Real Deal REInvestor Network

Most people are familiar with P.T. Barnum’s circus, the “Greatest Show on Earth”.  He was called the “The Greatest Showman in the History of the Universe”.  However, the fact that Barnum was one of the richest men of his time and taught success principles is not as known.  Barnum’s, “Art of Money Getting”, is chock full of very relevant insight for any time.  He gives 20 “rules” that a “money-getter” must live by in order to be successful.  Barnum begins with noting the importance of mind set in being able to define, plan for, and then accomplish what one sets out to do.

 

Barnum noted “even though it easy to make money, it is much harder to keep it”.  Simply put, to make money, expend less than you earn.  Even though you might think this simple, he says, “perhaps more cases of failure arise from mistakes on this point than almost any other.”  People only think they understand the economy and they don’t.  “Economy is not meanness”, true economy is making income exceed the outgo.  Cutting corners in a miserly way, and then splurging on the frivolous will not make one a success.

 

“Forego consumerism for consumerism sake”, stated Barnum; live more simply, consume less.  Save pennies and dollars, accumulate interest, and save for a rainy day.  If you have more month than money, he suggests a ‘cure for extravagance’.  Barnum’s exercise will help assess spending habits, necessaries/comforts versus luxuries.  Let go of the need to keep up appearances, unnecessary to prove self-worth.  Vanity and envy lead to false standards of perfection, and just keeps one poor.

 

Barnum’s premises around making money, saving, and the economy rang so true.  Taking a look at what is going on world-wide with economic issues, debt, and consumerism, it is clear that sound principles, basic truths, of living/business have oft been discarded.   

 

Good health is wealth, according to Barnum.  He called it the foundation of success, the basis of happiness.  Being aware of the laws of nature, and staying close to them is key, as is avoiding alcohol and tobacco so as not to dull the mind and get in the way of clear business decisions.

 

Don’t mistake your vocation - be clear on what you are setting out to do, and then focus.  Select the right location, look at the competition, and avoid debt, as debt will rob you of your self-respect.  Debt means that your money works against you.  “Money is in some respects like fire; it is an excellent servant but a terrible master.”

 

The “rules” that Barnum set forth are certainly worth reviewing for one’s self-inventory.  Persevere; what ever you do, do it with all your might; depend upon your own personal exertions; use the best tools; don’t get above your business (borrowed money can be suicide); let your business be one of service and excellence; learn something useful; let hope predominate, but be not too visionary; be systematic; be versed in world affairs; diversify but don’t invest in that which you don’t know, or you’ll lose.

 

Barnum also said don’t endorse without security, or you’ll lose.  I’m aware of a number of investors who have lost millions during the recent real estate downturn as they hadn’t secured their loans, a tough lesson to learn, the hard way.   

 

Advertise your business, be polite and kind to your customers, be charitable, hold your business secrets close to the vest, and preserve your integrity, were other ‘rules’ Barnum espoused.  Although this might seem to be a list of the obvious; it is obvious, that it isn’t obvious. 

 

“The inordinate love of money is the “root of all evil”.  Money, when properly used, blesses, enabling expansion of the scope of human happiness and influence.  Wealth, requires responsibly, and using it as a friend to humanity, not to hoard or be greedy. 

 

The history of getting money is the history of civilization; and, whenever there was the right use of money there has been proliferation of art, higher learning, cultural and educational institutions, and science advancements.  The money-getters are the benefactors of our race.  Today, the pendulum appears to have swung too far one way and is painfully finding its way back to Barnum’s “true economy”.

 

Barnum’s work was inspiring and affirming, providing principles for success that never change.  Personally, I’ll be keeping a list of these rules in my business plan for periodic review.  Though always striving for excellence, it is essential to make sure it is built into the business plan, while holding employees, or joint venture partners, to these standards. His call for focus and immersion were strong as well, so necessary when building a business.    

 

P.T. Barnum’s wisdom and inspiration is strong, a must read for anyone who is in business, and seeking success.  When writing, or reviewing, your business plan or manifesto for living, inculcate the “rules” that Barnum so adeptly set forth.  Use them as a benchmark for your business, and life, and see where you might have strayed or failed to put some rule into place.  I certainly plan to do so.  To our continued success!

 

 

 

 

              At the time of the original writing; this book

              must have been on several Must Read book lists. 

              He gives the reader a different view of Mr. Barnum

              who was alleged to have said, there is a “sucker

              born every minute”.  In this overview he provides

              his perspective on making money; yet he discusses           

              several items generally overlooked in some

              business circles.  Good health and bad habits

              are but two of the twenty topics he covers. 

