Connor Marketing Group's online newsletter for January 2018
NOTES with Jay Conner Success
JANUARY 2018
HOW TO FIND TRUSTWORTHY CONTRACTORS
I f you’re interested in real estate rehabbing, I cannot begin to explain how important it is to find a good and reliable contractor to work with. In order to be successful in this area of real estate investing, you need a contractor who knows how to properly estimate repairs so you have the right information to close the deal. Today, I’m going to share with you the secret tip I’ve discovered for finding the best contractors in any given area. association, whether you have a contractor’s license or not. You will find that plenty of subcontractors who do not have a contractor’s license, like plumbers and electricians, are members of your local builders association. Once you locate the builders association in the area you plan to do business, you can go to their monthly meeting and network with people there. In most towns and cities, you have what’s called the builders association. Anyone can join this
“Your contractor is an important member of your team, and you need to find a person you can trust and who you want to do business with."
Jay and Carol Joy in Alaska
great people for my team for one important reason: so I can get out of their way.
Tell members of the builders association who you network with that you are a real estate investor. Be open about the fact you are looking to work with a contractor when you have a house that comes along in need of light repair, or perhaps even heavy rehab. Through the networking process, you will be introduced to a lot of people in your area. By meeting with contractors and their peers in person, you can learn who is accountable and who has a good reputation. Your contractor is an important member of your team, and you need to find a person you can trust and who you want to do business with. If you’ve been reading this newsletter over the last few months, you may have noticed my tips for finding people to work with — like attorneys and Realtors — often involve a bit of legwork. If you have never networked before, it can be a challenge. But in life, it’s the challenges that pay off the most. I put a lot of time into finding
I don’t want to micromanage every step of the process. It’s like my dad, Wallace J. Conner, taught me years ago: “Dictate, delegate, disappear.” The idea is that, when you have a great team, the job will get done, and you can focus on building your business. Take my contractor, for example. When I have a house that needs fixing up, I want my contractor to work directly with my interior designer. I want to step out of the way and let them do what they do best — make the property look great so it sells fast, while staying within my budget. This will happen if I trust them.
So — network, network, network, and watch your business grow!
–Jay Conner
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A NEWYEAR’S HABIT Why Resolutions Fail and How to Beat the Odds
If you’re one of the 50 percent of Americans who view the new year as the perfect time to make a positive change in your life, the odds are stacked against you. Research from the University of Hertfordshire in the U.K. found that 88 percent of New Year’s resolutions fail. But don’t feel discouraged! You can be successful by knowing why others fail. Here are three steps you can take to help your New Year’s resolution beat the odds: Don’t Be Abstract According to Dr. BJ Fogg of Stanford University, New Year’s resolutions tend to fail because “people aren’t picking specific behaviors. They’re picking abstracts.” This means we’re identifying vague destinations we want to reach without creating a map for how to get there. While the abstract is a good place to start when determining a New Year’s resolution, you must also ask yourself, “How?” What action steps will you take to achieve that abstract resolution? “I’m going to enjoy life to the fullest and see a new play every month,” or “I plan on getting healthier by no longer drinking soda.” Start with tiny steps that you can build on for better habits in your life. relationship. Odds are everyone at your conference is trying to network just as much as you are. 3. Have a Card, Seriously Imagine this scenario: You’re at a conference and you just finish up a fruitful, engaging conversation. The person you’re talking to hands over their business card, and you realize you don’t have one to provide in return. Nobody wants to end up scribbling their contact information on a napkin. 4. Network From Home LinkedIn isn’t just for finding a job or screening employees. It can be a powerful networking tool for business owners. Because you can see the connections of your connections, it’s not hard to reach out to people in similar roles or industries. 5. Be Yourself Your personality and values should be an integral part of your business, and networking should be an honest conversation, even when the end goal is developing a business relationship. Be confident in who you are, and you’ll find that people will believe in your vision.
