In my last post, “Lovecats, Likeability, and a Plan to Save the World“, I discussed the teachings of someone very influential to me.  Tim Sanders, New York Times bestselling author of “Love is the Killer App“, “The Likeability Factor“, and most recently “Saving the World at Work” has been teaching the ways of the “Lovecat” for years.

As discussed in my previous post, the “Lovecat” method focused on approaching your life and business by “Obeying the Law of Abundance”, and sharing your contacts, knowledge, and compassion with those around you.  This mentality was a predecessor to the Social Web mentality that dominates the “proper” uses of social networks and collaboration today.  Because of this, and his forward thinking towards best business practices, I asked Tim to answer a couple of quick questions for me as to his prediction of business today and moving forwards.

(Q&A between Matt Dollinger “MD” and Tim Sanders “TS”)

MD – Describe how you feel the Likeability Factor and Love is the Killer App have changed for today?

TS – Both are still true.  The L Factor, in particular is important as it can look after you during tough times.  More than ever, we need to inspire others with our outlook.

MD – Any insight into the Lovecat method and the rise of Social Media?

TS – Giving rocks.  The Lovecat method (grow others, trust them to reciprocate) lies at the heart of social media.  That’s why I find Twitter and Facebook so valuable to society.  We must, however, give not take in our social media work.

MD – How would you suggest a company/business transition to “Lovecat” if they weren’t before?

TS – Trial and trial and trial.  If you will give giving a chance, and a reasonable long time line for return, you’ll get hooked on it.

MD – What do you feel the biggest challenge of business today is?

TS – Overcoming the scarcity mindset that’s setting in with the recession.  When we believe that “there’s not enough to go around”, we get fearful and inward thinking.  That’s the enemy to innovation.  It’s time to defiantly be hopeful.

MD – How do you feel Social Media has changed business today – forever?

TS – Social media has made the world more transparent and smaller.  Add video on mobile phones with easy upload and there are no more secrets.  This will force companies to focus on do-no-harm+do-some-good instead of simply being less bad or complying with the law.  Ray Anderson (founder of Interface) once told me that compliance was “being as bad as the law will allow.”

MD – What is the #1 question that is asked of you in your speaking and what’s your answer?

TS – Question: What do you do when others take advantage of your giving nature?  Answer: Look the other way, because it only happens about 10% of the time at the most.  Don’t let your ego tell you that giving never gives back because it does.

The “Law of Abundance” as Tim writes about often should, in my opinion, be the new “Golden Rule” for not only Social Media, but for business and personal growth as well.  Take a few minutes, view the videos below, and share your thoughts… This time the good guys WILL finish first!

Abundance Versus Scarcity Part 1 – Tim Sanders

Abundance Versus Scarcity Part 2 – Tim Sanders

Abundance Versus Scarcity Part 3 – Tim Sanders

Read more posts like this by Matt Dollinger @ www.TheYouFactor.com or follow me on Twitter here.

We need to steer clear of this poverty of ambition, where people want to drive fancy cars and wear nice clothes and live in nice apartments but don’t want to work hard to accomplish these things. Everyone should try to realize their full potential. – Barack Obama

If you are like me (and even if you aren’t) you probably watched the election this year with Awe.  It seemed that even when the going got tough and the mud-slinging got rampant, our now President-Elect Barack Obama kept his cool and ran one of the most innovative and effective campaigns EVER.  Even taking out the “Presidential” element of this campaign, Mr. Obama ran one of the most awesomely instrumented marketing, informational, and electrifying “companies” out there.  And I, for one, think that he has single-handedly changed the political world forever.

Recently, there have been hundreds of posts regarding his comprehensive campaign and what we in the business community should learn about it.  Alison Rogers who writes the column “Diary of a Real Estate Rookie” at Inman recently wrote an entry entitled “A Presidential Marketing Lesson” and breaks the bullet points of his campain into 5 easily digestible areas of focus.

