Landlords and rehabbers take notice - you may soon be focused on the new concepts of “Virtual Real Estate Investing“. There are many variations on what this term means, encompassing everything from using the internet to aid in real estate investing efforts to participating in online games such as SecondLife.

To get the facts, I sought out the man generally considered to be the father of virtual real estate investing: Bryan Ellis.

When I began using the term virtual real estate investing in the late 1990s, I did so because I saw clear parallels between the strategies used for profiting from physical real estate and those that would create income in the online world, said Ellis.

One example of the parallels between virtual and physical real estate Bryan Ellis cites is the similarity between the monetization of domain names versus physical property. “These types of assets - websites and physical real estate - can be monetized in very similar ways like buy lo/sell high, leasing/rental and advertising opportunities” he says.

The similarities really are obvious. Consider this: If you own a piece of real estate in a desirable neighborhood, your real estate has value because other people are interested in that location. Similarly, ownership of a desirable domain name is valuable for the same reasons. So it doesn’t matter if you own physical real estate or virtual real estate - you’ll likely use similar strategies to turn them into money in your pocket.

In our next installment of this series on virtual real estate investing, Bryan Ellis will share the internet analogies to the physical concept of real estate development.

Many people believe that the main reason for representatives leaving their organisation is that of money in that they leave for a bigger salary. In fact, the biggest reason why people leave organisations is that the role they are doing is no longer offering any challenge or excitement. The second reason is due to the behaviour and capability of the immediate line manager. More often than not, the two are strongly linked with the manager taking little interest in the representative’s development and as such the representative feels under valued and bored due to the lack of attention and challenge.

Often the blame is laid at the manager’s door, but the representative must take a share of the responsibility also. The trouble usually arises when expectations are not laid out “on the table” with both parties unaware of each other’s needs, motivations and expectations. The end result is often a lack of trust and respect between the representative and manager which leads inevitably to conflict. A good manager will ensure that a “contract” is created between the manager and the representative and that this contract is “two-way” but unfortunately this rarely happens and if any contract is put in place it is 2one-way2 with the manager outlining what he or she expects from the representative and not the other way around.

So how can you avoid this conflict and start to work productively with your manager? Act on these five secrets and watch the relationship with your manager grow.

Secret 1: Learn about behavioural styles and find out what your own is and your manager’s. Compare the two and if there are differences then work on these differences by matching your manager’s body language very discreetly. Match their tone and volume of voice, remembering not to mimic only discreetly match. Look at their eye movements and do similar. Again, do similar with body movements. When you start to discreetly match their body language you will be amazed that they start to match yours also. This is the start of the rapport building process and this goes a long way to start the building of trust.

Secret 2: Contract with your manager by getting agreement about how best the two of you are going to work together. Ask questions such as:

“What are your specific expectations of me as your representative?”

“What are my specific objectives and how am I going to be measured?”

“What behaviours annoy you?”

“What motivates and de-motivates you?”

“What reports do you want? When do you want them? What content?”

“How often do you want to visit me in the field?”

Contracting is all about managing expectations. A good manager will always outline his or her expectations and will ask you about yours. Once you both are clear about what each other’s expectations are, then this is another building block in the foundations of trust and respect.

One of the hardest lessons I learned was when I did not contract with a senior sales manager. We had completely opposite behavioural styles, which meant that we didn’t get off to the best start. He thought I was too energetic, flighty and too much of a risk taker and I though he was too detailed with no personality and constantly stuck in front of spreadsheets. We were in constant conflict because he asked me for reports that I could see no reason for and I was frustrated when he ignored my pleas for more training budget. If we had contracted and discussed our similarities and differences and how best to work with them, we may not have had the conflict that we did have. The result of this “personality clash” was that there was little trust and respect between us and very little communication. Meetings between the two of us were, to say the least, fraught!

Secret 3: Ask for regular feedback on your progress. Ask your manager to coach you. Be pro-active and do not wait for your manager to come to you. On the other hand do not always be seen to be reliant on your manager and give them space. Agree this area of support in your contract. A great time to enlist this support is on field visits. Ask your manager if some time can be “protected” during the field visit to discuss your progress and for them to coach you through any ideas and, or, challenges you have.

