In their new book, Get Lucky: How to Put Planned Serendipity to Work for You and Your Business, Thor Muller and Lane Becker argue that luck is not only within your control, it’s something you must harness as your own personal ally. We’re not talking about “dumb luck” here, but rather something the two successful entrepreneurs call “planned serendipity,” or the ability to take chance experiences and distill them into eight skills: motion, preparation, divergence, commitment, activation, connection, permeability, and attraction.

In this portion of the book, Muller and Becker show readers how to practice the skill of divergence, making difficult decisions in order to take advantage of challenging, serendipitous environments. They use the separate paths of two major book retailers to illustrate their point. Read on to find out how Barnes & Noble was able to adapt and thrive in a rapidly changing marketplace, and how Borders’ response to the same problem left customers cold.

EXCERPT:

We all like to think we’d jump at a brilliant idea if it smacked us in the head, but few of us or our companies ever do. This, more than anything, is why people like to say that ideas are cheap. In truth, great ideas are priceless, but we only know which ideas are great with the benefit of hindsight. Without a mindset to try out divergent paths, uncertainty and inertia conspire to keep us ignorant.

Few of us or our organizations ever develop such a mindset. Instead, most companies follow the common refrain to “put all the wood behind one arrow”—that is, to focus all resources on one goal or priority. The problem with this setup is that the arrow must be aimed perfectly, to penetrate its target in just the right spot.

The monolithic bookstore chain Borders is a tragic example of a wood-behind-the-arrow approach to running a business. Since its founding in 1971, Borders grew from an independent bookstore in Ann Arbor, Michigan, to over 500 stores in the U.S. by 2010, employing almost 20,000 people.

In the late ’90s, online e-commerce was just hitting the mainstream, infusing a great deal of uncertainty into the book and media industries. Borders, facing this tidal wave of uncertainty, decided to put all of its wood behind the arrow that had brought it so much success to date. Rather than get distracted by the shiny new world of Web-based commerce and probe for new ways to pursue its mission on this new medium, the company doubled down on its physical stores, spending billions to refurbish them. Instead of putting a similar effort into bolstering their Web presence, they outsourced the operations of their online store to an upstart competitor, Amazon.com.

Borders had recoiled to what they thought of as their core strengths, in-store retail sales. In other words, Borders made a big bet on the status quo, took aim with their arrow, and missed their target by a mile. Unfortunately for them, shoppers did not buy more as a result of their store remodelings. They shifted to buying online and downloading music and movies digitally. As Borders’ business quickly disintegrated, the company found itself out of time and money to pursue new paths.

The cautionary tale of Borders reminds us that the modern business is in a perpetual state of finding its path in the world. The business environment is constantly in flux, and this has never been more true than in today’s hyper-connected world. The only way we or our companies can survive over the long term is by finding or creating new niches while simultaneously inhabiting present ones, a tricky balance to maintain. Divergence—the ability to explore different paths—determines whether we are able to adapt to new conditions as they emerge.

We can see this in Border’s primary main brick-and-mortar competitor Barnes & Noble, which pursued a very different approach. Instead of putting all the wood behind one arrow they invested in a branching, a powerful strategy for exploring new paths.

During this same volatile period that Borders was narrowing its interests, Barnes & Noble aggressively created and marketed their own online store, which eventually led them to develop an e-reader, the Nook, to compete with Amazon’s version, the Kindle. Each branch Barnes & Noble pursued opened up new possibilities for further branching. Though the transition from a traditional retailer hasn’t been easy, Barnes & Noble is still very much in the game, unlike the bankrupt Borders. The reason is that they’ve continually expanded their options. They are a book retailer that did become a consumer electronics company over time, through its Nook product, by employing a successful branching strategy.

For many years Barnes & Noble has been branching from their main retail business, extending but not undermining their primary business. They launched their own publishing imprint for public domain titles, built their own infrastructure for online retail, created a partnership with Starbucks to encourage in-store activity, and invested in their own Nook e-reader once digital books became inevitable. The result was that they were ready to double down when the ripest opportunities revealed themselves.

Anybody can develop the skill of divergence and do what Barnes & Noble did: use the strategy of branching as a way to probe for greater and greater opportunities.

** Reprinted by permission of the publisher, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., from Get Lucky: How to Put Planned Serendipity to Work for You and Your Business by Lane Becker and Thor Muller.  Copyright © 2012 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.  All rights reserved.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Thor Muller and Lane Becker are co-authors of Get Lucky: How to Put Planned Serendipity to Work for You and Your Business (April 2012; Jossey-Bass). Based in San Francisco, they are co-founders of several companies including Get Satisfaction, a platform for creating customer communities based on products and brands they care about.

