Steven Shewell's (sshewell) Blog

Marketing is like rowing a boat.  When you know how to row properly, the pointed bow moves smoothly forward through the water encountering the least amount of resistance. Rowing backwards, the square stern of the boat pushes against the water, requiring more effort and increases the risk of havin...

Well, the year is over half way gone, and it is time to assess your production to see if you are on track to achieve your goals.  Are you ahead of your goal or are you behind?  Is your marketing working for you or do you need to "tweak" the system a bit to get back on track?I, of course, was fish...

Are you a peak sales performer?  It seems as though every sales pro thinks they are the best.  Nobody else can sell like them, or close like them.  But yet, when I press them on exactly what it is that makes up a peak sales producer, they usually say, a strong positive mental attitude, goals and ...

Recently, a salesperson worked three long months trying to make a high commission sale to a wealthy professional, a doctor.  Not only did the salesperson know their product but they also worked hard to develop a trusting relationship.  The good doctor was astute enough to focus the salesperson's ...

One of the most under appreciated principles in marketing is the power of marketing leverage.  In my estimation there is no where else you can create as much leverage than in your marketing. For example, when you purchase a piece of real estate you can use leverage.  You can put a small amount of...

Attention ALL Realtors:  Knowing The Difference Between Proactive and Passive Marketing Techniques Can Save Your Business!Recently I met with an agent who works for a large, well known real estate company.  As with Realtors in this market, he was struggling to close a decent amount of business.  ...

Have you calculated your e-factor?  Do you even know what an e-factor is?Not knowing this important phrase may be costing you THOUSANDS of dollars in lost commissions.  You need to step back, re-examine what you are doing and begin to plan your path to success.So, what is an e-factor?  It's a fan...

You've heard of the Pareto Principle right?  If not, it's the 80/20 rule that economist Vilfredo Pareto developed through his research. I bet you haven't heard of the 20/50/30 Rule, though... right?  It works hand-in-hand with the 80/20 rule for leads and is more centered on lead qualification.Th...

With all this talk of a soft market and more sellers than buyers, many agents have begun to doubt if they are going to be as successful this year as they were last year.  When I hear that, I automatically assume that they are talking about making more money.  It seems that so many equate success ...

Real estate has enough surprises and challenges - you don't need to create your own.  Self-inflicted agent damage can be solved with patience, education, and experience.  Even with top producers, the occasional snafu, while rare, still happens!  What follows are some of the biggest mistakes many ...