 

              The first part of the book; he covers understanding

              the economy, keeping up and plain common sense;

              in addition to; “Penny Wise and Pound Foolish,”

              and “Easy Come, Easy Go”.  The points made in this

              book are as valid today; as they were when first

              written.

 

               Today advertising is article marketing, social media,

               video marketing, and offline marketing, to name

               a few.  It is not just hanging a wooden sign over the

               door of your business.  Technology, business plans

               and financial documents have changed today’s

                business considerations; but not the concepts.

              What does this book want you to do or not do

               moving forward?

 

               DO NOT depend on your own personal exertions;

               when they are limited in a vocation like real

               estate investing.  Get a mentor and consume

               all the knowledge and information you can; to

                lesson or prevent unnecessary mistakes.

 

                What changes do you plan to make in your “Money

               Getting” pursuit; because of reading this book?

               DO NOT scatter your focus powers.  This, references

               previous training to select one or two fields to focus.

               I have already selected the areas in which to work;

               and this rule strengthens my decision.

 

               Why should others read this book?

               Reading this book reinforces the training you may

               have already received. This also provides an in

               depth overview of rules that a “Money-Getter”

               must abide by in order to be successful; but are

               often overlooked or ignored.

                  

               This is an easy read and should be on every

               entrepreneur’s Must Read list.  His concepts

               are sound and provide valuable insights.

              http://www.hisrealestatenetwork.com/userfiles/P_T_-Barnum-The-Art-of-Money-Getting-Free-Ebook.pdf

                                                 I QUIT  

      WOW! To give up or “Quit” wouldn’t be a word in my vocabulary at this point but I did think about it several times when things got hard or when I had a little too much on my plate. Back in fall of 2010, I actually thought of and was very close to calling it quits towards pursuing a degree in law. While thinking about it at the time, I still had about 5 years left to complete this goal while getting a dual Bachelors degree in legal studies and accounting, then off to law school. It’s not like school work was hard because I currently have a 3.5 GPA and on the dean’s list. I just kept telling myself why now because I’m in my early thirties and I can just re-focus on my career in real estate. I was actually contemplating on reactivating my real estate license and somehow learn to incorporate real estate investing into this picture. A friend of mine was a real estate agent in Arkansas that turned to real estate investing when the market change and the income she makes currently allowed me to ask myself at the time, “why complete my degree when I can focus on this career opportunity and make more money.”

I was feeding this to myself trying to find an excuse to stop taking my online classes because it’s time consuming. I called to talk to my counselor and informed him that fall 2010 will be my last semester because I have other items on my agenda. Well after an hour conversation and going back and forth, I informed him to hold off. The comment I made to my counselor was “let me think about it again before I make a final decision.” So for the last two weeks of the semester in December 2010, I wrote down all my pros and cons of continuing my educational journey.

The first thing I’ve learned is that whatever trials and tribulations I’m go through, I will never quit or give up without dedicating a 100 percent focus to complete whatever I start. Secondly, as an aspiring attorney, I can use real estate law in my business if I choose to go that route. It will be a plus once I get my law degree. Lastly, real estate investing can pay my way through law school because I will not accumulate over 200 thousand dollars in debt. Needless to say, after reviewing my educational goals again along with completing 2 years of schooling so far and verifying my pro and cons, I’ve decided to continue and pursue my ultimate goal of completing my educational journey but just take a semester off. In the end, I didn’t quit, just took a five month break from 12/18/2010 through 5/19/2011 to get refreshed.

 

Dara C

 

 

 

 

 

"As A Man Thinketh" ~ in review:
 
A poignant read, to say the very least.  I was moved, inspired, reminded, refreshed upon taking in the delicately thought-out expressions of James Allen.  This read has assisted my eyesight, adjusting it's view ... re-visioned to the man within.  The undying soul, I believe, was his reference.   

Eternal beings we are.  The state of our being, both present & future, is in direct relation to the state of our mind.  "As a man thinketh, so is he."  

Whatsoever it is that we desire, in our minds we contrive & inspire, therefore & therefrom we derive the manifestation of our existence.  Again, both present & future.

I have been fortunate, in my path of life, that I have consistently had someone in my life that assisted my learning this truth.  Mom, Sis, 2nd-Mom (elder  Cousin), God-Mother, God-Sister, Grandmom, adopted 2nd-Grandmother, adopted Great Grandmother, adopted 2nd-Father (Pastor). Then there have also been a few friends that could be noted as well.  My point would be that it is extremely important to be attentive to whom you surround yourself with.  

