Won't you please borrow my ear?

As I prepare for a remarkable 2007, I commit to lending you an ear or eye as may be appropriate.

I’m pretty certain in most of my endeavors that I am right. My ideas, my plan of action, goals and other matters are perfectly clear to me. And of course these ideas, actions and goals are the RIGHT choices.

Oh, pardon me; is my foot on your disagreeing face uncomfortable? I didn’t notice.

NOT part of the plan for the future. Sure, I’m going to be pretty clear about what I am doing and what I perceive to be right. (I am genetically arrogant) But, my policy will not be one of assuming that if I ignore your disagreeing face, you will go away. My policy has no place for the intentional bad manners of closing people out or ignoring them as if they didn’t exist. If you catch me at the Supermarket while in a hypnotic shopping haze, please know it is not intentional.

Because, I know that you can see behind me better than I can. I may not apply your opinion or advice, but I recognize the value you offer when you make the effort to let me know what you see.

Because, I know there are no new ideas. You or someone you know has been down this path before. The things you have learned are of value to me when weighing my decisions. I once read that the best way to cross a mine field was to follow someone. Ignoring you to defend my idea turf as if I were the last to receive revelation would be just plain stupid.

Because exchange is a two way street. Just as you have valuable insights to share with me, I need to have your open ear, open eyes and open heart when I have something to contribute. What goes ‘round, comes ‘round.

Your presence in my world is part of my plan for a remarkable 2007.

Make Rain -- Weave a Tapestry

I have almost 20 years of real estate experience. I have held licenses in two states and provided consulting and administrative support to licensees. ActiveRain is a pro-active real estate community which is relatively new on the scene, but which has attracted a large number of vital people who are either actively marketing real estate or providing complementary or supportive services to the field of marketing property.

Active discussions continue daily about the benefits of blogging and building an e-network. When you leave posts in your blog and send them out on the feeds, you are building an ‘e-network’, getting a picture of how to do it BETTER, MORE, at OTHER PLACES until you have woven a mesh that touches more and more people. People with whom you can work to accomplish the mission of your niche, be it real estate marketing, services which bolster real estate marketing such as insurance, mortgages, closing, services which buttress the marketing program such as advertising, assistants and staff. Every resource that you can use to add to the weave of your community and connections helps you become more and more skilled at expression and at working with the people you e-know to build your business.

Caleb Mardini, Active Rain Staff, wrote eloquently about the weaving in Are you making rain? which reminded me of a note I received today about an article written by Peter D. Weddle. In the article, Weddle rethinks a term he uses – e-networking. Formerly, he thought of the exercise as electronic networking as compared to face time with other people. Now, he’s thinking of the activity as being so essential to anyone business, regardless of the field, that he renames the term “employment networking”.

As Caleb mentions, we have the option to be the one pursued by competition or the one left in the dust of invisibility by more assertive competition. There are many loss facets to this dusty prospect. Loss of listing opportunities, loss of buyer/lead contact, loss of opportunity to share something that we have solved and being of connecting assistance to someone else, loss of opportunity to learn from others.

We can take advantage of the chance ActiveRain gives us to turn those loss statements around to gain. Listing opportunities, buyer/lead contact, sharing experience to the betterment of the field, learning from the experiences of associates. And add relationships with fellow professionals, clients and customers.

When you build blogs, join blogging communities that feature your field of endeavor, such as real estate, you are ready to blog and weave, blog and weave, blog and weave your statement into a beautiful, professional tapestry of business.

Be Remarkable in 2007 - Dump the Soap Opera Secrets

Step up to the plate and be honest with your associates. “Don’t tell her, but.” Or “This is just between you, me and the doorpost.” undermines your team like nothing else you can think of.

Sure, there may be some trade secrets that you don’t just publish everywhere, but this is about dirty, soap opera politics that have people walking on eggs, full of distrust. No one works well when expecting to be shoved under the bus at any moment. If one has been shoved in my presence, my quality of work is going to suffer while waiting for it to happen to me.
If you work alone in your office, you will still have dealings with colleagues. Your reputation for sunshine will stand up well in your plans for a successful 2007 and on.

Get on the EARLY track for a Remarkable 2007

Begin early when you aren’t so pressured by the beginning of a new year and all of the business ramifications that go with it. By the pressures of Holiday celebrations and stress, end of the ear work, seasonal health issues including light deprivation.

Identify three things (or more) that you want your business to do in 2007. Write these things down for they are your GOALS during the next year.

Look them over. There is one that needs to be done before the others; then a next one that needs to be done before the very last. Prioritize your list and choose which you know will benefit your business if it is accomplished first. (If you don’t have an eraser, scratch through changes and write AGAIN)

LIST your resources – yes you do have resources available that can be applied early-on to your goals. Recognizing these resources is your next line of action.

