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Is Your Home Office Costing You Money?

When I first started my real estate career well over two decades ago, real estate agents did not work from home. They worked in cubicles in offices and shared work space.  There wasn’t even an option to work from home. With the expansion of the internet, apps, email, and dashboards available from the coffee-shop down […]

The Phoenix Factor

The one class you need if your business isn’t where you want it to be! When was the last time you took two days to STOP, ASSESS, PLAN, and REINVENT your business?  You may be wondering why your business is not thriving the way you thought it should be.  You feel like you are spinning […]

What an Event! 

Yesterday was our annual Real Estate Success Summit and oh what a success it was! The event was sold out and I was honored to have the most incredible group of speakers share the stage with me.   It was such a special day and I thoroughly enjoyed being able to share my research and predictions […]

When Kitty Calls… Meow! Act Now!

I had the pleasure of attending the Washington REALTORS® Installation Event last night in which my very special client, Kitty Wallace, was installed as Washington REALTORS® president. Kitty’s speech, in which she laid out some of the issues Washington REALTORS® and the National Association of REALTORS® is working on on your behalf, also included a […]

Raise Your Deflector Shield!

Yesterday, I had a great Lunch and Learn with Drew Ebner of Guild Mortgage. It was one of those kicking off the year and getting in the right mindset type of events. One of the topics we touched on was the power of editing out the extra noise and mental clutter that bogs us down. […]

Ask Denise: My Own Space

Posted by Denise Lones on January 23rd, 2020

Q: “Denise, I am thinking about renting some office space. I have tried to work out of my house but I just am not as productive as I was when I went to my brokerage office. But I am at a different brokerage now and don’t have that option. What do you think?”

A: Go for it! I am a huge advocate of finding the right office space for you. I am so pleased that you realized this about yourself and are making that change. In my experience, your increased productivity will more than make up the expense…and then some. Great job!

Branding Spotlight: Veronique Hval

Posted by Denise Lones on January 16th, 2020

The starting point: We first built a brand for Veronique and her business called “Belle Residence” in 2014. We worked with her to achieve a look that incorporates her French background and elegant style. Early last year, she returned for a brand refresh that would simplify her existing brand to create a minimal, sleek look.

The target audience: Veronique works with luxury waterfront properties, so she needed a brand that attracts high net worth individuals. Read more »

Ask Denise: Mentorship

Posted by Denise Lones on January 16th, 2020

Q: “Denise, I have been asked to mentor a new agent. I am flattered and have wanted to give back, but I don’t know exactly what to expect. I don’t want to overextend myself but I do want to be fairly compensated for my time. What do you think?”

If you have been asked by your managing broker to mentor, your company may already have a framework in place for a mentorship program. That would be the first place to start in terms of learning expectations for support and resulting compensation. Read more »

Raise Your Deflector Shield!

Posted by Denise Lones on January 9th, 2020

Yesterday, I had a great Lunch and Learn with Drew Ebner of Guild Mortgage. It was one of those kicking off the year and getting in the right mindset type of events. One of the topics we touched on was the power of editing out the extra noise and mental clutter that bogs us down.

Imagine your new year business as a clean slate. You have a few ongoing actions you need to take, categories of clients to follow up with and you have a concise plan for doing so. The board is mostly clear with just those few things you need to attend to. Read more »

Ask Denise: Resolution Team Up

Posted by Denise Lones on January 9th, 2020

Q: “Denise, I am working my resolutions but feel like I need a little extra help in these first few weeks. Any suggestions?”

A: One great way to get a little extra support, especially if you have both personal and business goals, is to find an accountability partner for each. This might be something as simple as telling your spouse, sibling, parent, or older child about your personal goals and asking for a little help. For work, you might talk with a fellow agent, your managing broker, or even support staff. Read more »

Lessons of 2019 and Tips for a Stellar 2020

Posted by Denise Lones on January 2nd, 2020

Welcome back to a new year and a clean slate.  We all know that the new year brings a slew of resolutions and promises to change your bad habits and become the perfect you.

Whooooooooaaaa!! Slow down. First, let’s get honest about this resolution business.

I have nothing against resolutions, pledges for a better you, and the decision to change bad habits.  What I have a problem with is the harsh nature of some of these resolutions which only lead to short-lived results and ultimately failure to live up to this new perfect you.  If you have resolutions, let’s start with getting honest about what is and is not realistic. Read more »

Ask Denise: Business Resolutions

Posted by Denise Lones on January 2nd, 2020

Q: “OK Denise, one of my resolutions is to get my database mailer out each month like clockwork. Any suggestions for making sure I get that done?”

A: I do have a suggestion for you: Treat your business needs like you would your client’s.

The reason that we don’t get things like this done is because we put our business needs last. But what if we treated our business deadlines like client deadlines? Read more »

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