By the end of the 21st century, the real estate where we work, shop, and play will look more like the Starship Enterprise’s holodeck than bricks and drywall we know today, says Marcel Bulling, futurist and author of Welcome to the Future Cloud—2025 in 100 Predictions. “Commercial space will be physical and virtual world in one, sort of a gaming zone. Tap a wall and you see new fashions, tap again to make a purchase, tap again and communicate with your colleagues,” he says.

What are the best types of structures to meet those future uses? Multifunction buildings that can shift from office to hotel to entertainment center almost instantly. “Stop seeing a building as a combination of walls. See it as a combination of apps that can be updated continuously and can change the functionality of the building according to day-to-day needs,” Bullinga says. Another trend: self-supporting mega-cities that no longer depend on the transport of goods but obtain most goods and services locally. “Globalization is out; walk and bike around cities with offices, farms, and homes, are in,” Bullinga says.

Interested? Read the full interview with Bullinga:

What trends do you see in the way and manner people work in the next decade?
Learning and working turns into a game. The virtual and physical world is one. The quality of a virtual meeting will equal the quality of a physical meeting, and we will turn more and more into virtual meetings for learning, working, and shopping. Our buildings will start to look like a holodeck: a sort of gaming zone with gaming walls. Tap the wall and pay, tap the wall and shop, tap the wall and fit new clothes, tap the wall and do your homework, tap the wall and sell to your clients, tap the wall and communicate with your colleagues.

The strict difference between office buildings, warehouses, apartments, and retail space will disappear. The new workplace is mobile. The new workplaces are surprising places: Starbucks, an old petrol station, your own attic, your self-driving car. And, oh yes, sometimes you will also visit your physical office to meet your colleague for a coffee. You tap into the cloud around you for all your information and contacts.

Local is the trend; DIY is the trend. The new megacities of the future that are in the making right now, mostly in Asia, will be self-supporting. Cities that no longer depend on transport of goods and food from the other part of the world. Globalization is out. We will see “walk- and bike-around cities” that exist through combinations of nearby city farms, offices, and homes. I saw this amusing video of a mobile farm in a truck. Small, cheap… Keep that in mind!

Managing a building in the future means managing a million online workplaces as well. The facility manager will turn into a holodeck trainer, an online community organizer, a chief experience officer, a robot coach, an energy harvester. All of your building management professionals will turn into futurists if you want to adapt to the increasing speed of change.

I gave a presentation about the future of the workplace, and I split the audience into regular facility managers and new professions — about 50-50. It was a lot of fun. One of the “new CEOs” told me: “I turn the workplace into a pleasure dome.” The same goes for shopping and for schools.

How will these trends affect the need for real estate, in terms of the amount of space needed and type of work environment?
We will need less physical space. The traditional office as such will be 100 percent obsolete. We will need crossover buildings, cross media buildings, buildings that look like gaming zones. Mix buildings will do fine — offices as hotels. That is the sort of buildings that keeps or even increases its initial value in the future. Think about the coworking places like www.seats2meet.com now on the rise: a mix between office and restaurant.

And green buildings, of course. We need buildings that are energy self-providing. For example, buy carpet that harvests the energy you generate by walking around…energy-negative buildings will be unsellable in the future.

It took about $500 million to turn the former token of wealth, the Empire State Building, into a green building. The new Empire State Building is the sort of “combination building” — it will generate money.

What types of location and geographic areas will benefit from trends in work, lifestyle, or demographics?
The countryside will benefit extraordinarily. It will get city-like services and city-like possibilities without the stress. Since our own home will turn into a communication control center, the attraction of the community near and around the house will increase. Smaller sized cities will have a bigger attraction factor because of their moderate size. Everything will go local. The shopping mall of the future is a combination of a virtual shop and a Disney Park that stays attractive forever.

Basically, all buildings and all areas benefit. Every building can quite easily transform with a green roof and gaming walls; the costs involved will not be giant and will come down in price as technology improves. Just seize your chance!

What factors and risks will influence investment decisions in the future? Which of these risks will have the largest impact on real estate investing?
Two things: rising energy prices and the switch from physical to virtual. This means you will have to invest in buildings that are flexible, that can be bended and altered continuously. Stop seeing a building as a combination of walls. See it as a combination of apps that are updated continuously and can change the functionality of the building according to day-to-day needs. It will be wise to invest in students and young professionals using these apps. They are “the game generation.” They will be in control.