• Raw data from past business
• Accounts or memberships for services and tools
• Historical information about your business and/or field
• Reference resources that focus on your field (trade papers, magazines, trade case histories, trade directories)
• Staff (How many people will be available and how much of their time will be available for work on new ideas or projects?)
• Who do you know who has information that will help? How do you get up your nerve to ask them?
  

What might be roadblocks to your efficiency and success? Establishing a plan to eliminate or work around roadblocks before you encounter them is a useful exercise.

• Faulty or inadequate physical location or office structure
• Inadequate equipment
• Inadequate staff
• Competition
  

These are a few ideas that you can expand upon for your plan to have a REMARKABLE 2007.

Get started early and succeed on time.

Keep on Keeping on

We were tablemates at a banquet a couple weeks ago with a sensational couple in their 80s. They have had a small farm for many years, but just this year sold the last of their cows, each of which was a pet.

They were very articulate and interesting. But, what intrigued and encouraged me the most was when they shared that they REALLY enjoy playing FREECELL and they are working their way through the games. They are up into over 78000 wins!

Now, I play FREECELL and Spider Solitaire because it really helps me center. When things get hectic or I've finished a hard project and need a break before moving on, I 'treat' me to a puzzle. But, I have MANY losses because at FREECELL, I like to 'trap' the smallest card possible and have all the cards stacked up to make one connected leap to the top. This doesn't work out well for me in many games, maybe due to my decisions.

No matter what the motive for finishing the game or the style of approach, I want to keep playing FREECELL into my 80s too!

Repeat after me -- VOTE VOTE VOTE

We are coming up to another important election and opportunity to state our position on many issues all over the country.

In Missouri, there are state issues and local issues that are of grave concern to Missouri residents and deserve attention.

There are candidates who have agreed to spend their time and energy to particpate in our democratic-republic government form and make honorable efforts to express our positions and needs in the action of that government, local, state and national. These people deserve our respect enough to have us get ourselves out and about to state our choices and opinions and positions regardless of what those may be.

Thank goodness for elections -- the lifeblood of the media to sell ad spots to the candidates and issues. Remember Campaign spending could back the pay check of the one you love.

There is no please about it -- this is a demand. Next Tuesday, get off your duff and VOTE!

Blowing Missouri Smoke

Again, a regional, personal and political issue, but one I must state.

Smoking issue

I despise smoking. Smokers smell, they contribute to health hazards. In crowds, they make me smell in a manner that is most offensive when I get away from them; the odor hangs on and ruins my clothes, fouls my surroundings and belongings. (Wipe a wet cloth down the walls of the smoker home, or on the windows of the smoker car. Yech!) With all of the information about health in particular that has been daily available for the last 50 years, I have a really difficult time appreciating the intellect of someone who chooses to begin a smoking habit.

I understand the evils of smoking in terms of health and these days in terms of money. I have great sympathy with the people who think that adding four cents to a pack of cigarettes will keep young people from smoking. I am suspicious of the success future of such thinking, but they have my sympathy.

However, this is an amendment to the constitution. I cannot support a lifetime tag on the amendment of any constitution that addresses an addiction, a health issue and a small tax. This would have to be introduced in a different format to get my support. So, I will be voting NO next week and the smoking idiots can remember that if you play, you pay. Sure, your health care will cost Missouri neighbors, but you will be the uncomfortable one with the ravages of lung cancer or emphysema and with the shortened life. We will miss you, but it was, at the very base of things, your choice and you can choose.

Stem Cells in Missouri -- NO

Not a particularly 'office' issue, but a statement that I must make.

Stem cell issue

I have major problems with the Missouri Stem Cell Initiative a proposed amendment for the 2006 elections in Missouri.

Number one, I do not believe this is good for Missouri or the United States. I believe that researchers have not sufficiently resolved the possibilities of stem cell benefits for the ailments and conditions targeted from other sources of stem cells besides embryonic stem cells. I believe there are sufficient other resources for stem cell research and possible resolution of health conditions, both disease and injury. Resources which include cord blood, baby teeth, adult stem cells and others. I do not support the call for the embryonic stem cell supply. There are lines of embryonic stem cells of sufficient supply to experiment. Prove it first with these; then be good scientists and check in other paths to learn if the results cannot be replicated with acceptable stem cell sources. Embryonic stem cells are not acceptable. I must vote NO.

Secondly, the advertising for this initiative makes fools and points the ‘stupid’ finger at Missouri residents and voters by implying that without this amendment being enacted, Missouri residents will be denied the medical advancements of stem cell research. What a totally fraudulent statement to make! That is so insulting. If I were mad/insane enough to endorse this mad scientist idea, I would hope that my pain at the insulting promotion would counsel me to vote NO.