Just as there have been those that served to instill or reinforce this truth in my life, there have been an innumerable amount of individuals that have served to steal this truth by  imposing their personal lack of understanding.  As I am sure has been all our experience on some level.

This read has added to my strength.  Assisted the fortification of my soul.  As I traveled my path I became wounded severely at a particular point.  I retreated, as was the natural course, for the purpose of healing.  I have recently come forth again from my 'cave' of safety.  And have been brought into allegiance with a group of men & women that are as an hedge of angels about me.  I am blessed.  And will share this book with many.

~TXC

Tom XC Harris
Millionaire in Training
MMMChallenge.com 

P.S.  My favorite passage from the text:    
~ in the beautiful words of Stanton Kirkham Davis, "You may be keeping accounts, and presently you shall walk out of the door that for so long has seemed to you the barrier of your ideals, and shall find yourself before and audience---the pen still behind your ear, the ink stains on your fingers and then and there shall pour out the torrent of your inspiration.  You may be driving sheep, and you shall wander to the city-bucolic and open-mouthed; shall wander under the intrepid guidance of the spirit into the studio of the master, and after a time he shall say, 'I have nothing more to teach you.'  And now you have become the master, who did so recently dream of great things while driving sheep.  You shall lay down the saw and the plane to take upon yourself the regeneration of the world."

Get your copy of this ebook here:
http://hisrealestatenetwork.com/James-Allen-As-A-Man-Thinketh%20Free%20Ebook.pdf 

"As a Man Thinketh" ~ in review:
 
A poignant read, to say the very least.  I was moved, inspired, reminded, refreshed upon taking in the delicately thought-out expressions of James Allen.  This read has assisted my eyesight, adjusting it's view ... re-visioned to the man within.  The undying soul, I believe, was his reference.   

Eternal beings we are.  The state of our being, both present & future, is in direct relation to the state of our mind.  "As a man thinketh, so is he."  

Whatsoever it is that we desire, in our minds we contrive & inspire, therefore & therefrom we derive the manifestation of our existence.  Again, both present & future.

I have been fortunate, in my path of life, that I have consistently had someone in my life that assisted my learning this truth.  Mom, Sis, 2nd-Mom (elder  Cousin), God-Mother, God-Sister, Grandmom, adopted 2nd-Grandmother, adopted Great Grandmother, adopted 2nd-Father (Pastor). Then there have also been a few friends that could be noted as well.  My point would be that it is extremely important to be attentive to whom you surround yourself with.  

Just as there have been those that served to instill or reinforce this truth in my life, there have been an innumerable amount of individuals that have served to steal this truth by  imposing their personal lack of understanding.  As I am sure has been all our experience on some level.

This read has added to my strength.  Assisted the fortification of my soul.  As I traveled my path I became wounded severely at a particular point.  I retreated, as was the natural course, for the purpose of healing.  I have recently come forth again from my 'cave' of safety.  And have been brought into allegiance with a group of men & women that are as an hedge of angels about me.  I am blessed.  And will share this book with many.

~TXC

Tom XC Harris
Millionaire in Training
MMMChallenge.com 

P.S.  My favorite passage from the text:    
~ in the beautiful words of Stanton Kirkham Davis, "You may be keeping accounts, and presently you shall walk out of the door that for so long has seemed to you the barrier of your ideals, and shall find yourself before and audience---the pen still behind your ear, the ink stains on your fingers and then and there shall pour out the torrent of your inspiration.  You may be driving sheep, and you shall wander to the city-bucolic and open-mouthed; shall wander under the intrepid guidance of the spirit into the studio of the master, and after a time he shall say, 'I have nothing more to teach you.'  And now you have become the master, who did so recently dream of great things while driving sheep.  You shall lay down the saw and the plane to take upon yourself the regeneration of the world."

James Allen so many years ago wrote As a Man Thinketh.  I met this book sometime in the 70’s.  I say met, because it is like an old friend and I continually revisit the wisdom that is so aptly unfolded in this book.  Even better, I do my best to monitor my thought process on a daily basis and take a daily inventory so that I can self-correct when necessary.  I am the KEY to what I will be! “A man is literally what he thinks, his character being the complete sum of all his thoughts.”  Do you own your thoughts?

 

“Mind is the Master-power that moulds and makes,

And Man is Mind, and evermore he takes

The tool of Thought, and, shaping what he wills,

Brings forth a thousand joys, a thousand ills: --

He thinks in secret, and it comes to pass:

Environment is but his looking-glass.”