Read more of Bullinga’s ideas at www.futurecheck.com

The comic-book version of How to Master the Art of Selling (2011) put out by SmarterComics was not, admittedly, as exciting as my pre-adolescent journeys to the Marvel Universe. But what it does offer is a very user-friendly explanation of the basics of sales that can be digested in a single sitting.

In panel after panel, a caricature of author Tom Hopkins walks the reader through animated descriptions of selling concepts like motivation and presentation. If you consider yourself a master or if you’re looking for complex, arcane tips on how to sell, there may not be a lot here for you besides an entertaining, breezy read. But if you’re new to the business, or need a reaffirmation of the fundamentals, it’s worth checking out.

FROM THE BOOK: 5 LESSONS FOR REAL ESTATE PROS

▪ Learn to look at the bright side of rejection: Even the best salespeople will face a great deal of rejection throughout their careers. Bouncing back quickly from rejection requires taking certain views of those situations. Take lessons from these situations, or find the humor in them, in order to move on and up.

▪ Emotion first, logic second: People’s first impressions upon being introduced to a new product or service are grounded in feelings. A more analytical evaluation comes later, sometimes as to justify a purchase after it’s happened. As Hopkins points out, “You prequalify people by finding out whether the emotion that’s necessary to carry the sale to completion exists or can be created.”

▪ Don’t spend too much time face-to-face with clients and customers: This seems counter-intuitive, as so many real estate pros try as hard as they can to meet with consumers. And most salespeople spend about 80 to 90 percent of their time demonstrating and presenting. But Hopkins says the best salespeople — those who close more often and at a much higher rate — only put 40 percent of their time toward presentations and 10 percent of their time prospecting. The other half is spent qualifying and planning.

▪ Don’t argue with client objections: If a consumer raises concerns at any point during the transaction process, no matter how trivial or absurd you think it might be, do not dismiss or attack them or their objections. They will likely take it personally, and besides, they don’t have your level of knowledge and experience. Part of your job is to help them understand what’s going on. So, patiently hear them out and then help lead them to answer their own doubts and worries.

▪ Set goals you believe in: This is more than mere goal setting. This is about asking yourself what you really want, what you’re really passionate about. That desire will be the difference maker for you as you move through a career of any kind. Once you’ve determined what you aim to achieve, write it down and put it where you can see it often. Two other keys for getting the most out of your goals: Make sure your objective is as specific as possible and demands your best.

SNEAK PEAK

“Here is my basic philosophy—my creed of champions … I am not judged by the number of times I fail, but by the number of times I succeed, and the number of times I succeed is in direct proportion to the number of times I can fail and keep trying.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tom Hopkins failed miserably during the first six months of his career in real estate, before discovering and applying winning sales techniques that earned him more than a million dollars in just three years, leaving him wealthy by age 27. In his last year as an agent, he sold 365 homes—the equivalent of one per day. In a period of six years, he closed 1,553 real estate transactions. Today he spends his time teaching others how to become sales champions.

A few months ago, Dan Burrus was sitting in a café in Istanbul making a call to his wife in Barcelona using Apple’s iPhone-to-iPhone FaceTime video chat. He was able to see her in high definition and hear her as clearly as if she were sitting next to him, even though he was in the Middle East and she was in Europe.

This example of technology provides us a small glimpse into our future, says Burrus, a futurist and author of Flash Foresight: How to See the Invisible and do the Impossible (HarperCollins, 2011).

Are you interested in predicting the future? Try this:

How much do you know about the iPhone 6? No one’s talking about it because we don’t even have an iPhone 5 yet. So you might say, “I don’t know anything about it.” But in actuality, you know a lot, says Burrus. Will it have a faster processor than the iPhones that came before it? Of course it will. Will be have more memory? You already know. Will it offer more cloud computing  options? You bet. Might we be able to tap into a “Watson” computer in the cloud, giving us a supercomputer in the palm of our hand? The possibility is very likely.

There has never been more opportunity than there is today because technology is leveling the playing field, Burrus says. He predicts that in the next five years, you’re going to see a continued technological transforming in how we sell, market, communicate, train, innovate, and collaborate.

“One of the reasons I did not call the book ‘Flash Hindsight,’ is because we’re already good at saying we should have done this or that,” says Burrus. “The beautiful thing about foresight is you can take actions today to shape that future.”

The Flash Foresight methodology can also be used as a crystal ball to reveal what’s in store for the real estate industry. Start by looking at something you already know will happen, says Burrus. For instance, there are 78 million baby boomers in the U.S. (about a quarter of the population), the oldest of which are currently 66. As a whole, they enjoy an active lifestyle and have done well in their careers. Now make some predictions about their housing needs. They won’t need a big house with five bedrooms anymore, and at some point going up and down stairs will be difficult. Are you starting to form a picture of the type of homes they’ll require?

