Social Media has been embraced more or less by most businesses and more so by the Real Estate Community.  We have read numerous articles on how to leverage social media, how much time to spend on it, how to create content and so forth.  The purpose of all of this is to be found and be at the top of the search.  All of this should help you.  But social media can bite you if you are not careful. People put a lot of information about themselves on social media so it is natual that people checking potential employees, renters, buyers would want to go to the Internet. However, companies using social media in hiring, or landlords, Realtors, and other sellers need to be fully aware of some the legal problems than can arise when using this media improperly. In the process of looking for potenti... 11/02/2014

Each year two streets in Armonk, NY are filled with people from all over the area.  On Halloween the Streets of Glendale Avenue and Wampus Avenue in Armonk are decorated for Halloween.  And not just any decorations.  Each house seems like they are competing to be the best. The children trick or treating come with eyes wide open.  The owners of the homes are usually outside in custumes or trying to be the scarest home owner.  The street has to be closed and monitored by the Armonk police.     This is quite a sight.  I am now joining a party of friends on Glendale Avenue.   Information and photos provided by Grant Schneider, Performance Development Strategies.   Would you like to know how to make your local business thrive?  Contact us! 10/31/2014

Do you feel like you are a hamster on the running wheel? You just keep running and running and running, but you never seem to reach your destination? The pace of today's society can be overwhelming.  We live in a world of instant communication. As one example, our clients expect instant answers from us almost as quickly as they can Google something.  Buyers have the ability to look up a home online and then text or call.  Our great technology that we can do without has created a new pressure. Instant communication on handheld devices gives us the sense of urgency and feeling that we must always be working.    I have some good news for you. You have the power to jump off and run the right course and take control of your life.  When you tak contrl of your life you will stop reaction and h... 10/26/2014

The center of Armonk on Main Street is bustling this morning.  Every year on the Saturday before Halloween the local merchants let the students of Byram Hills Schools paint Halloween themes on the windows.  There are also school booster programs along the sidewalk.  Armonk is a great place to live.  I have live here since 1988 and both of my daughters attended the great Byram Hills Schools.  The weather is sunny and I got better pictures than the ones I showed earlier this week at the Starbucks in Chappaqua.     If you have not been to Main Street in Armonk recently you will be pleasantly surprised. Next up:  Halloween on Wampus and Glendale Avenues.  I will have pictures but if you want to see creatively decorated houses bring your children or grandchildren to these streets on Hallowee... 10/25/2014

In the old time world of selling the letters ABC meant always be closing.  However, today's customers are much more educated and, in an age where customers can do research on the Internet, always be closing can be seen as pushy and sleazy.  According to Dan Pink, author of To Sell Is Human,  salespeople no longer hold an information advantage over the customer.  They are now more curators of information rather than providers.  That is certainly true in Real Estate.  The customer does not have to come to the office to see the MLS book.  They can find out what they need online.  So someone may ask you why do we need salespeople?  But those of working today's sales already know the answer to that question. We need sales more than ever but we no longer need or want the old time sales where ... 10/20/2014

Fall is a colorful time of the year in Armonk, NY.  I love living in this bucolic community with beautiful surroundings but only a 40 minute train ride to Manhattan.  I love having my office here and helping Westchester County Businesses.   Wampus Pond Park is located on Route 128 just outside of the center of Armonk.   Pictures provided by Performance Development Strategies, Armonk, NY   Contact us if you would like to improve the performance of your Armonk NY or Westchester County NY Business.   10/15/2014

When people in the same business are working at cross purposes it is a disaster waiting to happen.  Sometimes people know there is something wrong but they just are not sure about what it is.  Here are some of the statements I hear from my Westchester County NY business owners.   “I was on vacation last week and nothing got done.” “I need to approve the sales proposals before they go out.” “I can’t trust others with my best clients.”  These statements are symptoms that the owner and the team are not on the same page.   As a business owner or broker you certainly do not want your business to be operated this way.  You and your staff are not aligned.  You are probably running your organization as if you were driving your car with your emergency brake on. You move forward but not with the ... 10/12/2014