 

Everyone has a family of thought people that live on the streets of their mind.  Personally exploring these individualistic aspects is a worthy undertaking.  These characters have been developing since birth.  There is actually a neurological correspondence to thoughts.  For instance, as an example, when the thought ‘not good enough’ crosses the mind repeatedly, the neurological synapses are quick to fire and reinforce that thinking.  Hence, without even being aware of it, this theme, ‘not good enough’, plays out in one’s life and can undermine many a great opportunity and self satisfaction.  We can become our own self-saboteurs.

 

Now, a young child doesn’t come up with a ‘not good enough’ message in and of his/her own.  That message must be heard and perceived often to stick, become ingrained, and become one of the thought people that will rule life.  Or, one very strong and emotionally laden piece of input could accomplish the same thing.  The subconscious, or unconscious, mind doesn’t discriminate what it hears.  It will merely hold the thoughts, like a file cabinet, that the thought family have come to own over time.  Have you heard, “change your thinking, change your life” before? Could we have a choice in this?

 

We are given ‘free will’ to choose.  So, when utilizing our authority to choose our thoughts, are we choosing the hi-road or the low-road that exists in this dualistic world?  When we take the time to reflect on outer experiences, it gives us major clues about our inner workings.  Wats up, thought people?! “So within; so without.”  Taking a look at what’s working and that which doesn’t appear to be working, allows us to do some self-reflection.  And, choose again if we don’t like what we see.

 

The first step is to become conscious of what we are thinking.  Yikes!  Our thoughts are prayers!  Thoughts held in mind produce after kind.  So those appearances that we don’t like are there to help guide us to where we want to be.  I know that God has a higher plan for me, and for all, so I can readily say, see past appearances and know that God is in charge in the Absolute.  When our thoughts cause us to run away from the Truth, and life becomes uncomfortable, it is often in the pain that our thoughts self correct and return Home.  There is always a divine point of grace at play.

 

Changing those thought people takes conscious effort.  Affirmations are powerful tools to use in shifting thoughts.  First quietly deny that which no longer serves you.  Then, use affirmations that are written as though they are already present- done - manifested, and repeat them with an emotional intensity that says I own this now!  It takes time for those neurotransmitters to shift the synaptic charge.  Or, there also exists what I call “spiritual 2X4s” that come along in life and smack us in the head. How many plagues will Pharaoh have to bring down upon us before we soften our hardened hearts and are set free, referring to a Biblical reference.   Moses said, “Let my people go!”  Major events can more readily and quickly shift the thought process.  And, there is also the possibility that one major event, such as a near death experience, can totally change the construct that we operate under. 

 

I believe we are called to collectively take the higher-road.  And, one way or the other, we get there.  One way can potentially be much more painful.  We are all capable of the most heinous crime, and we are all capable of the most saintly service.  I choose the high-road, and there but for the grace of God go I.

 

I am consistently using positive mind-conditioning affirmations, trust the process and know that God is in charge.  I choose Miracle-Gro to fertilize the garden of my Mind.  I am experiencing miracles everyday, in every way!  All life experiences have brought me to where and who I am today.  All the rumbles and stumbles of my thought family have been my teachers and guides.  My soul has attracted to me that which is mine to learn.  I have erred and forgiven and chose to do over in a higher way.  I give thanks for all the thought family, all experiences, yet choose to let negative imprints go.  I choose to be Free!  Free at last!  This is my daily affirmation!

 

Here’s looking at you!  Here’s looking at me!  We are but reflections of one another.

 

Read or download/print this book here: http://hisrealestatenetwork.com/James-Allen-As-A-Man-Thinketh%20Free%20Ebook.pdf

James Allen’s As A Man Thinketh really is a must read.  He does an excellent job expounding on the power and importance of our thoughts.  For anyone doubting their importance, he states in the beginning that, “A man is literally what he thinks, his character being the complete sum of all his thoughts.”  If that doesn’t make you stop and do some reflecting, I don’t know what will.

I enjoyed the illustrations that he gives throughout the book.  In one of them, he likens the mind to a garden, which we can either pay little attention to and allow the weeds to take over or diligently work in to produce the highest yield possible of the desired crop. He reminds the reader that, “Every thought-seed sown or allowed to fall into the mind, and to take root there, produces its own, blossoming sooner or later into act, and bearing its own fruitage of opportunity and circumstance. Good thoughts bear good fruit, bad thoughts bad fruit.”

This reminded me of a lesson I learned in Vacation Bible School as a child.  The lesson was simple and has stuck with me ever since: “Garbage in. Garbage out.”  What we allow into our minds is what will come out in our lives.  Thoughts do not stay thoughts for long.  They quickly turn into actions, which quickly turn into habits, which quickly turn into character, which determines our destinies.  