“With mass uncertainty, you have to ask yourself, what are you certain about? Are you certain about nothing? Or are there things you do know looking  ahead?” says Burrus.

Now, approach your business the same way. What do you know will happen?

“Today, our customers are changing faster than we are and learning faster than we are, which can get us into trouble,” Burrus says. “We have to spend some time being strategic and anticipatory.”

Burrus suggests taking one hour per week to brainstorm where you want to spend your life and career in the future. Use that time to list your future certainties and future problems. Then think about how to solve/avoid those future problems.

Curious about Burrus’s real estate predictions? Take a look:

• Smart phones and tablets will replace laptops as the mobile professional’s primary computing sales tool.
• eSignatures, such as those enabled by companies like DocuSign, will increasingly be used for paperless transactions.
• Texting will become more prevalent as a way of communication.
• Home buyers will have more information available to them.
• More home data will be available to make decisions.
• Clients will have a higher expectation for prompt responses.
• More pictures and video will be used.
• More consumers will gather their own information.
• Fewer people will have land line telephones.
• Printed promotional real estate materials will diminish.
• Smaller homes will be of interest to many more buyers.
• Top agents in predictable areas of the country will increasingly need to be able to communicate in more than one language.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Daniel Burrus is considered one of the world’s leading technology forecasters and business strategists, and is the founder and CEO of Burrus Research, a research and consulting firm that monitors global advancements in technology driven trends to help clients better understand how technological, social and business forces are converging to create enormous, untapped opportunities. Over the past quarter century, he has established a worldwide reputation for his exceptional record of accurately predicting the future of technological change and its direct impact on the business world. He is the author of six books and is a strategic advisor to leaders from Fortune 500 companies helping them to see invisible opportunities and solve seemingly impossible problems.

Vicki Doudera started gathering fodder for her mystery novels from day-one of her first real estate class back in 2003. Real estate intrigued and inspired her. She remembers sitting in the classroom, listening as the instructor discussed all the things that could go wrong in a transaction, while jotting down ideas in the margins of her paper. “Bludgeoned Buyers! Slaughtered Sellers!” And who would solve these crimes? Why, a savvy real estate agent, of course!

But before she put her pen-to-paper to tell the tales of suspense, murder, and real estate that danced in her head, Doudera got to work becoming a savvy real estate agent herself. A resident of mid-coast Maine since 1986 and a former inn owner, Doudera directed her skills and knowledge of the area to grow a successful business with Camden Real Estate as a broker and top-producer. She also wrote a book called Moving to Maine: The Essential Guide to Get You There and What You Need to Know to Stay (Down East Books, 2007).

In 2010 came her first novel, A House to Die For (Midnight Ink, 2010), which launched Doudera’s Darby Farr mystery series. Darby, the main character, is a vivacious real estate agent with a tragic past she is trying to leave behind in Maine. But she goes back to close a multimillion-dollar sale of a waterfront estate and ends up in the throes of a who-done-it murder after a man is found dead on the property.

Doudera’s second book in the series, Killer Listing (Midnight Ink, 2011), was released last April, which has Darby investigating a mysterious murder once again – this time a Florida broker who was in the fast-lane of multimillion-dollar listings, big-time commissions, and real estate deals (and love affairs) gone bad.

Doudera spoke with the Weekly Book Scan about Killer Listing and the Darby Farr series – including a sneak peek of Deadly Offer coming out this April.

What attracted you to the mystery genre?

I’m a big Nancy Drew fan, Clue is my favorite board game, and it really has been a lifelong dream to write mysteries. But it wasn’t until I went into real estate that I decided it would be a good backdrop for a mystery series. As a REALTOR®, you see so many properties and interesting houses – and you’re continuously meeting people from all over. There’s a lot of drama in real estate as people are selling their homes or making a purchase of a lifetime – it’s personal and there’s a lot of money involved, which is a good mixture for a mystery.

What else makes a good mystery to you?

I like a mystery that’s fast-paced and keeps you turning the pages. I don’t want to guess who done it at the end; I want to figure it out right along with the sleuth. I like to play fare with the audience, but I think a lot of great twists and turns will provide the element of surprise and make you keep reading.

Who is the audience you envision reading the Darby Farr series?

I think anyone who likes a good mystery will enjoy it, whether they’re in real estate or not. But Darby is dealing with a lot of the same things that we as agents deal with, so my fellow REALTORS® will see that and be able to relate.

Is Darby Farr autobiographical?

She is in that Darby and I are trying to do the right thing. It’s importing to me to keep Darby very ethical because I think the majority of real estate agents are very ethical for their clients and try to go above and beyond. She’s also from Maine, where I’ve lived for 25 years.

