Steve Hoffacker's "Home Sales Insights"

Thursday's (Or Friday's) Thought - Whitewater

2009-11-13T19:58:00.005-05:00

Thursday's (Or Friday's) Thought: Whitewater. Whitewater in a river or stream is pretty to look at but can be very treacherous - unless you are prepared to deal with it. If you are properly equipped, it can actually be fun.

For more information about my consulting, teaching, and coaching services visit my website at stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog (Sales Quips) on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can begin participating in this great forum by visiting here. I also write and maintain blogs for Gold Coast SMC and Florida SMC. © 2009, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

Photography displayed is original composition and artistic expression of Steve Hoffacker, and as such is copyrighted. Photos are in their original digital image state and have not been cropped, edited, or enhanced in any way.

Remembrance

2009-11-12T19:53:00.003-05:00

In my podcast message today, "REMEMBRANCE," I honor our veterans for their service and sacrifice - and for securing and preserving the freedoms we so value as Americans - and especially as entrepreneurs and businesspeople in America.

Thank You, Veterans

2009-11-11T19:36:00.004-05:00

Veterans' Day 2009. A day of tribute and remembrance.

We have so many freedoms that we hold dear.

As free marketers, we treasure the concept of owning our own businesses and being able to run them as we choose - whether we succeed or fail.

There are many other freedoms as well - property ownership, worship, speech, press, association, and assembly.

To all veterans - past, present, and future - we say thank you. We are indebted.

For more information about my consulting, teaching, and coaching services visit my website at stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog (Sales Quips) on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can begin participating in this great forum by visiting here. I also write and maintain blogs for Gold Coast SMC and Florida SMC. © 2009, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

Free Enterprise Is Worth Fighting For

2009-11-10T23:14:00.002-05:00

With the federal government increasingly flexing its muscle and attempting to be all things to all people, its important that we keep the capitalist spirit and economic system alive and well in America.

As salespeople, small business owners, and entreprenuers, we embody free enterprise, and we need to model that to the rest of the country and the world.

Capitalism has come under attack by those who don't understand it, and the mainstream media seem to enjoy putting it down.

Without capitalism, America will lose its greatness.

For more information about my consulting, teaching, and coaching services visit my website at stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog (Sales Quips) on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can begin participating in this great forum by visiting here. I also write and maintain blogs for Gold Coast SMC and Florida SMC. © 2009, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

Looking Ahead

2009-11-09T13:09:00.007-05:00

For many of us 2009 has been a year of adjustment and transition. The plans that we had at the beginning of the year didn't fully materialize or cause us to look into a new directions.

We are stronger for having come through this year. The challenge now is to be ready to enter 2010 with a running start.

In my podcast message today, "Looking Ahead," I encourage all of us to take a fresh perspective into the new year and be ready to accomplish bold things.

For more information about my consulting, teaching, and coaching services visit my website at stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog (Sales Quips) on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can begin participating in this great forum by visiting here. I also write and maintain blogs for Gold Coast SMC and Florida SMC. © 2009, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

It's Not Necessary To Know Everything

2009-11-08T17:48:00.004-05:00

Sometimes in sales, we feel we have to have all the answers and be able to field any question that comes our way. This is party true, partly not.

It's important that we do our homework and that we know as much as possible about our product, our company, our competition, and our skill set. However, when someone asks us a question that we have never heard exactly as it is being expressed, we have a couple of ways to respond.

We can use a similar question that we have received and relate it to what is being asked and answer it. That might satisfy the customer. Also, we can say we don't know and that we'll find out the information.

Either way, I think the customer is more concerned with how we answer or attempt to answer the question than what we actually say. They want to know if we appear uncomfortable or if we are obviously trying to fake it.

For more information about my consulting, teaching, and coaching services visit my website at stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog (Sales Quips) on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can begin participating in this great forum by visiting here. I also write and maintain blogs for Gold Coast SMC and Florida SMC. © 2009, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

Congressional Reform Needs To Happen First

2009-11-07T21:30:00.005-05:00

The health care bill is being debated in the House of Representatives tonight and may well pass. I certainly hope not, but even if it does, there are plenty of opportunities for it to go away before it ever becomes law.

Nevertheless, set aside what is in it for the moment. Many of us may never know everything that's in it. Certainly those voting on it don't know what's in it.

Ten pages short of 2,000 - not counting last minute amendments that we don't hear about until after the fact - is absurd. If it can't be explained and spelled out within a page or two it's probably overly complicated.

It is being suggested that none of those people actually voting for the bill will have read it. Would any of put or name or reputation on something or get behind it if we hadn't read it first?

