Today's markets are competitive. DUH....you may be saying! And, I couldn't agree more. And yet, I am seeing many agents struggle because they are trying harder (or getting frustrated) continuing to do what worked in the wild times we just experienced. I am convinced that there are three keys to staying effective and competitive today.

Three Keys:

1. Your Mindset
2. Your Technology Advantage
3. Your Commitment to Growth

Your Mindset

There are opportunities abundantly available to us. There are people who are seizing these and doing very well. Are you? I find the difference between the majority and the successful is the mindset. Much potential for success resides within you and being consciously aware can give you access to that potential. In my coaching, we look to the "being" first and then the "doing." To do it any other way will leave you feeling frustrated and tired.

I won an award at the WCR DC Meetings for "Five Ways To Increase Your Personal Bandwidth" as the best article in the 2007 Connections Magazine (I shared this honor with my good friend Marilyn Urso). Mindset is much of what I wrote about. You can read it from the link on this page.

Your Technology Advantage

I've had a few new clients hire me that have just gotten into real estate. My practice mostly serves seasoned agents who want to re-invent their businesses, however the enthusiasm and intention I see in some brand new agents is quite inspiring. I'm convinced this is still a good business to be in. I got in back in 1983 when interest rates were at 17% and people were asking me what was I thinking? And yet, I became an award winning agent.

That opportunity exists today for those who are inventing (or re-inventing) their business. Technology has leveled the playing field in many ways and a new agent (or re-invented agent) can thrive.

Here are the Top 10 Technology Tools I'd
recommend as a foundation:

1. Get Educated! The e-PRO Course and the creation of a Technology Plan of Action. Click the link learn more about it and get a $25 discount here

2. A Good Database Program. Outlook is a fine place to start, if you are not ready to jump into a real estate program. As for real estate programs, I am impressed with REST. Tell them I sent you.

3. Capture Expired Listings. TheRedX to help you track and manage an expired system. (This link will save you $150)To hear why you should be working expireds and some great ideas to be more successful, you can listen to the archive of last month's Fossland's Forum.

4. Social Networking! Are you LinkedIn? Twittering? ActiveRaining? Creating a group at RealTown? A Blog is a real differentiator. My fairy Blogmother, Frances Flynn Thorsen and I are teaching a step by step class if you are ready: No Blogger Left Behind.

5. Picture, pictures, pictures! Get a good digital camera or better yet get a Flip Video Ultra It runs about $130 and let's you easily capture and transfer.

6. An AutoResponse System to generate and target the leads you want. ART is my favorite. With my code, 5250 you will get a discount. For some great ideas about using this, listen to the archived interview with Jeff Troyer.

7. A great website. My favorite is Point2Agent. Click here for a free website for 6 months (it is just $9.99 thereafter). They will syndicate your listings to 22 sites and offer handshake listings to expand the number of sites you will be seen on.

8. Great Marketing Materials. The prettiest stuff and best deal around is with www.Imprev.com. Use the code IDJOEANN for a 10% discount.

9. Your own domain name and permanent email address. I probably should have made this number 1!

10. VideoTour Software. Having a great video tour on all listings is becoming a standard. You get lots of advantages using VisualTour.

Your Commitment to Growth

In my e-PRO Workshops I show the Indiana Jones clip from Raiders of the Lost Ark where he is confronted by a sword slinging master who looks like he will make chopped liver out of Indiana. Indiana watches unconcerned and then pulls out his pistol and shoots him. No matter how good you are with the old tools, the old way of doing business, if a someone has a new tool that can blow you away, they will prevail. The better way these days is to grow and use new tools to give you the competitive edge!