  Schedule a Showing/Request Info Search All Homes For Sale Bedford, NY Homes for Sale Homes for Sale Free List of Foreclosed Homes For Sale Free List of Short Sale Homes For Sale Need to Short Sale your Home? Find out how here   Mark Boyland Keller Williams NY Realty 914-234-4444 Questions?Schedule a Showing! MLS#: 4408827   Licensed In:NY Information valid for the date of this posting only. Please contact us for the most current information and status of this property. 23 FARAWAY ROAD NORTH CASTLE, NY Scan with your smartphone & take me with you. Description Photos Maps & Local Schools Virtual Tour Print Brochure       Country Charm Defines This Ranch Style Home $ Click for current price 4 BEDROOMS 3 BATHROOMS ( 2 full, 1 half ) 1923 Square Feet Tucked away on a large lake front and ... 10/09/2014

There are many a number of opportunities for Westchester residents to celebrate an annual event, that of Oktoberfest.  Oktoberfest is a event celebrated in Germany in the month of September but here in the US we celebrate in October.  It is a giant beer festival of great beer and Gemütlichkeit.  The german word translates in comfort, coziness, sociability, and ambiance. Here is a sample of Oktoberfests here in Westchester County NY. White Plains When: October 12, 2014  2 to 7pm Where: White Plains - East Post Road and Maple Ave Cost: $5.00 More information: www.wpbid.com/events_BID_oktoberFest.htm   Bear Mountain State Park When: Weekends through October 26,  2014  12 to 6pm Where: 3020 Seven Lakes Drive, Bear Mountain, NY 10911 Cost: Free plus $8.00 parking fee www.visitbearmountain.co... 10/09/2014

When I talk with a prospective client occasionally I will have someone say that they are so tired of hearing about goals.  It is as if some are just looking for someone to deliver that silver bullet.  Unfortunately, there is no silver bullet and success is spelled WORK.  Setting goals is one of the most important keys to achieving success. We have found that the most successful people are the ones who have specific, written goals. Writing down your goals makes sense and yet a large number of people have not done it. When you ask them why they don’t have written goals they are likely to respond that they have it in their head. Then if you were to ask the same people if they have plans for their next vacation and they will produce elaborate written plans. Setting a goal is not as easy as ... 10/05/2014

I have spent the last three days at my NY State Society for Human Resource Management (NYS SHRM) conference in Buffalo, NY.  I work as a volunteer there and I always appreciate listening to the quality speakers.   Stedman Graham presented a great keynote address on Leadership.  Graham's message was one of personal leadership and organizing your life around your identity.  We need to transform more people from followers to leaders and change the way they think. Graham maintains that your influence as a leader is developed by knowing who you are, where you are going, and how you are going to get there.  But, he says that in order to lead others you first must be able to lead yourself.  Does this sound familier?   And above all, If we fail to define ourselves we risk letting other define u... 09/30/2014

Have you heard someone say, "If you don't measure it you can't manage it."  That is really pretty basic.  For example, if you want to reach a sales goal you need to measure activity such as contacts made, appointments made, and sales made.  Otherwise, you have no plan and are relying on luck.  How do you think that will work out? The Westchester County business owners that I coach make their businesses more successful because they have a plan and they act on it.  These businesses define success through their vision, their values, and goals. Then to stay on top of their business they monitor and measure results. If you want to have a sustainable business you need to have a strategic business plan, goals and objectives, and a way to measure your progress. What you measure is just as impor... 09/28/2014

I have been giving Richie’s "Scratch the Itch" contest a lot of thought.  I have had a tag line since I started my business in 2009.  The one I have been using is”Taking Your Business from Good to Great.” Of course, that was really coined by Jim Collins.  So I have experimented with others.  I still wish I could come up with a memorable rhyme but it still hasen’t happened.  Then I started using, “Creating Results YOU can count on.” Of course, I want a tagline that identifies instantly with me and what I represent.  When I go to a networking event and hear others use the phrase “grow your business” I don’t know enough about what they do.  Indeed, that phrase is a strategy in itself because when someone asks, “How do you do that?” your beginning answer would be, ”it depends.” I help busi... 09/24/2014

Would you like to grow your real estate brokerage or your real estate services business in Westchester, NY?.  Depending on what you are doing you may hire an employee or you may want to bring and agent or associate to work under your umbrella.  Let's start with an agent or an associate who will not be your employee. I have known a few brokers that are trying to get as many people under their umbrella for bragging rights.  I want to ask them, "How's that working out?"  Whether it is an employee or non employee, if you have the wrong person it will not help and may even hurt your business. Rather than trying to sell an agent or associate why not put information out and invite people to a "mutual evaluation." Don't allow them to make a decision on the first visit but explain your business ... 09/21/2014