I love Darby. I love her spunk and I love that she’s an outsider. She’s an Asian American raised on an island in Maine and she sticks out like a sore thumb. I have a niece in Chicago who is half Japanese. She’s so beautiful and exotic looking, no one can pinpoint her ethnicity – I put some of those characteristics into Darby. She also has the gift of extraordinary senses, which I would love to have.

Which characters are your favorites to write about?

I like writing in the third person and writing from multiple viewpoints. Tina Ames in the first book comes back in the fourth book and her character is developing many more dimensions. It is true that characters evolve and new facets emerge as you write. I can now see what writers mean when they say their characters are taking over. I also like Helen Near in Killer Listings, the golfer who’s drinking mojitos all the time.

What are your plans for the series?

The third book is coming out, and four and five are under contract – I’m publishing one every year in April. I enjoy doing it and I think that comes across in the writing. Darcy has a lot to figure out from her past and the tragic death of her parents. There is also the World War II mystery involving her grandfather that comes out in Killer Listings. And Darby has her relationship with Miles. I’d like to see Darby grow and see where the series takes her.

How has your career influenced your writing?

I’m so thankful for this career in real estate and for the flexibility it allows me to write these books. Not only does real estate inspire me, it also gives me the opportunity to get out there, meet people, and sell homes, which I love.

Can you give us a sneak peek into the third book, Deadly Offer?

Darby travels with her assistant Enrique Tomaso Gomez (ET) who we met in the first book, to California’s wine country where his sister is found dead in her hot tub. She was selling her boutique vineyard and there were three very rich, very eager buyers. Darby quickly realizes that this wasn’t an accident.

Deadline to Enter:  March 15, 2012

Did you publish a real estate-related book in 2011? This competition is for you!

The National Association of Real Estate Editors (NAREE) is now accepting entries for the fifth annual Robert Bruss Real Estate Book Awards Competition.

Authors of books published in 2011 in the broad field of real estate — including finance, mortgage lending, foreclosures, investing, green building and sustainable design, as well as home buying and selling and commercial real estate — are invited to enter. NAREE, a non-profit association founded in 1929, will name gold, silver and bronze award-winners. In addition, NAREE will give a special award to a first-time author.

The awards, which include $2,000 in cash prizes, will be presented at the NAREE Real Estate Journalism Conference in Denver, Colo. in June. The Bruss Awards presentation will be a highlight of the 46th Annual NAREE spring conference, June 20-23, headquartered at the historic Brown Palace Hotel in downtown Denver.

The deadline to enter NAREE’s Bruss Book Awards Competition is March 15, 2012. Entrants should submit three copies of their book and a 5,000-word excerpt (many authors pick a key chapter or two).

Download a Bruss Call for Entries brochure (PDF)

NAREE also has a separate journalism competition for news and feature articles published in newspapers, magazines, and online. The Journalism Awards Call for Entries brochure is available in a PDF format — www.NAREE.org under the Journalism Contest tab.

NAREE’s book awards are named for the late Bob Bruss, syndicated real estate columnist, prolific writer and NAREE leader. Bruss frequently wrote reviews of realty books.

For more information: Mary Doyle-Kimball, NAREE Executive Director 561-391-3599  MADKimba@aol.com

NAREE DATES TO REMEMBER

FEBRUARY 9 – ORLANDO,  NAREE Media Reception at IBS - 5-6:30 p.m., Thursday, Feb. 9, Room: W202C at Orange County Convention Center, Orlando. Building Products Editor Jean Dimeo will speak on: “What’s the Real Scoop on New Products at the Show? Are the Headline-Grabbers Green or Over the Top?” RVSP for this complimentary networking event by e-mailing Mary Doyle-Kimball at madkimba@aol.com.

MARCH 1 -  62nd Annual NAREE Real Estate Journalism Competition Entry Deadline (Entry must be postmarked by March 1 and received by March 6)

MARCH 15 – 5th Annual Bruss Book Competition Entry Deadline  (Entry must be postmarked by March 15 and received by March 25)

APRIL 15 – 10th Annual Bivins Fellowships Application Deadline

JUNE 20-23 – 46th Annual Real Estate Journalism Conference, “Covering Real Estate with Altitude,” June 20-23, 2012 - Brown Palace Hotel, Denver, Colo. Early Bird Registration on www.naree.org under the Spring Conference Tab until Feb. 15.

Make a New Year’s resolution to focus on social media platforms that work for you and your business. When I say work, I mean platforms that you’re comfortable using, enjoy updating, and that help you make authentic and meaningful connections with your sphere.