Secret 4: Be seen to be a support for your manager. Management can be lonely and stressful particularly if the manager isn’t managing their boss particularly well or if the company and/or team results are not doing as well as expected. Be supportive and offer to take on extra tasks. These tasks will not only make space for the manager to work more productively and strategically they will also enable you to develop your own capabilities. Be careful to ensure you manage your team-mates expectations here too. Being seen as supporting the manager can be taken the wrong way by some of your colleagues and on occasion, the less enlightened representatives can see this behaviour as threatening.

Secret 5: Go with your instincts! If you feel that the relationship with your manager is starting to go sour, then immediately call a meeting and openly discuss your feelings. To make this easier than it may sound, again build it into your contract right at the start. Something like, “If I feel our relationship is not what it should be, can I address it immediately as opposed to letting it linger?” Do not where possible discuss your feelings with all of your sales team. You will find some people very supportive and helpful but you may also find that some may go out of their way to reinforce the feelings you have thereby making it more difficult to address with the manager. Always best to tackle these feelings head on without referring to your team mates. If you have a coach, then they are often the best people to enable and support you to handle these situations.

Relationships between managers and representatives usually deteriorate because there was little trust in the first place and as a result openness is not usually achieved. Follow the five secrets and you will go a long way to ensuring a lasting and productive relationship with your manager.

Allan Mackintosh is a professional management coach who after 19 years in the pharmaceutical industry started his own management coaching consultancy, Professional Management Coaching. He is a successful speaker and has recently turned author, having had his first book, “The Successful Coaching Manager” published in August.

Allan can be contacted on 01292 318152, e-mail allan@pmcscotland.com or visit his website at http://www.pmcscotland.com

There are lots of things to take care of when you buy a new home and often home security is an issue that many do not think of until it’s too late. A new home purchase could be a home that is brand new, in which case security measures will be easier to implement, but many times the home has already had inhabitants and security becomes even more important in that case.

If the home is being built and you still have input into the options that are installed, be sure to select a good home security alarm system and have it professionally installed as the house is built. There are plenty of options when it comes to a home security system, so read up on them and select one that has the level of features that makes you feel comfortable. Adding a monitoring service can be a good investment too, so ask around and see what good receommendations that you get for such a service in your area as the quality of some services can vary considerably from one locale to another.

If the home has already been inhabited and you are purchasing it from someone else, there are some very important security measures that you want to be sure to take as you gain occupancy of the home. The most important are the locks on all of the outside doors. It is a good practice to change every lock that can be accessed from outside when you take up residence. The previous owner could have hidden a key to an outside door and then forgot about it, or the key may have even been stolen or lost and has fallen into the wrong hands. At any rate, it is a risk that should not be taken. Having all of the locks changed as you move in is an investment in peace of mind, and don’t forget the windows either. If they use locks that have keys, you might as well change them too while you are at it. If the windows do not have locks at all, now is the time to install them and make sure that the windows cannot be opened wide enough to allow entry by someone climbing through them.

As soon as you move in, go around and introduce yourself to your neighbors. Let them see you and get to know who you and your family are so if they see someone else snooping outside your house they won’t just assume that it is one of your family. Offer to watch their property too, and if there is a neighborhood watch program, be sure to take part in it. These kind of programs can be a very effective crime prevention method.

Usually home inspections are made before property is exhanged to be sure that all is in working order, but ask the inspector to be sure that the fire alarms and gas and electric appliances are in good working order and do not present a safety hazard before you move in. And also inspect your washing machine hose for leaks and cracking as this often causes home floods that are potentially very expensive.

These simple precautions can have a dramatic impact on helping make your new home more safe and secure.

Jim Johnson writes on many consumer related topics including home security. You can find out more about home security alarm systems and home security acameras by visiting our Home Security Review website.

So you’re thinking of buying a bike and Jamis Bikes are in your shortlist? Well here are 5 reasons on to help you make up your mind:

1. Affordability is the Key. Bicycles range in price and it’s difficult to tell which ones are value for money. With Jamis Bikes, you can always be sure that you are getting good value for money as they are one of the most affordable bike manufacturers on the market.