“The outer conditions of a person's life will always be found to be harmoniously related to his inner state. This does not mean that a man's circumstances at any given time are an indication of his entire character, but that those circumstances are so intimately connected with some vital thought-element within himself that, for the time being, they are indispensable to his development.” – James Allen

Take a look around you.  Do you like your life?  Either way, your thoughts had a big part in creating it.  If you’re not happy with the world you’ve created for yourself, it’s not too late, you can change it.  It all starts with your thoughts.   You and I have the level of success that we have today as a direct result of our thoughts.  If we want our level of accomplishments and results to grow, then we must change the way we think.

It’s amazing how simple this principle is – change your life by changing your thoughts.  It almost seems too simple really.  So many people race right past it in search of something more profound.  I know I have.  Not anymore.  Every change that I want to see in my life has to start in my thoughts.

Just because a principle is simple, doesn’t mean it’s easy.  Changing your life by changing your thoughts is a lot like exercise as the author points out.  “As the physically weak man can make himself strong by careful and patient training, so the man of weak thoughts can make them strong by exercising himself in right thinking.”  I don’t know about you, but exercising is not always fun.  You don’t always feel like doing it.  That’s why it’s a good idea to “exercise” with a partner—to have someone there to hold you accountable and to push you to go further than you would on your own.

I'll leave you with this final thought from the book, “ALL that a man achieves and all that he fails to achieve is the direct result of his own thoughts.”  Now go download the book and read it before they decide to take it down.  It's FREE, and I promised you won't be disappointed!

Read or download/print this book here:
http://hisrealestatenetwork.com/James-Allen-As-A-Man-Thinketh%20Free%20Ebook.pdf

Submitting this on behalf of Mark Macauley who had technical issues and emailed his blog before the deadline. 

MMM CHALLENGE 2 
WHY MARK MACAULEY WILL PARTNER WITH :

I HAVE BEEN IN THIS BUSINESS A SHORT TIME ,THE LAST 5 YEARS HAVE BEEN INTERESTING AND QUITE THE TALE OF UPS AND SPEED BUMPS.
I LIVE ON THE WEST COAST,WASHINGTON STATE WITH MY WIFE AND 3 CHILDREN AGES 8,9,10.
WHEN STARTING THIS JOURNEY I KNEW THAT I WOULD NEED SOME HELP TO DISCOVER WHAT AVENUES OF REAL ESTATE TO TAKE 1ST.
I DID WHAT A LOT OF PEOPLE DID IN STARTING OUT ,BY GETTING SOME COURSES GOING TO SEMINARS AND LISTENING TO WEBINARS AND TRYING TO DECIPHER WHO WAS GOING TO LEAD THE CHARGE FOR ME !!
WELL I FOUND OUT THAT THE ONLY CHARGE STARTING OUT WAS A CHARGE CARD!!
MANY OF STUDY DAYS AND NIGHTS THAT LED TO GREAT READING BUT NOT A STARTING POINT.
I FINALLY NEEDED THAT OTHER COMPONENT,A MENTOR/MENTORS.
I WENT TO A SEMINAR AND MET A GREAT COUPLE WHO WERE DOING SHORTSALES AT THAT TIME AND HAD A GOOD SYSTEM IN PLACE.
THEY HAD NOT TAKEN ON ANY STUDENTS OR OTHERS BECAUSE THIS WAS THEIR BUSINESS AND NOT SURE THEY WOULD HAVE THE TIME TO DEDICATE TO ANOTHERS BUSINESS. AFTER SPEAKING WITH WE CONTINUED TO TALK FOR ABOUT A WEEK THEN I DECIDED TO GO TO THERE OFFICE (WE LIVE IN DIFFERENT STATES) AND SEE IF WE COULD HAVE A MEETING AND WORK SOMETHING OUT. AFTER INTERVIEWING WITH THEM BOTH ,I WAS STARTED AND HOOKED.
I BROUGHT THE DEALS ,TALKED AND DEALT WITH THE HOMEOWNERS AND THEY DID ALL THE NEGOTIATING WITH THE LENDERS.
AFTER A WHILE I WENT OUT ON MY OWN WHICH HAS HAD UPS AND DOWNS FOR SURE. IT WAS ALL CHALLENGING BUT COMPLETELY EXCITING.
I WANT TO KNOW MORE 
I HAVE A BURNING DESIRE TO LEARN
I HAVE GUMPTION TO ASK QUESTIONS AND LEARN
I HAVE A CHILD LIKE FASCINATION AND WAY ABOUT ME
I HAVE A PASSION ABOUT LIFE AND WHY PEOPLE DO THINGS
I AM AN ASSET
I AM AMBITIOUS
AND I AM COACHABLE

