Article-OKCMAR Magazine

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Article-OKCMAR Magazine

Magazine, OKCMAR, May 2011

Media? Why me? I can sum this up with one question….WHAT ever happened to face to face? This is Oklahoma. Look someone in the eye, tell em’ what you will do, shake their hand and (to borrow a phrase) “Git R Done”. Yes, I can text, email, and tweet but I don’t like it so much. Let’s face it; things go much faster with these tools than driving across town to meet someone or trying to catch them on the old telephone. The art of communication has certainly changed and oftentimes clearly for the better. However, I wonder about the absence of facial expressions or body language that could have helped to identify or determine the person’s actual reaction to the message. Wow! If by chance you are one of those persons with a blunt, direct or straight to the point personality you may wonder what the recipient is thinking about the message they just received from you. What you think you said, and what they think you said, can sometimes be quite different. These are complicated issues. Or are they? Many times in our daily routine we read and answer email messages and find that a response we wanted right away is just not there. However, by utilizing text we usually get an immediate response. Don’t call me and don’t leave a message--text only please! Prompt, direct and straight to the point. Therefore, the essence of everyone’s time is respected. I spoke (face to face) with a mortgage friend today who reminded me just how important it is to provide undivided attention to our customers regardless of the method of communication we use. Giving our undivided attention and practicing strong listening skills are equally important in building successful relationships. A Realtor friend commented that what we are doing is building a recipe for each individual we are working with. We all have our preferred methods of corresponding with one another. I asked a friend if they did something unique to communicate with their customers and they responded that “they actually returned their calls, texts and emails”. What a unique concept. I like the idea that we are treating each other and our customers of course, like individuals and that we are sincerely and purposely trying to accommodate each others needs. Being face to face with our customers, clients and fellow Realtors is still a very important part of our daily business and I’m sure it will remain that way for a long time to come. Let’s face this, methods of communications have made a drastic change, but lets’ not let it change the value of a personal handshake and a sincere smile. See you on Facebook, Blessings Steve

Article: OKCMAR Magazine

The past. We draw good information, knowledge and irreplaceable experience from the past. We can and often and do live too much in the past. Don’t take it lightly it’s an important part of who we are and often where we are in our lives are based on it. So let us discuss the now or even the future. Aren’t you just exhausted about hearing what happened in the good old days? When were the Good Old Days anyway and if they were so good why didn’t we just stay there….where ever there was. When we discuss Real Estate this year let us make an effort to discuss the future. You know, today and tomorrow or even next month or next year. Please don’t waste your time or a Buyer and Sellers time in a place that has passed. There are plenty of good subjects for FUTURE discussion. Interest rates for example, discussing the past rates certainly isn’t going to lower the rates or keep them and at an all time low. Fact is rates could change from one hour to the next. Gosh I remember back in the 80’s…..Hold it. There I go. You see how easy it is to reference everything in the past. Doesn’t benefit anyone. So what do you expect the New Year to bring? Fewer Buyers more Sellers than the market needs, higher interest rates, and higher credit score requirements, home prices flat or, let’s see what other horrible things could come from the past to confuse the issue? The past it’s hard to get away from. Seriously we should arm ourselves with all the future knowledge our arsenal will hold. No one has the magical crystal ball and not even the Wizard of Oz. All the politicians, financial experts and Real Estate experts in the world can not predict the future. They can be optimistic or pessimistic or like many they can ride the fence. By the way you can do the same. OR we can focus on the positive opportunities that are all around us and pass that information on to everyone we meet. The great thing about the future is we hold the key. Some say we control our own destiny. To a certain extent I believe that to be true. So today we might want to consider setting some goals. II know you would rather take a beating, but this could be a good thing. And oh by the way….any of those things that worked for you in the past…..keep doing them. Blessings Steve Mann