2. Quality brand. No one has more experience in the biking industry than Jamis. Their parent company, G. Joannou Cycle (GJC), has been trading since the 1980’s which means they have had plenty of time to hone their skills.

3. Perfection. The team at Jamis Bikes strive for perfection. It says so on their website which means they must mean it. If you are going to choose a bike, it would probably be a good idea to buy from a manufacturer who state they are going to do a good job.

4. A large range of bikes. Jamis Bikes have a large range of road, street, comfort and mountain bikes and their newly released 2009 range is no different. With Jamis, you will have no shortage of choice and they are sure to have a bicycle that fits your needs.

5. They win Awards. Bicycling magazine and other industry authorities have given Jamis Bikes countless number of awards for their bikes. If you are going to by a bike, it would be a good idea to buy from manufacturer which has been approved by an authority because they know what they are talking about.

Occasionally EGOPOWER readers send me questions or topic suggestions that I feel would be of interest to you. In this issue I give some tips to improve your sales closing ratio in response to a question Rob Smith wrote me from the UK:

“I sell IT equipment to schools in the UK over the phone. I seem to always hold a massive prospect list that’s constantly changing but I’m struggling to get my deals closed. The following is how 85% of my potential deals go:

First Contact:

• I find a prospective customer
  
• Find out what they have at the moment and what they want (where they want to be with I.T. in the future)
  
• I find out when they are looking to buy
  
• And ask who is involved in the decision making

Next Action:

• I put together a proposal and post/email/fax it to my contact

Second Contact:

• I call him/her to discuss the proposal with them, make sure it’s what they wanted and make a few extra suggestions.
  
• I’ll try and have a laugh with them to get some rapport going.
  
• I’ll try & confirm a decision date again.
  
• Say something like - “is this something that we can go ahead with now?” it never is….
  
• “I’ll call you in ? days to see if you have come to a decision”

Third Contact:

(before date I promised to follow-up on)

• “Just calling to make sure everything is OK and to see if you have gathered all the other quotes yet?”
  
• “how do we compare” - normal response is pretty good
  
• “is there anything I can do before you have your meeting tomorrow that would help you in making a decision?” - usual response is “No”

Fourth Contact:

(day of decision)

• Won’t put me through

Fifth Contact:

(day after decision):

• Secretary says he’s not there

Sixth Contact:

• Secretary speaks to him and then tells me he’s selected a competitor.

“It’s quite depressing really and I do put the effort in, I’m sure it’s just down to my sales skills. What do you suggest?”

Use Precious Sales Time Wisely

Thanks for writing in Rob. Selling this way IS depressing. I suspect that you are losing your deals very early on. By this I mean that you are expending too much energy on deals that you’ll never win.

The decision to send out a proposal should be an important one. Only well qualified prospects that you KNOW you have a high likelihood of winning, merit the effort of creating a proposal.

This is contrary to what many of us learn in sales, which is that is a “numbers game”. Send out more proposals, and you’ll get more sales the thinking goes.

The problem is unless you know with certainty that you are selling to your prospect’s most important buying criteria, your proposals have a low chance of success. You can bet that the competitor who wins the deal, knows just what to put into his proposal before he sends it out.

Qualify Better And Close More Sales

You need to get very clear on what is most important to your prospect. You do this by asking the following questions when you first interview the prospect:

- Why are you planning to purchase this new computer network now? - What is most important to you in a new computer network? - Why is this important now?

You also need to know who the likely competition is that is currently being favored (there is almost always someone with the inside track). One way to ascertain this is by inquiring about similar or related purchases made in the past. Find out which vendors they bought from and why they were awarded the contract.

Ask if any of their past vendors are bidding for this deal. Ask why wouldn’t they buy from those vendor(s) bidding on this deal if they bought from them in the past.

Ask the following question about each past vendor bidding on the deal separately to determine who is being favored. Don’t just ask “why don’t you buy from one of those companies?” Instead ask “Why don’t you buy from ABC company? They gave you good installation support last time which you said was very important to you”.

