I began a challenge 2 months ago with a good friend and National Speaker Michael Maher from Kansas City, Missouri. We both knew that we needed a change in our lives and knew the first place to start was with our physical appearance. The Life of Real Estate and speaking around the country is hard on the body and mind. I needed a program that was “plug and play"- no options just “do your best and forget the rest” to quote the author/trainer of P90x- Tony Horton.

Over the last 2 months Michael Maher and myself have been encouraging each other to the next level with Video Journaling. We have noticed a couple of things:

1. Accountability is Key

2. By posting videos on Facebook we have now committed to this program not only to each other but a larger audience

3. One reward has been seeing others catch a glimpse of what their life and bodies can become. Perhaps this is what drove Tony Horton to first create this program.

     Below is a sample video from my video Journaling found on the home page for James Nellis in Facebook- you can view more at www.facebook.com/jamesnellis

We encourage you to look within and see if there are any changes you want to make either inside or out and begin today!

So, later today you receive a phone message or a voicemail from out of your local area. What do you do first? Many people would stop and try to think who it could possibly be that called them with that number… Others would quickly check their voicemail to figure it out and the rest of us may simply call back the number direct and ask who just called them… I have also found depending on the phone carrier you may or may not always get the caller identification on your cell phone to register who just called you.

I can tell you from first hand experience that I do not answer BLOCKED callers. If you are running a business and attempting to call leads or prospects I would suggest you no longer block your calls. It can be viewed as a simple matter of trust. YOU are obviously calling them to request they answer your questions, buy your products or simply pick up their call on their dedicated line YET you do not have anough trust in them to open up your own line. Can you see the apparent break down of trust that you are conveying before you ever say a word?

There are some easy solutions to put you more in control of the next conversation between you and a possible client or lead. Technology has given us a gift to manage our time better… One is voicemail transcription services…

There are many services out there- the most important things for you to focus on when choosing a company is: Speed (how long from when the message is left till you get the email or text with the transcription), Cost (how much are they charging you- if you are running a business off that line- look for unlimited plans), Control (Hosting the data and messages on their server so you can listen online or download it to your computer at any time as an attachment. Most companies will email you the transcription with the wav. file attached so you can listen right away). My preferred vendor can be found under my resource icon or click here: PHONETAG By the way, once you join Phonetag, they encourage you to spread it virally and give you a free month of their service whenever someone signs up for the product. Many companies have cut down on their marketing expenses by offering free services based on referrals to their members or subscribers.

After you see the transcription on your smart phone and read the message or listen to the wav. file how do you find out more about the possible client? You should start with the area code… Look up the area code so that you can gather more data.  A quick resource that is also free is: LincMad - they host free tables for you to see the counties related to the number. This week I received a call from a 707 area code. I did not know where it was but assumed the west coast. Here is the screen shot of what I found… Click on it to research your own:

So by reviewing this I realized that 707 is the Sonoma-California area. Now I know more about either their current location OR where they used to live. It will also make me more aware of what time to call the number back. If I am on East Coast time a call at 9 AM EST will not be well received in California. Start using both of these today when interacting with clients and “Happy Dialing"…

I could not resist the visual of what I saw last night.. Putting aside the styrofoam and plastic that is horrible for the environment… I started thinking about the TRASH that accummulates in my own life…

Trash in our lives can be a broad term. It can encompass negative attitudes, negative thoughts and things that impact our lives. Some is self-inflicted and other times trash can be dumped on us by others, co-workers, friends and even family.

There is a living land fill that we ourselves are responsible for everyday. Our Attitudes and Actions will ultimately shape who we become in our lifetimes. So how does this involve business? How do we begin to take out the Trash. Let’s start with 3 simple principles:

1. TRASH must be SEEN: We have the tendency to sweep issues “under the rug"… We avoid the trash that impacted us in a negative way. Harsh criticism of our job performance, negative comments about the way we dress or act. How many hurtful things can you think of right now?? Most of us could think of at least 3 things within the last month that occurred in either life or business. Start today by identifying what TRASH is weighing you down and accummulating under the rug or in a closet.

2. TRASH must be EMPTIED: Let’s use the 3 items you just thought of… Write them down on a piece of paper… Go ahead, I will wait…

Now that you have written them down… Do any involve comments from another person? FORGIVE them now… Email or call them and let them know what they said was hurtful to you and you wanted to forgive them for it.

Was it a negative event in your life or a task at work? Take that and get rid of it except for the lesson learned. In the sports arena it is said that the best quarterback never remembers… The quarterback ONLY lives in the present…

Take your 3 items that were written down and now put them in the trash can outside of the house. You have now emptied them from your mind, your body and your life. Today we will start living in the present.

3. TRASH must be REPLACED: Our lives must be lived in balance. Now you have just freed yourself. You now have more time to think of things that can positively impact you and others. You can now focus on the task at hand forgetting the last mistake on a business deal or with your boss. You are the quarterback of all your situations. Write down 3 things you will spend time on this week:

1. Spend 2 hours with my children.  2. Spend an hour each day working out.  3. 15 minutes of meditation before beginning each day.

        It does not matter what your new items are… the BEST part is that you have SEEN the trash, EMPTIED the trash and now REPLACED it with things that will make a better you, a better day and a better life.

Talk about “buzz words"… Social Networking, Social Media, Social Platforms. Everywhere you turn someone has a new idea of how to make it work for you. I have even seen many Speakers and Instructors leap into this arena without truly understanding the concept. I think all corporations and businesses need to take a serious look at how to implement Web 2.0 and social networking to truly profit from how business is conducted today.

Before you look at attending a class or consulting with a company make sure they have “real world” experience. Are they currently utilizing all of these technologies? Are they making money from them? You need to find a company or course that can take you through all of the basics and help you become an expert in social networking so that you will be the recognized guru of your own field online.

I have had the pleasure of speaking around the Country within the last year and have seen many online social faux pas being made by both Speakers and attendees. Out of the growing need I partnered with Mike Parker, a National CRS Instructor and active Real Estate Agent out of Northern Kentucky to create a 1 day course that will help you to the next level of social networking.

Mike and I have found that many of my readers and business professionals have profiles on all sorts of different networks but no idea how to leverage them nor which ones to focus on today. We created a course titled: “The Big Bang of Social Networking & Technology". We cover everything that will benefit you today. We have found the whole topic so overwhelming for some organizations and companies that we also now offer consulting on a case by case basis.

Contact Spoken Word Seminars to find out more and how to book “The Big Bang of Social Networking & Technology” in your local area.

Announce My Move is a web based company that originated in the Real Estate profession. It utilitzes the venue of social media and networking to assist buyers, sellers & Realtors. The focus is on the client. Announce My Move allows the Realtor to assist their client in providing a unique URL or website for their home purchase or sale.

Announce My Move has branched out from announcing simply a home move to announcing new listings, newsletters and even Open Houses. Once you create the unique site it will allow you to copy and paste it into an email or any social networking tool. Many clients have started posting the excitement of their new home or sale on Facebook & Twitter.

Spoken Word Seminars has negotiated a discount with Announce My Move for their readers. Find out more about the discount at:

AnnounceMyMove Discount