For author and communications coach Carmine Gallo, that platform would be foursquare.

Gallo became a believer when he was introduced to the app by his publisher about two years ago. Gallo has an insatiable interest in all things that improve communication. He’s also the author of The Innovation Secrets of Steve Jobs and The Presentation Secrets of Steve Jobs.

Gallo started using the foursquare while on a business trip in New York after a presentation in Hoboken, N.J. He was searching for a place to have dinner, so he opened foursquare to see if it could help. Just around the corner was a restaurant called the Energy Kitchen offering free coffee. “Foursquare opens up a whole new world for you because businesses are using this mobile medium to attract you with incentives,” he said. “I walked into Energy Kitchen — had never been there before, never heard of it before — and it was just fabulous!”

After traveling home to California, Gallo ended up calling the marketing director of Energy Kitchen to pick her brain, and it became the first interview for his book, The Power of foursquare: 7 Innovative Ways to Get Your Customers to Check In Wherever They Are, which was released in November.

When planning for the year ahead, Gallo says think mobile. Foursquare is a good place to start — especially if many of your clients are using foursquare, too.

Gallo chatted with the Weekly Book Scan to provide a window into his foursquare evangelism. Here’s what he had to say:

Can you explain how foursquare works?

Gallo: Foursquare is a mobile, social networking app that allows its users to “check-in” to the places they visit and gives you the ability to share that check-in with your friends and followers. It falls under the category of location-based services.

It doesn’t sound like much. People might ask, “What’s in it for me?” Well, that’s where a lot of business owners need to understand how powerful this is.

There are millions of people checking-in everyday (15 million worldwide). They’re using their mobile phone and foursquare to check-in to restaurants, theatres, gyms, and stores. They’re checking-in every day, in every city, on every continent — 23 times per second someone is checking-in. This is where your clients are already heading. They’re already on these mobile platforms, or at least they’re on their smartphone.

How can real estate professionals specifically benefit from using foursquare?

Gallo: For business owners of any type — not just people who own a restaurant, but REALTORS® as well — they can use foursquare as a business tool. They can use it to attract and engage clients in ways that were never possible before smartphones. There are 500,000 businesses on the platform today and it’s growing. Many of them are rewarding people for their check-ins.

All you have to do is go on foursquare, register your business, and offer a special. The specials can be very creative. And you can offer tips. That’s where it becomes powerful for real estate agents – offering tips helps you become more of a local expert in your area. Users can leave tips (information or recommendations) for any place you check-in to. If you check-in to a place and it awards you for leaving a tip, more people end up leaving tips…and the tips are searchable. You can use foursquare to extend your brand through a whole new category of users through the use of tips, content, and creating content.

How can real estate professionals utilize “tips” on foursquare effectively?

Gallo: Think about your core mission as a real estate agent. You want to communicate what it’s like to live in a certain area. That goes beyond the four walls of a house. Foursquare is simply an extension of what real estate agents have always done offline and it allows them to share local tips specific to venues in their town.

Think of it as word-of-mouth marketing to your friends. You can follow/friend others on foursquare and your tips are pushed to them and vice versa. It’s fun, it’s helpful, and it’s really targeted. You’re targeting people who are already on their smartphones; you’re giving them your local expertise in the palm of their hands. Plus, it is often used in conjunction with Facebook and Twitter. More than 25 percent of foursquare users share their check-ins with friends and followers on Facebook and Twitter – think about how that can build your brand!

It’s good to be on this platform, and it doesn’t cost you anything. The only cost is if you want to offer badges – people can earn badges for different things on foursquare. Starbucks, for example, offers a barista badge. Badges are important to some brands, but for the average real estate agent or broker, probably not.

If the only thing you get out of this is that your clients and your peers see you a relevant, technically savvy, and socially aware, I don’t think that’s a bad thing.

Do you have advice for brokerage owners considering foursquare?

Gallo: There’s a REALTOR® who I quoted in the book named Lori Ordover of the Ordover Group in Miami. She deals with residential developments and she uses foursquare as an extension of her offline activities and brand. She holds open houses and sponsors iPads giveaway for those who checked-in to the open houses on a certain day. It keeps her top-of-mind and it’s an extension of her marketing efforts.

She also created a unique incentive to motivate her agents to sell condominiums. She offered a “mayor” special – which is granted to a person who checks into a certain location over a period of time. Her incentive was for any agent who is the “mayor” of a particular property on a certain date every month would get an extra 1 percent commission on a sale.

What was the first location you checked into?

Gallo: It was a coffee shop down the street called Tully’s Coffee Shop!