THAT IS WHY MARK WILL BE ONE OF THE SELECTED
I LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING WITH AND TALKING TO a lot OF YOU AND MOVING FORWARD WITH THE ADVENTURE.
SEND ME A MESSAGE
I'M FREINDLY:)
SEE
GOOD LUCK TO YOU ALL AND HOPE TO TALK SOON
RESPECTFULLY

MARK MACAULEY
425-346-0728
WASHINGTON STATE

Spent some time reflecting recently on the energizing and amazing 3 ½-days Rainmaker Summit and 1-day Global Ambassador Program presented a couple of weeks ago by Bill Walsh’s Powerteam International.  The days were long but well worth every minute.  The group of entrepreneurial business owners participating was of high caliber.  The presenters and coaches were tops!  This was a personal and business development educational event that also built community and great connections.  When you find yourself in the midst of excellence it is good to share a bit about the experience.  Since you couldn’t make it… I’m highlighting portions of the event for your consideration.

 

Many readers may have experienced similar events, but many may not have attended such a personal and business development coaching session.  This kind of training should be a life-long occurrence; it serves the seasoned as well as the new entrepreneur.  Just being appraised of what was presented may serve as a benchmark of your awareness of the tried and true as well as of current trends.

 

The focus was on unlocking your passion and becoming inspired about your true personal and business ‘vision’.  Clarifying your ‘vision’ and then your ‘why’ begins the process of empowerment which ignites the power to pull you to your biggest goals, living your dreams.  The ‘why’ is always what keeps you motivated when the temptation is to quit.  If you haven’t identified your vision, your core foundation for being, it is essential to do so.  Taking the time to really discern your ‘vision, why, passion’, will make such a difference in all that you do in life.  Those currently participating in the MMM Challenge application process with the Real Deal Community are being asked to look at this very issue.  If you have already built your current business with a clear vision and why, it might be a good time to take stock and see if you are really on track.  Are you congruent with what you say and believe versus what you do?

 

Another key focus of the event was on having solid business plans and systems.  Planning must include the systems that will help to keep you moving forward consistently.  Systems are critical to a thriving business.  For example, the McDonald’s system is instrumental in its international success.  Success or failure often hinges on the quality of systems that have been put into place, or lack thereof.  Systems serve to make your processes repeatable at the same level of quality time after time.  Small business owners, like so many of those in real estate investing, often have to do all aspects of the business themselves.  This solo operation may lead to inefficient systems which can make the business cumbersome and sluggish.  It really takes a team!  Real estate investing is a business and you should be looking at your venture as such.  Realizing early on that you are starting a business that requires planning, development, and the implementation of effective, supportive systems, can help you avoid serious and expensive mistakes down the road.  Many investors that I have run into don’t really view investing as a business and often think that it suffices to just go buy a house and flip it.  And, for some that works, for awhile.  Now there are lots of gurus out there that say they have the ‘magic bullet’ for a winning system.  One pops up about every other week; they take turns.  Once you know you have the need for systems, or need to update yours, be sure to do your due diligence about which system you build, use or buy.  Thinking though your business model is crucial to supporting your success.

 

And, here it was again.  Every time I turn around (not only at Rainmaker), a consistently repeated part of the product development and marketing plan that seems to be getting extra emphasis is value, value and more added value.  Value has always been part of the business proposition but ‘value’ is truly becoming a key way of distinguishing yourself from the pack, from all the clutter out there.  Sometimes the added value is a small thing but can make an impression that keeps bringing the customer back, and referring others.   What are you doing to make yourself memorable?  How do you differentiate your business? Would your customers refer you to their family and friends? Why?

 

It is important to keep your train on the track once you start the journey.  Given that you clarified the vision of where you are going and why, and developed your plan and systems, it is necessary to measure your results so that corrections can be made that further your business success.  Since there are only 86,400 seconds in a day, time organization and accountability really assist you in staying on track.  Is this aspect covered in your business plan and systems?  Staying focused and on target will make a significant difference as you build, maintain or grow your business.  Master mind groups, accountability partners, as well systems benchmarks/metrics, can all help you stay on track.  If you aren’t using a great time management system, then it is time to decide which vehicle will be one that you can work with effectively.  Then use it religiously!