Before we start talking about health care reform - or any other kind of reform - we must insist on Congressional reform. Anything else is just expecting different results from a broken machine.

Start finding out who is running for Congress in your area. The election is less than a year away. Go with someone different than is in there now. They've had their chance.

For more information about my consulting, teaching, and coaching services visit my website at stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog (Sales Quips) on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can begin participating in this great forum by visiting here. I also write and maintain blogs for Gold Coast SMC and Florida SMC. © 2009, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

Empowerment

2009-11-06T19:44:00.000-05:00

Some people feel that they could do more if they were empowered - as if they are waiting on someone else to inspire them or give them permission to be successful.

However, we take empowerment, it is not given. Once adopted, we use empowerment to affect outcomes and make a difference.

We should aspire to and grasp power for the right purposes and use it to run our businesses and sales operations effectively. Empowerment is something we decide for ourselves. It not presented to us.

In my podcast message today, "EMPOWERMENT," I encourage people to step out and put of the mantle of leadership that empowerment provides.

For more information about my consulting, teaching, and coaching services visit my website at stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog (Sales Quips) on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can begin participating in this great forum by visiting here. I also write and maintain blogs for Gold Coast SMC and Florida SMC. © 2009, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

Thursday's Thought - Exciting

2009-11-05T14:01:00.002-05:00

Thursday's Thought - Exciting. The fall is such an exciting time of year. The leaves change, the temps get cooler, football season is in full swing, and thoughts turn to indoors and families. Embrace the fall spirit.

National Tea Party Tomorrow

2009-11-04T22:10:00.000-05:00

This is exciting! Rep. Michelle Bachman of Minnesota has issued a call for all Americans to show up at noon tomorrow on the steps at the west entrance to the Capitol.

I surely wish that I could be there.

What a show of force it will be - thank you for arranging this, Michelle.

This meeting has two major purposes as far as I am concerned: (1) to show Nancy Pelosi that her strongarm tactics are not welcome or appreciated, and (2) that we as Americans do not want and will not accept passage of the Pelosi health care bill.

The timing is necessarily condensed because Pelosi has determined that the bill will be put to a vote on Friday or Saturday.

Suppose they gave a vote and nobody came.

If you're in Washington tomorrow, drop by at noon. Should be a great time.

This is our country. These are our freedoms. Fight to retain them.

The 11th Hour

2009-11-03T17:07:00.000-05:00

November is upon us - the 11th month. Only a few more weeks until the end of 2009.

As we enter final weeks and days of 2009, we may find that we have tasks remaining to be done that we need to accomplish. There is no time like the present to get them done - nothing like waiting until the 11th hour.

I use the phrase "11th hour" because this is the 11th month and time is just about up on 2009.

In my podcast message today, "THE 11TH HOUR," I encourage all of use to move those forgotten or overlooked tasks that have been on our lists all year back to the top of the stack do we can get them done.

Let's finish strong.

For more information about my consulting, teaching, and coaching services visit my website at stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog (Sales Quips) on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can begin participating in this great forum by visiting here. I also write and maintain blogs for Gold Coast SMC and Florida SMC. © 2009, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

It's Time To Stand Tall

2009-11-02T21:29:00.005-05:00

The House leadership (Nancy Pelosi) is trying to schedule a vote on the House's version of the Health Care Bill - the 1,990 page monster (HR 3962). The short title of this bill - and the only thing short or small about this bill - is "Affordable Health Care for America Act."

The preamble states that it is proposed "to provide affordable, quality health care for all Americans and reduce the growth in health care spending, and for other purposes."

Notice the emphasis on costs "affordable" is in the name and the preamble - it goes on to say "reduce the growth in spending."

Interesting how something that is projected to cost well over $1,000,000,000 - and typically is off by a factor of 10 or more - can be called "affordable."

This is both laughable and regretable that our Congress is so out of touch with the American public that it is totally insensitive to any type of fiscal restraint and Constitutionally guaranteed personal liberties.

Stop this bill, and stop the power grab and erosion of our rights.

Countdown To Success

2009-11-01T12:31:00.002-05:00

OK, November has begun. Just this month and one more. Then 2009 is gone.

This year has either lived up to your expectations, or it hasn't. Regardless, we all have a final push that starts today.

Counting today, there are 61 days until January 1st, 2010. Take out Thanksgiving and Christmas - and any other days that you like - and the number is fewer.

The point is that we are in the final stages of 2009. There's still plenty of time to get some big things done, but only if we are diligent about it.

The countdown is on. No time to waste, but we don't have to be reckless either. We can accomplish good things in the remaining days of 2009.

