling.com/Events Garrett garrett@ninjacoaching.com @ninjaredding Matt matt@ninjacoaching.com @matthewjbonelli The Ninja Selling Podcast Facebook Group

Traditional sales training usually encourages agents to steer every conversation toward real estate, focusing only on getting the business, and immediately asking people whether they are thinking of buying or selling. For many, this can feel too aggressive or "salesy," and understandably so. Today Matt and Garrett guide us through the process of initiating real estate conversations organically by focusing on helping people, bringing value, and being genuinely curious about what is going on in their lives, whether that be real estate-related or not. They talk about detaching from the outcome of these conversations altogether and instead focusing on building relationships. If your intention is to serve people with information, be their expert, and connect, the transactions will always follow. Our hosts revisit the importance of F.O.R.D. topics (Family, Occupation, Recreation, Dreams), and Garrett shares his favorite question to open the door to real estate conversations without being "salesy." Matt and Garrett share their best advice for keeping these conversations natural, including asking people about their dream home, having a relaxed approach on social media, and being mindful of the context of your relationships so that you can have fun with them in an appropriate way. They remind listeners that you don't have to run away from real estate conversations to avoid appearing "salesy." In fact, today's episode will show you how to move toward them, but with sincere interest and intrigue, rather than by shifting into pushy "pursuit mode." Join the growing Ninja Selling Podcast group on Facebook at www.facebook.com/groups/theninjasellingpodcast, where you can ask questions, give advice, and connect with other Ninjas. If you have not been accepted to the group yet, please check your messages for a follow-up from Matt. You can also leave a voicemail with your direct feedback at 208 MY-NINJA. Episode Highlights: Part of Ninja is not bringing up real estate until the clients does Ninja attracts people who don't want to act "salesy" Real estate and homes come up organically in conversation all the time You can utilize postcards and marketing to do the real estate talking for you Then you can just focus on connecting with people, and a lot of times, they will bring it up Traditional sales training encourages agents to immediately ask people if they're thinking of buying or selling With Ninja, you can take that off the table completely - you don't need to go there The focus should be on creative marketing and reaching out to people to build relationships If your business is built entirely on asking people for referrals, the minute you stop doing that, business stops If someone brings it up, it's totally okay to engage - but keep the conversation natural and avoid diving right into asking whether they're thinking of buying or selling Answer their questions and ask your own to keep the conversation going about real estate Balance between knowing you're the expert and having a conversation with someone - you don't want to simply lecture people about statistics and market trends You can make outbound calls to follow up on your conversations and give updates without being salesy Your intention should be serving people with information and making connections, not trying to get business Detach from the outcome and the transactions will come If you bring value and expertise to the conversation, you will establish yourself as a trusted advisor Focus on helping people, and they will refer you to everyone they know Analogy of catching a cat - you'll never catch a cat if it knows you're in pursuit mode F.O.R.D. (Family, Occupation, Recreation, Dreams) questions are a great way to create connection and steer the conversation to real estate organically One of Garrett's favorite questions to ask is, What made you fall in love with this house? Then you ask what they might look for differently in their next home It's fun to talk about dream real estate Have genuine curiosity and embrace the real estate conversation You can initiate a conversation about real estate, but it needs to be about their life and their world Be curious about what's going on with them, bring value, help people If you approach it as a "Sales" conversation, a wall will go up quickly For new agents, asking people what made them buy their house opens up the conversation and helps you learn more about what draws certain people to certain properties without feeling "salesy" Have fun with it What you put on social media will inform the way people feel when they have real estate conversations with you in person If you're coming on too strong or salesy, they may not feel comfortable approaching you in real life Be mindful of the energy that you're bringing to the conversation and the context of your relationships with people Don't run away from real estate conversations - move toward them, ask questions, get intrigued Focus on helping people, sharing your expertise, and learning what's important to them as well This will help you build those relationships and become a trusted advisor Quotes: "I think that this is a really interesting dynamic that a lot of people get into, because they try to figure out, When is it okay to bring up real estate?" "Ninja attracts people who don't want to act salesy." "Some people may be uncomfortable talking about real estate because you don't have a good autoflow program going on." "You have to have other pieces built in your business that do the real estate talking for you. But the cool part is, if you're doing it right, people will bring it up for you. And that's what we want. We want people to make that connection with us." "Real estate always comes up." "Most of us are not going to develop a strong business by asking people if they could send people our way. That's also just not a good sales strategy. Quite frankly, I'd rather see people actually come up with really creative quality marketing programs, and go out and door-knock...versus just constantly asking people for business. Because you won't be able to talk to enough people. This is why you want to build relationships." "If your business is built on you asking for it... the minute you stop doing it, it turns off." "You are their expert. Be their expert." "There's this balance between you knowing you're an expert and having a conversation with somebody." "All of a sudden, you're not being salesy. You're not pushing real estate on anybody. They're not walking away going, Well, Matt got really aggressive when all of a sudden we brought up real estate." "The intention there is serving people with information, with value, with connection, whereas a lot of people might be looking at, But I'm trying to get business." "Make it your intention to serve them and bring value to them first, then the transactions will come." "You'll never catch a cat by being in pursuit mode of that cat." "The minute that person thinks that there's a game on here, they move away so quickly. And it kills the referrals, it kills that future business down the road." "Everybody's got something they fell in love with about their house. So if you want to kind of go down those areas, I find that that's very fun when you can dive into that." "I think you can lead in with real estate, but you need to lead in with real estate about their life and their world." "That's the biggest thing that I want people to understand, is that it is okay to talk about real estate. It is okay to go down these paths with people. You just don't want to go into it with the intention of trying to find business... But if it's genuine intrigue, genuine interest, I think you get away with a lot. And have some fun with it." "Don't be afraid to talk about real estate. Just don't put yourself in a 'Sales' situation because the 'Sales Wall' will go up. And it will go up fast. Just bring value, and help people, and embrace the real estate conversations." "The more you do it, I think the easier it gets, too." "If you ask somebody, What made you buy this house? That is not a sales question at all. It's an intrigue question." "This is why Ninja works so well for people - depending on your relationships, there's going to be different ways that you have conversations." "Do not run away from real estate conversations. In fact, run towards them." Links: www.TheNinjaSellingPodcast.com Email us at TSW@TheNinjaSellingPodcast.com Leave a voicemail at (208) MY-NINJA Ninja Selling www.NinjaSelling.com @ninjasellingofficial Ninja Coaching: www.NinjaCoaching.com @ninja.coaching Ninja Events www.NinjaSelling.com/Events Garrett garrett@ninjacoaching.com @ninjaredding Matt matt@ninjacoaching.com @matthewjbonelli The Ninja Selling Podcast Facebook Group