 

Do you have a brand?  Once you know who you are as a business, and what you are offering, be it wholesale products, commercial JVs, short sales, notes buying, tax liens, or any range of those products/services, it is so very important to build your brand.  You guessed it, differentiate yourself from others, or join your competition and work together as affiliates who help one another grow their related businesses.  Having a brand isn’t enough.  You must advertise that brand.  Online and offline presence is essential.  Your  social media brand will need to be promoted.  Syndication is one way to connect your activity throughout the social media world and drive traffic to your website or Word Press blog.  If you are using Word Press as your interactive website, you probably won’t need an informational and/or store website. And now, Face Book is moving to the use of the ‘i-frame’ that will allow you to move your website on to your Fan Page.  Be sure you have a clear brand and a unique selling proposition.  If you aren’t sure how to do that, there are many who excel in that service who would be more than ready to serve you.  Then again, you can take the time to research and study branding and then review-copy-alter the best of the best concepts that you find online and in other publications. 

 

Offline marketing has years of proven strategies and tactics, though some of those are shifting with the move toward online marketing. Sheila Stewart, an executive business coach with a proven track record and years of experience in marketing and advertising, provided a plethora of ideas about marketing strategy, advertising and sales.  It was clear that the integration of offline, online, and mobile ways of finding, and then meeting and exceeding customer needs, should be the integrated thrust for today’s business marketing.  Have you identified your strategies in this arena?  There are many pieces to fit together but the sooner you start to understand the pieces, how they fit together, and how they serve you, the better off you will be.  Finding virtual assistants (VA) to help put some of these tactics into place can be fairly inexpensive.  However, it sure helps to have a basic understanding of what is happening with online and mobile marketing in order to hire and manage your VA’s effectively.  And, be sure to have a seamless approach that integrates the best marketing strategies and methods to serve your targeted market segment(s).

 

 Austin William Walsh, a 19 year old entrepreneur with his own business since age 16, covered the role of Face Book in social media and how one must truly understand the sales funnel, how to drive traffic, and how to utilize social media as a part of that funnel.  Social media is continually evolving as we see with Face Book out-pacing Google.  Overall, there was a substantial focus on building and using Face Book Fan Pages for business, and how to build and monetize your brand.  Probably an understatement, but doing business online will be essential in the near future, if it’s not already, especially in real estate endeavors.  If social media is an area that you aren’t utilizing or just starting to look at, it is definitely worth your time to familiarize yourself with the dynamics of this marketing medium and make it a part of your business plan. 

 

There is definitely a major trend toward the use of short videos in all online presence.  Get your flip-cam and start to explore how to use and edit.  Videos are already beating out ‘text’ advertising.  A new emerging company, MOJO, headed by Ira Rosen out of Scottsdale, is positioned to capture the mobile market through the use of video that can readily be dropped directly into the text message being sent out to the mobile world of i-Pads, Droids, Blackberry’s, etc.  MOJO knows that video email utilization, currently not on the market, will only grow and provide business owners the capacity to have direct access to existing and potential customers.  This mode of direct customer contact will result in a higher percentage of text messages opened due to the embedded videos.  Video has a much higher capture rate than text.  The industry is definitely moving toward mobile strategies.  Soon we’ll all be making our own 30 second spots and connecting directly with the world!

 

One other note of interest about MOJO was my conversation with the principal, Ira Goldman.  He is an older entrepreneur who told me he didn’t even know how to use the computer three years ago.  Ira connected with a young man in his twenties, Cory Sanchez, who had a technical background and a great idea.  This connection led Ira and Cory to building a primarily ‘twenty-something’ staff to support a million dollar idea.  Ira and Cory were definitely on fire about the video product they are bringing to the market.  The real point to share here is that there is a great need and value to pair skills and wisdom regardless of age.  If you think you can’t jump into the online world, then you are right.  You can’t.  If you take action, pursue ongoing education, connect with the right partners, VA’s, etc., then YOU CAN!  I am a firm believer that you can learn new things if you are open to it.  It is a right, privilege and choice to learn new things; it is a choice to stay open to possibility.  Who of you are holding the next greatest idea, invention or service?  Are you open to the realm of possibility of pursuing joint ventures that are collaborative and mutually supportive?  Can you be an old dog that can learn new tricks?  Can you be a young buck open to the wisdom and experience of those older than you?  Merge the best of both worlds and see what you can come up with that will serve the planet in new ways.