By asking about preferences for their current/past vendors, you will find out if there is a real opportunity for you or if they just are gathering bids to document that they have performed a competitive evaluation.

>>> Unless you can find a compelling reason why they would switch to a “new” vendor, your odds of closing are going to be very low.

How well do their current vendors meet the “what’s most important” to the prospect criteria?

After you’ve thoroughly discussed the vendors that they have current business relationships, you can easily ask about any other new vendors that they are considering. They’ll likely open up to you on this now because you greased the conversation by getting them to talk about their current vendors first.

If they are reluctant to answer questions about other vendors, then tell them you are selective about who you give bids to. If you know whom else they are evaluating, then you will better know if you can help them and should bid on it.

>>> The lesson here is don’t do a proposal unless you can PROVE that you offer an advantage in meeting their key criteria. Being me-too is not enough because it is likely that there are already vendors they do business with that they prefer and know better than you.

By rigorously qualifying your prospects, your closing ratio and total sales will increase significantly. You’ll be happier also because not only will your bank acount be fatter, but you’ll be working with people who want to work with you.

© 1999-2004 Shamus Brown, All Rights Reserved.

Shamus Brown is a Professional Sales Coach and former high-tech sales pro who began his career selling for IBM. Shamus has written more than 50 articles on selling and is the creator of the popular Persuasive Selling Skills CD Audio Program. You can read more of Shamus Brown’s sales tips at http://Sales-Tips.industrialEGO.com/ and you can learn more about his persuasive sales skills training at http://www.Persuasive-Sales-Skills.com/

When we talk about our BLITZ CALL® System for prospecting and making cold calls we say that it is easy to learn, simple to do, low key, repeatable, measurable, and effective. People seem to understand each of those characteristics except the word repeatable.

Repeatability is important in virtually every skill that you practice. For example, in bowling, tennis, or golf you develop a form or delivery that puts the ball in the exact position you want it. Then you simply try to repeat that movement every time. When you take lessons your performance is judged on how well you do compared to that “perfect form.” This makes life a lot easier for you because you don’t have to try something new every time.

We feel that the same rules should be applied to prospecting. Develop a system for making the cold calls and then simply do it over and over. When you have it down pat, you can then judge your performance by that standard. If things are not working like you want them to, you are probably not doing it right. You just have to review what you are doing, compare it to the standard and make the necessary corrections.

Or, you may have developed a prospecting approach that wasn’t exactly the right thing to do, so you will need to do some fine tuning. Either way, by having a repeatable standard, you can quickly and easily make corrections.

The alternative would be to try something new every time and hope that it works. When it doesn’t, you probably will have no idea why and with no standard by which to judge, you won’t be able to find out. It is much easier to have a standardized, repeatable system.

I was working with a salesman in Dallas who thought that BLITZ CALLs were simply lots of very short prospecting calls. With that thought in mind he would make the calls on his prospects and simply hand over a brochure with his business card stapled to the cover and say, “if you see anything you need give me a call.” I don’t consider that a prospecting call.

I told him that an initial prospecting call my way, was indeed designed to be brief and able to be done often, but that it was to begin a relationship with a prospect, not simply let them know you exist. You have be a proactive sales professional to stir up the kind of activity most of you want.

By learning the wording and the goals of his prospecting system he was able to make a very fast and dramatic increase to his sales. He did it by simply learning his wording cold and then repeating it over and over again to prospects.

When you are prospecting on a regular basis, I suggest that you learn a BLITZ CALL or some other type of system for prospecting, just make sure that it is something that you can do over and over - repetition.

When you have accomplished this, you will see that any weaknesses in your implementation can be quickly identified and corrected. And now you can see the importance of repetition.