How do you respond to those apprehensive about using foursquare?

Gallo: You have to be sensible, just like you do with everything. You don’t have to accept everyone who follows you, and you have to be careful because your followers know where you’re checking-in. Secondly, you don’t have to check-in everywhere you go.

Rich Buyer, Rich Seller! The Real Estate Agents’ Guide to Luxury Marketing Luxury Homes by Laurie Moore-Moore

Gretchen Lambeth

“Fabulous insight into how the luxury market works!  A must read for all agents who want to work in this niche.” — Gretchen L. Lambeth, Hawaiian Isle Real Estate, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii

“Hands down, it’s the best written, most comprehensive yet concise real estate book I have read. It provides unparalleled insight and value to all luxury real estate professionals, from novices to the most experienced.” — Darren Weiner, Antigen Realty, Miami Beach, Fla.

Petra Fahey

“I was one of the early members of the LHMS designation and have attended two of Laura’s classes over the years. This book is the most successful tool I have and the information has allowed me to become and remain a strong presence in the luxury home market for my area.  The most important insight was learning the housing market at the various  price points.  Many of the homes I list are custom homes, so this pricing strategy is paramount in helping me get the price point across to my sellers.  I use this strategy when pricing all my luxury homes and homes that are in other price ranges as well.  After years of following the steps in Laura’s book, I am now regularly interviewed by the local paper when they are working on a real estate specific story.  I can’t thank Laura enough for her efforts that have resulted in my success.” — Petra Fahey,  Real Living Country Ranch, Bullhead City, Ariz.

Carol Holland

“I loved the book, because it gave me insight into ‘real buyers and sellers.’ I have had difficulty in the past with buyers who wanted me to show them the world, but were insulted when I asked them about pre-qualification. I now know how to approach this topic with skill and poise. I treasure this book!” — Carol Holland, Carol’s Luxury Listings, Keller Williams, Chicago

“It is a good read for anyone interested in marketing high-end homes.  But it also serves as a reference book for those practitioners who are looking for information that will give them an edge in promoting their luxury listings.” — Val Arbona, RE/MAX Vintage, Houston

Beth Gustafson

“I have truly appreciated Laurie’s time, experience and willingness to share her expertise with us.  Laurie’s book is a jewel, waiting to be discovered by agents.  I feel lucky to have already been a part of the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing, met Laurie, and know how genuine she is about helping others to be the best they can be.” — Beth Gustafson, Gosa Properties, Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Midtown, Atlanta

Debbie Bragonier

“Laurie’s ‘Guide to Luxury Marketing’ is just that.  Luxury Homes are a special niche of the market that requires special attention.  It’s imperative that an agent understands the luxury home community and how they operate.  Laurie explains it in detail, giving unique insights on how to work with the different groups of people.  Marketing a luxury home is more than just listing it on the MLS with a bunch of fancy pictures.  Not only does Laurie share creative and unique ways to market a Luxury Home but she also demonstrates on how turning a negative (such as a house with a ghost) into a lucrative marketing strategy.  Her creative approach not only produces a buyer for the home but brings in top dollar for it!  The unique thing about this book is that many of the marketing strategies that are outlined are useful in all price points of real estate, not just the luxury home market.  It oozes with creativity.” — Debbie Bragonier, Connect Realty, Granite Bay, Calif.

(7L)The Seven Levels of Communication by Michael Maher

“This book is so easy to read and gives the reader the information they need to make their real estate career profitable, manageable, and worthwhile. It is a life-changing book that will be both a business and personal model for the way we work and live. Not only should real estate agents read it, but their staff, family, and friends should also read it. Michael Maher is truly an inspiration for the way we should live our lives. He lives the meaning of generosity!” — Jeanette R. Holland, The Holland Group, Realty World First Coast Realty, Beaufort, N.C.

Michele Herndon

“I love this book because it spoke to me in ways that no other real estate book has (since The Millionaire Real Estate Agent). My business is basically 80 percent referrals, so I’m very comfortable with the entire concept of what is written in this book and it was a great story to boot!” — Michele Herndon, Keller Williams Realty So. Shore, Tampa Bay, Fla.

Heidi Joy & Tim Kizer

“This has by far been my best read this year for real estate. It has grown our business with its referral/personal touch systems. I love being part of the generosity generation.” — Heidi Joy Fortson, HT Sells Tampa Bay, Tampa Bay, Fla.

“7L is my favorite book because it’s based on a business by referral and truly living a life of helping people.  And it has practical, easy to understand strategies that any business person can implement.  That and it’s an enjoyable easy read.  Every REALTOR® — shoot, every small business person — should have this on their desk as a resource.” — Jeff Wu, Century 21, New Millennium, McLean, Va.