Today I attended a program on cyber security at the Westchester Human Resource Management Association which is group of HR Executives working in Westchester County NY.  Why do HR executives need to be concerned about cyber security in the first place?  That is the IT and computer department’s job you might think. But no, cyber security is everyone’s responsibility.  It is certainly the responsibility of HR in a company and it is also the responsibility of the broker and agent in real estate.  Robert Siciliano always gives us great information about identify theft and how we should protect ourselves.  But how do we protect our clients?  We have a responsibility to maintain security of our client’s private information.  And if we have employees and provide employee benefits we are liable... 09/17/2014

Have you ever asked where you can find a leader for your team, a project, or a volunteer organization?  This just happened in one of my volunteer organizations.  The question was asked but it was answered by silence.  Could it be that people do not have the courage to step up because they do not know if they are qualified.  Perhaps they are thinking that they are not a born leader. But really, what is a born leader? And if one exists do we know where to find that person?  If I were to ask you to tell me what qualities you think of when you think of a great leader each of you would probably answer with totally different qualities and attributes. I have just read some blogs remembering events on the anniversary of 9/11. Did born leaders appear at just the right time? Were Mayor Giuliani a... 09/14/2014

If you would like to enjoy some art and enjoy the fall outdoor weather at the same time then come visit the 53rd Annual Armonk Outdoor Art Show.  The event will be held on Saturday September 20 and Sunday September 21.  The admission proceeds for this event go to benefit The North Castle Public Library and the Whippoorwill Hall Theater.   The weekend will kick off on Friday night with "Basquiat" a film by Julian Schnabel, shown at 7pm in Whippoorwill Hall.   Link to the Art Show Web Site.   Image above courtesy of the Armonk Outdoor Art Show. What: Armonk Outdoor Art ShowWhen: Saturday Sept. 20 and Sunday Sept.  21Where: 205 Business Park Drive, Armonk, NY (Exit 3 off I 684)Cost: $10, $8 for seniors, children under 18 FREEWho: Anyone interested in seeing artists' works and supports of N... 09/10/2014

Today it is not enough to just satisfy your customer.  You need to create a wow that is strong enough to create an emotional attachment to you.  We should all agree with Lou Ludwig that our customer is the boss.  But who are our customers?  As Barbara Todaro says brokers have internal customers in their agents.  Most of us have internal customers (team or staff members) as well as our external customers.  The best way to make sure we have the wow factor with all of them is to ask them--all of them! How many of us do that?  Or do we rely only on the testimonials of those who take time to do them? As a Realtor your goal is insuring that your customer has a great and successful experience in buying or selling their home. If you have exceeded their expectations they will come back and refer... 09/07/2014

  One of the top issues keeping a Westchester NY entrepreneur up at night is how to get the team to work at peak performance.  Developing a high performing team means more sales, profits, and success for everyone on the team.  As everyone knows, an entrepreneur or broker needs to recruit good people.  That is an entirely different issue which we won't cover in this post but in a future one. In any event, you can't just recruit people for your team, tell them how great it is, and say now it's up to you.  They need encouragement, training, development, mentoring, and accountability.  The new agent whom you just recruited really wants an opportunity to grow his or her skills and become a success. Part of the guidance they need comes in the form of feedback and performance appraisals.  If y... 09/01/2014

Open House: August 30, Saturday 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM Schedule a Showing/Request Info Search All Homes For Sale Bedford, NY Homes for Sale Homes for Sale Free List of Foreclosed Homes For Sale Free List of Short Sale Homes For Sale Need to Short Sale your Home? Find out how here   Mark Boyland Keller Williams NY Realty 914-234-4444 Questions?Schedule a Showing! MLS#: 4408827   Licensed In:NY Information valid for the date of this posting only. Please contact us for the most current information and status of this property. 23 FARAWAY ROAD NORTH CASTLE, NY Scan with your smartphone & take me with you. Description Photos Maps & Local Schools Virtual Tour Print Brochure       Country Charm Defines This Ranch Style Home $ Click for current price 4 BEDROOMS 3 BATHROOMS ( 2 full, 1 half ) 1923 Sq... 08/28/2014