Sell Well and Often,

Bill Truax
Bill@BlitzCall.com

© Copyright 2006 WJ Truax

Bill Truax is a Sales Management and Field Operations Consultant living in Cleveland, Oh. He conducts Sales Team Assessments, Management and Leadership programs, and works with Field Sales Professionals and Managers both in the field and in workshops. He has written 3 books and recorded 2 CD’s on Prospecting and Making Cold Calls and conducts a variety of skill based seminars, workshops, and train the trainer programs.
Bill has spent literally thousands of hours in the field making cold calls with sales professionals to teach his BLITZ CALL System. When Bill is in the field he actually makes many of the BLITZ CALLs himself, regardless of the industry. This is to demonstrate that anyone can prospect you just need to know how.
Bill writes a Free weekly Prospecting Succes Tip for subscribers at his website http://www.BlitzCall.com The site also details all the materials and programs Trufield offers.

“Women drivers.” Most of us have probably heard that phrase grunted from a man in our lives, whether a friend, family member, coworker, or complete stranger. And, most women have probably been somewhat aggravated by the negative connotation. But, did you know that women’s car insurance is generally cheaper than men’s car insurance? It’s true, and as sexist as it may sound, it’s actually not. There are a plethora of statistical facts that tend to cause car insurance companies to offer lower rates to women drivers than to men drivers, and none of those reasons include the idea that women drivers can’t drive!

Car insurance companies have researched data over a number of years, and the findings support the idea that, as a whole, women drivers aren’t involved in as many accidents as men drivers, and the motor vehicle-related accidents that women drivers are involved in often don’t cause as much damage as motor vehicle-related accidents men drivers are involved in. Women drivers also don’t commit as many motor vehicle-related crimes as men drivers. As if all that weren’t enough, women drivers are also more likely to pass their driver licensing exams on the first try than men drivers.

Because of these statistics, car insurance companies are more apt to offer cheaper car insurance to women drivers than they are to men drivers. Women aren’t being offered cheaper car insurance rates because they are women; they are being offered cheaper rates because statistics show car insurance companies that lower rates are not a dangerous bet for them.

Of course, this isn’t to say that women are better drivers than men, or that any woman driver out there is going to be a better, or safer, driver than her male counterpart; however, it is to say that statistics point to the fact that overall, women are generally safer drivers than men, thus resulting in the reward cheaper car insurance for women.

The majority of people with a low credit score have likely misused credit. Understandably, some people develop bad credit because of situations beyond their control. These may include sickness, loss of employment, etc. Fortunately, there are ways to raise your credit score. However, to keep a high credit score, using credit wisely is a must. Here are a few tips to help you maintain a high credit rating.

Limit the Amount of Credit Accounts

If you have too much available credit, the temptation to spend money will arise. To avoid this common problem, avoid opening several lines of credit. If you are a student or have good credit, it is easy to get approved for a major credit card. Although credit card companies will generously extend credit, you do not have to accept their offer.

Closing a credit account may decrease your credit rating. If you are unable to exercise self-control and need to close a few credit accounts, it would be better to cancel the newest credit accounts.

Pay More than the Minimum Payments

Carrying a small revolving credit card balance is not harmful. However, if you use your credit card very regularly, it is essential to payoff the balance periodically. The minimum payments barely reduce the finance fees. Thus, to maintain a low credit card balance and a high credit rating, strive to pay more than the minimum payment.

Avoid Credit Card Cash Advances

Most credit cards offer cash advances. With this option, you may visit an ATM machine and withdraw funds from your credit account. Be aware that credit card companies charge high rates and extra fees for cash advances. In this case, minimum payments may increase until the cash advance funds are repaid.

Make Regular Credit Card Monthly Payments

Try using one of ABC Loan Guide’s Recommended Sources For a Free Copy of Your Credit Report.

Skipping a credit card payment has several consequences. Aside from the credit card company reporting late payments to the three credit bureaus, companies also charge late fees and may increase the interest rate by several points. Failure to repay a credit card will result in a snowball effect. When this happens, it becomes impossible to keep up with the payments.

View our recommended online Credit Repair Services. Also, view our recommended sources for Credit Card Debt Help Online.

Flooding is a disastrous event that can occur in a wide number of locations. Despite the fact that flooding can occur just about anywhere in the United States, there are some areas that are more prone to flooding than others. It is often hard for individuals, especially those who are new to the area, to tell if they are living in an area that is prone to flooding. That is one of the many reasons why FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps were developed.

FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps are a collection of maps that detail the likelihood of flooding occurring in a particular area. In addition to keeping the public aware of flooding risks, the FEMA Flood Insurance Rate maps are also used to assist the National Flood Insurance Program in offering affordable flood insurance to Americans living in high-risk flood zones.

FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps are a valuable source of information to homeowners, business owners, construction workers, city officials, and others. While the maps are beneficial, there are many individuals who are unaware that there may be a FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map for their area. If you are looking to purchase a home or a business in an area that you are unfamiliar with or you just want to educate yourself on flooding risks, you have a number of ways gain access to your local FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map.

The most common way to obtain access to your local FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map is to visit the FEMA’s online website. Once at FEMA’s website site you should be able to easily search for your local FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map. If you are only interested in quickly viewing a FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map you can do so for free online. If you are interested in having your own printed FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map then you may have to purchase one.

In addition to obtaining a local FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), you may also be able to view one by speaking to local government officials. Many cities, towns, and state offices have a FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map on hand. You may not be able to take the map outside of their offices, but you may be able to quickly examine it.

Many individuals prefer to look at a FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map, but sometimes hearing the information on those maps is just as good. If you are unable to find a free FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map, you can contact a local or national flood insurance agent for more information. These maps are taken into consideration when flood insurance is offered; therefore, most flood insurance agents would have access to multiple FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Maps.

Many individuals who are searching for a FEMA Flood Insurance Rate Map are doing so because they are interested in obtaining flood insurance. If you contact a flood insurance agent, you may be able to determine your flooding risk and obtain flood insurance coverage all at the same time. In addition to providing valuable flood insurance information, a small number of agents are also able to offer National Flood Insurance Program coverage for a discounted price. That discount can be as high as 12%.

You’ve probably got contents insurance for your belongings but are you aware just how easy it is to fall behind in calculating the value of them?

What do you imagine the average contents of a family home are worth - £25,000 or £30,000? In fact this figure, for a typical home, is estimated to be over £45,000. Apart from your “moveable items” of carpets, furniture, curtains, it’s probable that electrical goods purchased over the last few years explain the sudden rise. It’s not unusual to have three or four mobile phones, a couple of computers, possibly also a laptop. Then there are the TV’s. Apart form the large family wide screen digital HD ready, singing and dancing set, there’s probably a another one in the kitchen and two or three others in the bedrooms, not to mention DVD and video recorders. Probably the children have iPods, gameboys and whatever else is “in” at present. Don’t forget your CD collection - Norwich Union values these at £10 each and DVD’s.

Apart from the risk of damage, all the above items are very appealing to the thief, being easy to handle and finding a ready market. Don’t forget the garden, the mowers and garden machinery, contents of the shed and garage, garden furniture and even your tubs and hanging baskets. The value of plants can add up too!

Should you need to make a claim, it’s important that you’re not under insured. If the insurance company judges that you don’t have adequate insurance, the claim will not be fully paid. This means that if you have insured your contents for, say, £20,000 and your insurance company considers there would be a value of £30,000 to replace them, then there would be a shortfall of £10,000.

Insurers handle things in different ways. For example Norwich Union Direct, one of the major insurers, will pay out up to the amount for which you’re covered. It’s left up to you to fund the difference. More Than tells us that their policy on underinsured claims is to reduce them by up to 20%. In fact More

Than are taking action to ensure that clients are more up to date with their cover and so have recently increased the this for all their clients, by 25%.

These increases will apply on the clients’ next renewal dates. No doubt more insurance companies will look at following suit soon.

Whilst you’re thinking of re-assessment, maybe it’s time to check the current figures on your buildings insurance. As well as the house, garage and outbuildings, you may have fixed items such as lighting, hot tubs and permanent garden features. These are covered by your buildings insurance, not your contents. Your insurer will normally work out a quotation based on the number of bedrooms, etc., and your postcode. The insurable figure will be the cost demolition and clearing of the site and re-building your home on the present site, of course.

To help you re-consider the value of your belongings and for additional advice there’s a handy checklist for home owners on the Association of British Insurers, www.abi.org.uk

There are a large number of insurance companies handling both contents and building insurance and, as always, it pays to shop around.

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