Underwater Home: What Should You Do if You Owe More on Your Home than It’s Worth? by Brent T. White

Nancy Hughes

“At this time, the most important job I can do for my clients is educate them on their options when they are underwater on their mortgage. Mr. White is an attorney and professor of law at the University of Arizona, and he provides excellent information to help these homeowners understand that — in most cases — a strategic default is the best option for them, and that taking this path will not be as onerous for their future as the lenders would like them to believe. I give this book to all of my ‘underwater’ clients, and everyone appreciates it.” — Nancy Hughes, Rancon Real Estate, Temecula, Calif.

For real estate professionals, the bottom line is business. While some people become complacent in their job, others seek opportunities to create more business prospects.

To avoid complacency, think of one personal life change to focus on. It could be attending a networking event each month,  brushing up on social media and technology-based marketing tools, or cracking open that book you have been meaning to read.

Making a small, imperceptible life change can be the secret to achieving your personal goal, says Darren Hardy, publisher and editorial director of SUCCESS Magazine.

In his new book, The Compound Effect: Jumpstart Your Income, Your Life, Your Success (Vanguard Press; November 2011), Hardy reveals why small, consistent changes and smart choices on a daily basis can equal big rewards in the future.

With 17 years experience studying personal development and achievement, Hardy covers many of life’s bases and he helps readers explore options for creating good business habits, a healthier lifestyle, and a more fulfilling personal life. This book is not real estate specific, but it does capture the essence of Hardy’s passion for success.

Hardy got into real estate when he was 20 years old.  He remembers entering an office of 44 veteran agents with thick Rolodexes full of clients.  During a meeting, one of them even called him “a naive snot nosed kid.”  That encounter, he says, was a turning point in his career.  Three months later, he was outselling the entire office.

What made Hardy different? He practiced the Pareto Principle (named after Italian economist, Vilfredo Pareto), also known as the 80-20 rule. When applying the principle to real estate, agents spend 80 percent of their time performing busy with unproductive activities and 20 percent of their time on tasks directly relating to making money, Hardy explains.  “It is shocking to realize how little time sales people actually spend on selling each day,” he says.

So he started to time himself. At first, after an exhausting 12-hour day, he was floored to find out that he only spend 11 minutes and 56 seconds on revenue generating labor. Learning a valuable lesson, he set a new goal of at least two hours daily of real sale productivity where he focused on pitching listings and negotiating contracts. The result? At age 21, he was the number one agent in his market. By 24, he was earning more than $1 million a year. By 27, he owned a $50 million-per-year business.

Hardy decided to write The Compound Effect to help people see the fundamentals of what it really takes to succeed. Through interviews with dozens of personal development experts, business leaders, and star athletes, Hardy found the same fundamental principles of success – five key points: choices, habits, momentum, influences, and acceleration.

“What is easy to do is also easy not to do.  The one thing successful people have in common with unsuccessful people is — they both hate to do what it takes to be successful.  The difference is successful people do it anyway,” he says.

Five Key Points to Harness The Compound Effect

1.  Choices:  Identify what you want to change in your life.
2.  Habits: Present specific strategies for eliminating bad habits.
3.  Momentum: Develop profitable and effective routines.
4.  Influence:  Sustain positive life influences.
5.  Acceleration: Actions that exponentially increase the impact of efforts.

He writes, “The Compound Effect is the operator’s manual that teaches you how to own the system, how to control it, master it, and shape it to your needs and desires.  Once you do, there is nothing you can’t obtain or achieve.”

Raised by his father, a former university football coach, Hardy credits his dad for being the first to instill the power of “The Compound Effect.”  At a young age he had Hardy on a daily routine of workouts, schoolwork, and household chores.  Hardy writes, “One of my father’s core philosophies was, ‘It doesn’t matter how smart you are or aren’t, you need to make up in hard work what you lack in experience, skill, intelligence or innate ability.’”

Hardy applies the five key points to all aspects of his life.  He says the best way to focus his energy is by giving to others.  Do the unexpected. For example, when everyone sends Christmas cards with generic messages, he sends Thanksgiving cards with hand written notes.

“If I want more success for myself, the fastest way to get it is to go about helping someone else obtain it,” he says.

For more information about the book, visit thecompoundeffect.com.

Tell us your favorite real estate book of all-time.

Send an e-mail to Erica Christoffer, echristoffer@realtors.org, that includes the following:

• Title of the real estate book
• Author’s name
• Your name
• Your contact information
• Why it’s your favorite book

Send us your photo, too, and we’ll feature you on the blog!