1. Define your brand.

2. Give people a place to find you.

3. Have a weird name.

4. Offer, if it’s possible, premiums.

5. Put the calls to action in your drip marketing.

And where I agree with Alison on these points I think that it goes even further than this.  There are many paralells that we as business folks should identify with (in additon to those above) and adopt immediately.  Some of those that stand out to me are as follows:

• Be Human – The guy was likeable.  He could talk to a celebrity and then turn around and talk to a UAW worker in Detroit… and he did so by being authentic.  (For more on this check out the book Authenticity – What Consumers Really Want by Pine, Gilmore and Joseph)
• Put your Value Proposition where everyone can see it.  On his website there was an ISSUES tab that outlined his views, stances, and what he wanted to do about it.  QUESTION:  Do your clients see your value proposition and what you stand for on your website or in your branded items?
• Don’t sugar coat shit.  I don’t know another way to say it, (sorry if I offended anyone), but it’s true.  Obama ran this entire campain on change and hope… but in his acceptance speech, Mr. Obama set the record straight by stating, “The road ahead will be long. Our climb will be steep. We may not get there in one year or even one term, but America – I have never been more hopeful than I am tonight that we will get there. I promise you – we as a people will get there.” Read the full transcript here
• Use all the tools.  SMS, Email, Viral Video, blogs, podcasts, oh my!  Obama used all of them to get his message of Change out to the public.  But… many of us aren’t incredibly savvy to this technology?  Hire someone.  Take a class.  Try something out.  Experiment.  I will say this and mean it… you cannot compete in today’s marketplace without using all the tools at your disposal.
• Stick to your message and brand.  Throughout everything, Obama stuck to one point and continued to leverage it throughout the campaign.  CHANGE and HOPE.  These were not necessarily tangable elements, but allowed him to capitalize on the desire for a better America.

And lastly, excite your audience by believing in what you preach.  Read, listen, or watch any of his speeches throughout the campaign and see how, even calmly, he is passionate about everything he speaks on.  Where President “Elect” Obama may have changed the rules of presidential campaigns forever, by taking some points from him and his “You Factor” I think we can all turn our respectful business worlds on their ear.

- Dollinger

Are you investing in Real Estate MARKETING or Real Estate ADVERTISING?

Advertising: The paid, public, non-personal announcement of a persuasive message by an identified sponsor; the non-personal presentation or promotion by a firm of its products to its existing and potential customers.

Marketing: The systematic planning, implementation and control of a mix of business activities intended to bring together buyers and sellers for the mutually advantageous exchange or transfer of products.

- Quick Test - Based on the definitions above, categorize the following real estate “marketing” efforts:

• Just Listed Postcards – ___ (Advertising) ___ (Marketing)
• Email Drip Campaigns – ___ (Advertising) ___ (Marketing)
• Direct Mail Campaigns – ___ (Advertising) ___ (Marketing)
• Online Banner Ads – ___ (Advertising) ___ (Marketing)
• Farming a Neighborhood – ___ (Advertising) ___ (Marketing)
• FSBO’s and Expireds – ___ (Advertising) ___ (Marketing)
• Informercials – ___ (Advertising) ___ (Marketing)
• Grocery Carts ___ (Advertising) ___ (Marketing)
• Cold Calls – ___ (Advertising) ___ (Marketing)
• Agent Websites – ___ (Advertising) ___ (Marketing)

I could go on, but I think you get the idea. Here’s a newsflash though… ALL OF THESE ARE FORMS OF ADVERTISING BUT DON’T HAVE TO BE!

So, how could we turn some of these “Advertising” efforts into “Marketing” campaign?

Just Listed Postcard to renters featuring a property suited for First Time Buyers – Marketing

Email Campaigns focusing on things to do in your town, or information specific to their buying needs

Direct Mail Campaigns focusing on the psychographics of your database (See Understanding Your Clients Post Here)

Farming a Neighborhood and sending them to a website like the one of my past agents developed www.510werie.com

FSBO’s and Expireds can benefit from the information and help you can provide to them (80% of them will sign with a Realtor, 70% will sign with the first Realtor they talk to, and they’ll probably use you on the buy side if they like you and feel you helped them)

And the list goes on…

It’s time to innovate, and bring yourself and emotion into the equation. By reading, living, and incorporating the true definition of MARKETING listed above, you will be taking the first steps forward into a new level of business.