For more information about my consulting, teaching, and coaching services visit my website at stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog (Sales Quips) on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can begin participating in this great forum by visiting here. I also write and maintain blogs for Gold Coast SMC and Florida SMC. © 2009, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

Trick Or Treat

2009-10-31T19:24:00.004-04:00

Happy Halloween - the day known as "trick or treat."

We probably all have fond memories or childhood Halloweens or those of our kids. In my podcast message today, "TRICK OR TREAT," I use these two opposites to illustrate a similar phenomena in our sales process.

We need to be wary of the tricks that customers might offer us - intentionally or not - that might distract us, mislead us, change our focus, or cause us to form the wrong conclusion. Things they say, the way the act, their apparent readiness, and other such issues are what I'm talking about.

On the other side are treats that we reward ourselves with or goals we strive for. They might be tangible treats or possibly a little getaway. They could just be the accomplishment.

There definitely are tricks and treats in our business. We need to minimize the former so we can enjoy the later.

For more information about my consulting, teaching, and coaching services visit my website at stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog (Sales Quips) on the real estate network Active Rain, and you can begin participating in this great forum by visiting here. I also write and maintain blogs for Gold Coast SMC and Florida SMC. © 2009, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

We're Taking Up A Collection

2009-10-30T17:54:00.003-04:00

America, we need to step up and help out. Nancy Pelosi has unveiled her health care plan than she promised she would keep under $900,000,000 ($900 trillion) to gain the favor and approval of the President. Now we hear that she didn't quite make it. Estimates are that it will be over $1,000,000,000 ($1 trillion) - for openers. There are many parts of the bill that haven't be calculated or determined.

Nevertheless, if every single person in the United States (estimated earlier today at 307,822,352) all chipped in and gave $3,250, we hit the initial goal of $1 trillion. Mind you that this changes nothing that we have now - it just pays for what she wants to enact.

Also, there's the enormously huge startup costs for creating a government run insurance company and staffing it - not accounted for in the bill.

Then, there's the $500,000,000 ($ half-trillion) being borrowed from the Medicare fund for this new plan that is going to need to be replaced.

Wow, we're beginning to talk about some serious money here just because Speaker Pelosi has expensive tastes.

Thursday's Thought - Courage

2009-10-29T18:31:00.004-04:00

Thursday's Thought - Courage. Courage is not given, it is not awarded, it is not earned. It is assumed. It comes from within. It comes with a boldness, a sense of purpose, a commitment, and, in some cases, an indifference to pending consequences or danger.

Misdirection

2009-10-28T21:37:00.000-04:00

There's the misdirection play in football, the illusionist's sleight of hand or misdirection, the intentional misdirection that Members of Congress put us through, and the misdirection that we often get from customers - intentional or not.

We are subjected to many episodes of behavior that are designed to fool us into thinking that something is different than it is.

In my podcast message today, "MISDIRECTION," I illustrates how we are often tricked or misled into believing that something is so just because we are hearing it or seeing it. Many times we are intentionally diverted into a faulty conclusion.

We have to on our guard and be aware of attempts to misled, misdirect, of fool our senses into believing things that aren’t as they appear. This is especially problematic in sales where we might tend to focus on excuses or objections rather than pursuing the sale.

Let's utilize our senses to explore and question what doesn't seem right to us.

For more information about my consulting, teaching, and coaching services visit my website at stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog Sales Quips on the real estate Active Rain, and you can begin participating in this great forum by visiting here. I also write and maintain blogs for Gold Coast SMC and Florida SMC. © 2009, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

Keep Your Eyes Open

2009-10-27T19:58:00.003-04:00

A strategy that our government is using to try to get unpopular issues accepted - cap and trade, for example - is to distract us. The debate on the public option in health care or the talk about the pending decision over committing more troops to Afghanistan give us plenty to discuss and focus on without seeing or noticing what is going on behind the scenes.

It a little like an illusionist's or magician's act. They get us to concentrate on what they want us to see while we miss the trick.

Our government knows exactly what it is doing to mislead us and build a larger, stronger organization with more power and control over us. They are counting on us not noticing until the "ta-da" and we wonder how it was done.

Don't be dazzled by the footwork or put off the scent by side issues just because they seem to be popular. In many cases, they are masking the important issues of the day that are going on undetected.

Teamwork Is Required

2009-10-26T20:57:00.004-04:00

I am really amazed at the lack of cooperation and teamwork that I see among professionals that are trying to put a business deal together.

You'd think people - particularly when business isn't as plentiful or as easy to get as it was a few years ago - would welcome the opportunity to make something work and would go out of their way to work with each other to make it happen. You'd think.

When two companies start talking about a way to make something happen that is mutually beneficial, I'm seeing and hearing a disappointing trend toward lop-sided contributions - where just one of the companies does most of the work.