 

Speaking of blending ages in business, as a result of this Summit I now have a new master mind partner who is in middle school.  He attended the entire event, sat taking notes on his laptop and already has a business building personalized backgrounds for Face Book Fan Pages, LinkedIN, Twitter and YouTube.  Got to love the spirit!  He will definitely provide great insight into anything that I am working on, and it will be easy to support his entrepreneurial ventures.  As a former teacher, a Dean of a middle school, and a professor, I must say I was impressed.  And, as for college student and entrepreneur Austin Walsh, whom I mentioned earlier, he already makes a six-figure income and speaks internationally.  He noted that when he is goes to a party, which he loves, he is busy looking around the room to see how he might, from a positive perspective, monetize the situation.  Austin is acutely tuned into cause marketing as well and really comes from his heart in his dealings with people.  How many of you are thinking that way?  How many of you are taking action?   I absolutely love to see resourceful young people who are not totally programmed for the ‘moo-baa’ herd mentality of life.  Are you involving your children, nephews and nieces, in your business in real ways?  Do they have a sense of all that goes into your business?  Have they participated in some way?  Do they get to see you win?  Fail?  Do you encourage their entrepreneurial spirit?

 

As a side-note away from the Summit, while on the topic of role modeling for and encouraging entrepreneurial spirit in youth, I’ll share how one of my accountability partners involves his ten year old daughter. This investor does a hearty business with gut rehabs and buy and holds.  His daughter goes along when he goes to work on houses and gets to see what happens to ‘ugly houses’ that eventually transform into ‘desirable’ housing.  She has helped to sweep and knock away cobwebs, helping her dad in small ways.  She also comes along to our accountability meetings and does her homework, but still is exposed to the process of our group holding each other accountable.  She even saved her own money to buy her first laptop computer.  She’s not being rushed into overly mature ways of being, but is learning about business, work ethic, the value of money and her dad’s role as a businessman.  I daresay she will be prepared to take on life as a successful entrepreneur at an early age if that is her choice.  It is my hope that you are modeling entrepreneurial behavior for any young person in your life. 

 

Ross Goldberg, an SEO expert and author, also presented his perspective on creating web-based traffic.  He supported the use of content based links as a viable way to increase your website ranking despite other alleged guru’s suggesting other methods were now more effective.  Ross noted a number of tactics useful to drive traffic to your website, including:  social media marketing, Digg and other similar sites, RSS feeds, blogs/directories, videos, press releases, article and e-book marketing, squeeze pages, affiliate marketing, and web directories links. Don’t know what all of those tactics entail? Check the web and start to understand the pieces and which will work for you.  No matter what the marketing presenter’s background throughout the event, the point of commonality was their emphasis on how to achieve effective online marketing.  Do you think that you might want to pay attention to this aspect of your business?  Yes, or yes?!

 

The topic of Google AdWords was presented by Perry Marshall, Internet entrepreneur and the most quoted authority in the world on the subject of Google AdWords and pay-per-click advertising.  Perry shared information on how to increase your click through rate and reduce the cost of your advertising budget on Google.  He also offered split testing techniques.  Entrepreneur Scott Rewick, the One Hundred Million Dollar Man, continued the internet discussion sharing his many year’s of wisdom on low-cost media buying strategies that attract new customers.  All the presenters were great and filled their presentations with lots of useful content.  It is good to learn from those who have been very successfully involved in the industry for years. 

 

And, not to leave out real estate, Marco Koslowski, shared his Luxury Home Sales program.  He deals with properties $700,000 and higher.  Interestingly enough most of these homes that are currently being auctioned off are going to international buyers.  America is on sale!  Marco is such a positive and animated presenter who is the embodiment of a rags to riches story, now owning eleven different business and ready to launch a new clothing line.  Marco persisted with hard work, failing before winning, and developing systems and fine tuning them, all recurrent themes for those who eventually make it to the top.  There isn’t an overnight get rich quick elixir.  You have to get involved, get your hands dirty and your mind fired up, and just do it!          

 

No way have I touched on all the topics covered and the incredible team of presenters at the Rainmaker Summit.  Topics such as asset protection, building business credit, and more, was also covered.  The long weekend’s value for me was ‘priceless’.  The networking and connections alone were worth the time.  In order to keep your self fresh, on top of trends, aware of new methods of doing business, refreshing that which you already know, and further challenging yourself to grow, invest in yourself.  Attending such an event has the potential to open your creative juices, unwrap your potential, create new partnerships, and help you get un-stuck if that is your situation. 

 

I invite you to identify a seminar or workshop, such as the Rainmaker Summit, that you feel is worthy of your time and funding and go for it.  It’s time to enrich your self to richness!  Since you weren’t there, I hope that you have gleaned a snap shot of what I consider quality continuing education, an invitation to the ongoing process of achieving personal growth and greatness.  See your ‘vision’.  Support it with your ‘why’.  Build your plan and systems.  Be accountable.  And, passionately take action KNOWING you can do it! YOU CAN!  Now go do it!