The Holidays are approaching. There is a never ending to do list that seems to get multiplied this time of year. Is sending Holiday Cards something that should make that list? As a business coach, I say, YES! Sending greeting cards, including Holiday Cards is a way to show your appreciation and send well wishes to your clients. In fact, here are 5 reasons to make sure sending cards makes your Holiday to do list this year:

Show how much you care: The act of sending a card shows the …

Everything is coming together.  You have prospected, contacted and now, finally you get to do your listing presentation.  You have gathered all the information to present your marketing plan, company and self to your new prospect, but how do you do so in a way that is truly effective?  Here are a few tips to help you do an effective listing presentation:
Keep It Simple
Keep the listing presentation informative, yet simple.  You might know all the minute details on how you will market their …

Success in Your Direct Sales Business
By Cheri Alguire
How effective are you at sales?
How many skills do you need to be good at in order to be effective?
Where do you start improving your sales skills?
What if I told you there was a way to measure exactly how effective you were at sales? Well, there is. And not only that, there is a way to measure and access progress made in learning and mastering the direct sales process. It is called the Personal Effectiveness Profile and it assesses the 50 critical skills …

The Trail Approach: Business Plan Review and Vision Casting on the Hiking Trail
By Cheri Alguire
Where do you plan your business?
For me, I do my best thinking and long term planning on the trails. I LOVE hiking. I love to be outside, far away from phones and the internet and my office and really let my brain go. This is where I have come up with some of the best ideas for my business over the years.
I try to get in a short three mile hike daily with longer hikes on the weekends. A few …

PSST.  We are in the People Business, not the Houses Business.
Do you believe that?  Now it is true that you do have to have a working knowledge of home basics.  If you don’t know what a water heater looks, like or the difference between a Rambler and a Split, you may have some challenges being in this industry.  However, having a background in structural engineering won’t help you either, unless you have clients to work with.
I am sure …

by Cheri Alguire
The tax credit has almost expired, now what?
Well, the good thing is that it is SPRING!
I saw some flowers off the trail on a recent hike. It reminded me how much I love Spring.
I love the fresh starts. Beginning all over again. It’s like hitting the refresh button.
And now that we are finally getting some good news about the economy, maybe it will be time for some of those old stall leads to finally buy or sell.
Spring is always a good time to check in with leads, past …

By Cheri Alguire
Remember the “best made plans of mice and men often go astray?” The old adage applies readily to your business plan if you do not manage your time effectively and/or delegate activities when needed. You can have the most inspirational vision, the tightest budget, the most sensible production plan, but if you don’t have the time or resources (staff) to accomplish the goals, you are little better off than when you started.
To better understand the importance of the concept of time management, take a look at how you …