Matt Dollinger

So let’s say… hypothetically of course… that you like reading about all of the following things:

• Real Estate Market Statistics
• The latest technology for your Blackberry
• Social Networking Media Developments
• Indie Rock Bands playing in Chicago
• Great Grilling Recipes
• Barack Obama
• Matt Dollinger I mean whatever your social identity is.
• And… WHAT YOUR COMPETITION IS DOING

Wanna know when there’s a GREAT article written, blog post, update or anything else on these topics? Try Google Reader and it’s delivered comprehensively to your email account daily, weekly or monthly FOR FREE. Easier than using Google Reader (and for different purposes), Google Alerts give you a simple way to monitor sports scores, the political campaign, your Social Identity, and research the competition.

Below are two videos that will show you EVERYTHING you need to know about setting up Google Alerts, Keywords, and delivery methods. Enjoy!

Matt Dollinger

Basic Using of Google Alerts

Using Google Alerts as Your Virtual Research Assistant

The Only Thing We Have To Fear… Is Fear Itself

On March 4, 1933 Franklin D. Roosevelt faced a country in fear, in depression and receited one of the most eloquent speeches in Presidential history. Entering the Presidency in the middle of the Great Depression, Roosevelt inherited 13,000,000 unemployed and almost every bank in our Nation closed. In his first “hundred days,” he proposed, and Congress enacted, a sweeping program to bring recovery to business and agriculture, relief to the unemployed and to those in danger of losing farms and homes… sound familiar?

Fear was not an option for FDR. Having battled to use his legs after being stricken with poliomyelitis, the challenge of facing a Nation at its knees was simply another battle.

Today we face issues ourselves. Homes, Jobs, and a fluctuating economy strike at the heart of each of us, and for those of us in the Real Estate profession it is our turn to overcome this fear. Fear is not simply an emotion, it is a debilitator, it is a paralyzation, it is a disease that can only be overcome by action.

And so I urge those of you with the strength to stand up against this fear to combat with the tools you have amongst you. Educate your clients. Arm youself with knowledge. Embrace new technology. You are the solution… not the disease, and rather than pointing fingers and throwing blame assist in rectifying the problem. Action will combat your fear. Knowledge will rise you above. Education will move you forward.

The Utterz below was recorded after talking with a friend, facing unemployment, and struggling to rise above the Fear.

Matt Dollinger

Caffeine... it does a body good

So I was sitting in Starbucks this morning across the street from one of our offices, meeting with a couple of agents.  In between meetings I approached the manager (Kelly) to see if she might have a couple of minutes to talk.  I told her that I was interested in finding out about the culture, mentality and training program that Starbucks implemented, and she was happy to talk about it.

The reason I chose Starbucks, was because it has always stood out in my mind as one of those “Experience Entrepreneurs”… highly talked about in Joseph Michelli’s book “The Starbucks Experience“.  It never really was about the coffee to me with Starbucks… When I think about Starbucks, I think about Comfy Chairs, Great Smells, Pretty People and WiFi.  To be honest, if the choice is between Starbucks and a local provider, I will always try to support the little guy.  But I digress… and millions of people across the world frequent this franchise on a daily basis.  Below is a detailed account of what I learned in 15 minutes from a Starbucks Manager named Kelly.

“Starbucks Coffee is the #1 purveyor of coffee in the world.  We are here to educate and enhance the best possible customer experience – Howard Schultz“

• Starbucks goal is to become the Third Place in our daily lives.  (i.e. Home, Work and Starbucks)  “We want to provide all the comforts of your home and office.  You can sit in a nice chair, talk on your phone, look out the window, surf the web… oh, and drink coffee too,” said Kelly.  (Notice she put “drink coffee” last???)
• “The idea behind customer service here is to make it one that isn’t just good, we want to make it Great.  If people have a BAD experience, they’ll tell 7 people.  If they have an average experience they’ll tell no one.  If they have a GREAT experience, they’ll tell 2-3.  Making it a great experience though, isn’t just about service.  If they have a problem (bad drink, cracked lid, etc.), we want to do everything to make it right, then and there.”
• “Our entire training process is learning by example.  We have new employees shadow experienced people to learn how to make the drinks, how to talk with customers, how to interact.  You can’t learn that kind of thing from a book.”
• “We approach everything in our store from a ‘What I would want’ mentality.  The music, the cleanliness, the service… everything has to be what we would want if we came in as a customer.”
• “When we look at hiring someone we always ask the question, ‘What does coffee mean to you?’  For some people it’s simply a pick me up in the morning.  For me, who never drank coffee before, it was something that brought people together.  It’s a conversation piece, something that opens the doors between people or allows others to simply lose themselves and relax.”
• “Good attitude, curious into what the customer needs/wants, outgoing, and conversational without overstepping any boundaries.  This type of person is not only an asset to the team, but the customer as well.”