Thirdly, with the caveat that I do endorse stem cell research and that I do not wish to diminish the suffering of people with injuries and conditions for which there is no other encouragement, stem cell research and application/treatment is still a medical procedure. And a medical procedure with limited demand among the general population.

I resist the thinking that would make a medical procedure an amendment to any constitution. Make it a law; make it a proclamation, make it a proposal with term limit, but not an amendment.

I find sufficient reason and personal opinion to vote NO on Amendment 2 next week.

Ready - Set - VOTE!!

I want to encourage you to exercise your right to vote this next week. And, pass it forward to encourage your co-workers, friends and family to do the same.

In our state, there are several hot issues on the ballot. I have my opinions and there are equally strong ones for the other side. I am honored, proud and plan to act on my right to hold and express my opinions at the ballot box.

I first 'voted' in a 'straw vote' in high school. I was 'hooked', but had to wait until I was 21 to express my opinion. It was great when some of my kids could vote at 18 and an honor to help them register to vote.

We're getting some controversial campaign recordings on the phone. At first they are kind of annoying, but they don't last long. One of the ones that came in here sounded like a person, so I found myself 'participating' in the survey. When the recording asked me how I was going to vote, I just popped back -- That is none of your business. The recording was set up to analyze YES or NO, not a phrase. It was sort of messed up!

The Missouri State Attorney General says the calls do not violate the Do Not Call Rules. Some are concerned that the recordings often do not let the connection go when you hang up. They say that if you had an emergency, you couldn't use your phone until the recording released the connection. This seems a bit of a stretch, but does give someone something to argue about.

We figure that the elections are the life blood of small media services like Radio, TV and newspapers.

No matter what, don't get too annoyed to vote.

Do you need your own website?

A website can give your clients and customers one more opportunity to learn more about your product or services.

You don't need to sell a tangible item or a service on the website for it to have value to your business and those with whom you do business.

A small, two or three page website need offer little more than contact information and a brief history of your business or declare your mission statement for that website to have value for you and customers. The customers who need last minute contact information can quickly find it at your website. You have little idea just exactly who would benefit from your business information. So, it is difficult to send ads to everyone or be certain they will see your information in other media which would be more expensive than a website.

You can buy a domain that reflects your business name or type for a very reasonable price in one year to ten year increments. Hosting packages which offer ample bandwidth for your business needs are very inexpensive; much less than the cost of many other media forms.

Many hosting packages offer a 'do-it-yourself' program for building crisp, attractive websites. You can use templates and add pictures or more pages as you need to.

After you have your website designed and online, the search engines will be finding you so that other customers and clients who search for terms or types that fit your business can find your pages. The easiest way to make sure your website appeals to the search engines and will show up in searches is to have realistic and appropriate content. The search engines have equipment and software that reads your information and connects your website with the search terms that a user types in the search blank.

There are more assertive things you can do, but we will begin with the items mentioned and let you have a chance to savor them. As you become more comfortable with a web presence, you can do many more things that help your business and people who want to know more about you.

One resource for a domain name and hosting packages is: http://www.ozarksdomainstation.com

The prices at Ozarks Domain Station are very reasonable and the service is excellent.

Think about it -- do you need your own website? It won't put much of your business capital at risk to try one for a year to see.

Virtual Assistance for You?

Why would you want to have a virtual assistant? Now you would have to go get your own coffee?

A virtual assistant is someone who operates an office to provide services for companies who choose to have duties performed off site. Some call this service outsourcing and I suppose that word, while gaining poor connotation in our society, does offer a clear description.

Virtual assistants are usually independent contractors who can actually save the company costs because the VA pays the employee expenses such as taxes, benefits and office space or equipment. The company can also avoid costs of training employees, substitutes for those employees or replacements when an employee quits or is terminated.

Virtual assistants strive to be specialists in the services they offer. The practical view of business prevents employers from having specialists for each and every office task. The possibility of finding the perfect employee who can skillfully perform all tasks is not encouraging. The VA you choose may be skilled in duties that you do not need; but VA's are often eager to expand their skills and recognize office services that can be of value to you. Services which you may not be familiar with, but the VA has had an opportunity to learn how to work new software in beta format or has worked with other clients to obtain expanded skill.

IVAA (International Virtual Assistants Association) is a networking organization of virtual assistants. IVAA members offer support for one another to make a brain trust of information. IVAA operates an extensive directory for potential clients to learn about members and services offered, plus a platform to post requests for proposals which members can access and use to connect with clients. At Bar JD, we also belong to several other VA support groups that extend our research skills phenomenally.

Please feel free to contact us about any other questions you may have about Virtual Assistants and our services. Check out the link to Bar JD Communications.