If both companies - or even more than two - are going to benefit from the business, then why is it that typically only one shows the initiative and drive to make things happen?

If both (or more) are going to share in the profits, shouldn't all share in the labor to win the business?

7 Hour Bonus

2009-10-25T21:35:00.000-04:00

It's not often that we find out that we have more time to do something. After all, there are only so many hours in a day.

Most of the country has been experiencing daylight savings time since March of this year, and the return to standard time normally is the last full weekend in October. In other words, today.

However, for the past couple of years that has been extended until the firt Sunday of November - next Sunday.

This means that most of us have a bonus hour of daylight each day this week. We didn’t do anything special to earn it, but let’s enjoy that extra hour of delay each day this week – beginning with today.

In my podcast message today, "7 HOUR BONUS," I reflect on this time bonus.

For more information about my consulting, teaching, and coaching services visit my website at stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog Sales Quips on the real estate Active Rain, and you can begin participating in this great forum by visiting here. I also write and maintain blogs for Gold Coast SMC and Florida SMC. © 2009, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

Thursday's Thought (Saturday Edition) - Clarity

2009-10-24T20:49:00.000-04:00

Thursday's Thought (Saturday Edition) - Clarity. Just like this woodsmoke from a campfire obscures some of the trees, we need to be aware of distractions in our lives and maintain a clear vision of our purpose and direction.

Words Without Action Are Just Words

2009-10-23T22:10:00.002-04:00

As salespeople, we want and need people to believe us. If we say that we can do something for them, we want people to accept it as true. It we say that our product or service will perform in a certain way, we expect people to trust us. This is a key concept in sales.

Unfortunately some people abuse this principle. They become known as sharks, hustlers, and con artists.

I can think of another occupation where they expect us to believe what they say, but their actions negate everything they tell us.

I'm speaking of Congress and the President. Transparency, bills published on the internet, no more earmarks, no new taxes - in fact a tax cut for the middle class. All of this has failed to materialize.

Congress and the President have proven that they'll tell us anything they think we want to hear just to get elected, but then they can't be trusted. Don't bore us anymore with your rhetoric.

We can't get away with it as salespeople - neither should you.

Distractions

2009-10-22T16:53:00.001-04:00

Distractions in one form or another impact our lives everyday. Sometimes they're serious, but most of the time they're just nuisances or something we have to deal with.

We need to remember to focus on the important parts of our day and or businesses and not to let the inevitable distractions become paramount in in our lives. If we allow them to, distractions can take over and run us instead the other way where we work through them and move on. We can't eliminate the distractions. We just need to manage them.

We need to deal with them with the appropriate amount of emphasis and then get back to business. We can’t allow distractions to rule us.

In my podcast message today, "DISTRACTIONS," I talk about the issues and the attitude for overcoming them.

For more information about my consulting, teaching, and coaching services visit my website at stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog Sales Quips on the real estate Active Rain, and you can begin participating in this great forum by visiting here. I also write and maintain blogs for Gold Coast SMC and Florida SMC. © 2009, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

Empowerment

2009-10-21T22:07:00.003-04:00

I've heard people talk about empowering others, but that's not exactly how it happens. People can't be empowered, they have to take it.

We can provide the means and the opportunity for people to become empowered - to seize the reins - but that has to come from them.

We might wish for people to take command of a certain situation or to run their business or profit center with more authority or autonomy, but they have to embrace this leadership and run with it.

Leadership is taken or assumed, it is not given.

For more information about my consulting, teaching, and coaching services visit my website at stevehoffacker.com. I also maintain a blog Sales Quips on the real estate Active Rain, and you can begin participating in this great forum by visiting here. I also write and maintain blogs for Gold Coast SMC and Florida SMC. © 2009, Steve Hoffacker. All Rights Reserved.

Plan B Isn't Always As Good

2009-10-20T19:18:00.004-04:00

Sometimes when we have a backup plan - a "Plan B" - it turns out better than what had originally planned. Sometimes it doesn't.

We can encounter them in many areas of our lives, and they can involve people, machines, data, processes, or any number of other issues.

For a few weeks, I have been having computer issues, It has been sluggish at times, slow to respond at times, and has demonstrated an ability to become non-responsive.

I have rebooted, cleaned, defragged, run checkdisk, run a dozen different virus and spyware programs, and everything checked out OK. I deleted programs I wasn't using. I updated others.

Then today, the real issue surfaced. The C drive went down.

Plan B? I'm typing this on my notebook. I like my notebook very much. It's just not the same.

I wish they would come with a "service engine soon" warning light on them.