“What’s another company that delivers service like Starbucks?  I ride motorcycles and I would have to say that Harley Davidson does a really good job.  If I’m looking for a part, I can talk with someone that day and know that they’re not only going to call me back, but they’re going to check in with me afterwards to make sure that I got everything I need.” – Kelly

Apple, Starbucks, Harley Davidson… all of these have done everything they can to understand the wants and needs of their customer, while delivering them at a human, interactive level.  Do I think that Kelly probably has an incredible knowledge of beans, roasting processes, and an intricate coffee palate?  Absolutely.  But, I assumed this walking in the door.  What keeps me coming back is the fact that they have inquired, done their homework, and delivered on their promise to become the 3rd place in my life.

They understand the importance of The Customer Experience and have invested alot of time and money to deliver it.  Even though Dunkin Donuts has better coffee according to Consumer Reports, is about $1 cheaper, and is more convenient, I (along with millions of other consumers) will drive a little further, spend a little more time, and spend a little more money for what is promised by this company from Seattle.

I’ll take a side of Customer Experience with my Americano please…

Thanks Kelly.  By sticking to the Starbucks “You Factor” you made my experience great… and I’m telling my 2-3 people.

Matt Dollinger

@properties

Where I believe that these represent many different types of elements that could be applied to the real estate industry and business 2.0 and as a whole, this is just a sampling of what’s truly out there.

Below is a list of blogs that I highly recommend. I have used some from the Inman Blog Network, some that I simply enjoy reading for ideas and insight, and have tried to categorize them for you. Also, I have included a short 30 second video at the end of this post on how to simply copy these URLs below and paste them into your Google Reader.

Technology – Blogs that focus on integrating the latest and greatest technology into the real estate business world.

Industry – The movers and the shakers of the real estate world are reported here, as well as a heft dose of opinion and heart.

Business 2.0 – These are the voices of the new business world. Who I look to for inspiration and insight.

*Technology*

Future of Real Estate Marketing

http://feeds.feedburner.com/TheFutureOfRealEstateMarketing

Geek Estate

http://feeds.feedburner.com/Geekestate

Transparent Real Estate

http://feeds.feedburner.com/TransparentRealEstatewwwtransparentrecom

My Tech Opinion

http://feeds.feedburner.com/TechnologyforRealEstate

Tech Crunch

http://www.google.com/ig/add?feedurl=http%3A%2F%2Ffeeds.feedburner.com%2FTechcrunch

*Industry*

4Realz

http://4realz.net/feed/

Agent Genius

http://agentgenius.com/?feed=rss2

1000Watt Blog

http://feeds.feedburner.com/typepad/1000wattblog

Inman

http://feeds.feedburner.com/InmanBlog

The Real Estate Tomato

http://feeds.feedburner.com/TheRealEstateTomato

Luxury Insights (The Institute for Luxury Home Marketing)

http://feeds.feedburner.com/typepad/ilhm/luxury_insights

The Future of Real Estate Technology

http://feeds.feedburner.com/TheFutureOfRealEstateTechnology?format=xml

*Business 2.0 Blogs*

1000Watt Blog

http://feeds.feedburner.com/typepad/1000wattblog

Seth Godin’s Blog

http://feeds.feedburner.com/typepad/sethsmainblog

Tim Sander’s Blog

http://feeds.feedburner.com/SandersSays

Malcolm Gladwell’s Blog

http://gladwell.typepad.com/gladwellcom/rss.xml

Fast Company’s Expert Blog

http://feeds.feedburner.com/fastcompany/experts?format=xml

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H7HVm5rSNf0]

Good Luck and Happy Reading!

Matt Dollinger

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