5 Networking Tips for Small-Business Owners Successful networking benefits all business owners, whether they’re just getting started or trying to grow their business. These face-to-face meetings with other entrepreneurs, however, can be awkward and difficult for some people. Interfacing with industry leaders, experts, and like-minded CEOs doesn’t have to be anxiety-inducing, even if you’re naturally shy. Here are some tips to help you network more effectively at your next industry seminar or small-business conference. 1. Prepare Beforehand There are a few great ways to get yourself into the networking mindset before an event. You should have a few talking points ready. It shouldn’t sound like a formal presentation with bullet points. A few words about who you are, what you do, and why you do it will suffice. And you don’t want every word drilled down. Remember, networking is not the same thing as a sales pitch. 2. Don’t Forget to Listen
Networking works best when it’s a two-way street. You can’t expect somebody to listen to you for five minutes, only for you to head to the snack table as soon as they start telling you about their company in return. The mutually beneficial nature of networking allows for a conversation about business to become a platform for building a
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FindYour Flow How to Get in the Zone Everyone has days when work just seems to fly by effortlessly — when you’re laser-focused and hyper-productive. In short, days when you are “in the zone.” This proverbial zone, though, can feel elusive when distractions are plentiful and time is at a premium. Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (pronounced “Chick-zent-mee-hal-yi”) has spent his career investigating this state, which he calls “flow,” and his insights can help you harness your most productive self. Csikszentmihalyi’s influential work, “Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience,” asserts that finding flow doesn’t just increase your ability to accomplish tasks, it also raises your happiness level. “Whenever the goal is to improve the quality of life, flow theory can point the way,” he writes. According to his research, a state of flow is reached when skill and challenge are balanced against one another. When the challenge is too low relative to skill, boredom follows. When it’s too high, anxiety overwhelms the ability to reach flow. Just the right proportion of challenge and skill, and your mind becomes totally engaged in the task at hand. So, how do you get yourself into flow state? The first step is to set clearly defined goals. Once you know what you are working toward, it becomes easier to maintain the focus required to reach optimal flow. The next step is to eliminate distractions that will divert your concentration. Flow is easier to maintain than it is to build up to, and you don’t want your flow broken by something that could’ve easily been put off. Use smaller activities as a way to break up larger ones, and you’ll find a more consistent work rate. Another important component of flow is what Csikszentmihalyi calls the “autotelic experience.” Autotelic means that you view what you’re doing as an end in itself, that the work is intrinsically rewarding. If you find meaning in the activity at hand, rather than relying on external motivators, it’s easier to throw yourself into a project. The next time you find yourself going through the motions or watching the clock at work, don’t write it off as “one of those days.” Instead, take a step back, plan out your task list, and approach your assignments with vigor. Flow doesn’t strike you like a bolt of lightning; you have to work for it. Once you find a routine that puts you in the zone, stick to it, and great work will follow.
Take It One Resolution at a Time Professor Baba Shiv from Stanford University states that people can suffer from “cognitive overload.” That is, our prefrontal cortex, the part of our brain responsible for staying focused and handling things like resolutions, doesn’t do well with too many tasks. Pick just one resolution you care about, and you’ll be more likely to succeed. Remember, Setbacks Aren’t Failures We’re only human, and we’re going to make mistakes. Just because you broke down and ordered that double cheeseburger, skipped a workout, or bailed on going to that new swing dancing class doesn’t mean your resolution is finished. A New Year’s resolution only fails if you stop trying. There’s a reason New Year’s resolutions have become a tradition. There is something very poetic about starting good habits on the clean slate of a new year. By taking these steps, you can make sure those new habits stick.
Have You Heard the Good News …
As It Relates to “Having Hope”
Jeremiah 29:11 “'For I know the plans that I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans for welfare and not for calamity, to give you a future and a hope.’” Deuteronomy 31:6 “'Be strong and courageous, do not be afraid or tremble at them, for the Lord your God is the one who goes with you. He will not fail you or forsake you.’” Psalm 71:14 “But as for me, I will hope continually, and will praise You yet more and more.”
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PO Box 1276 Morehead City, NC 28557 INSIDE THIS ISSUE Getting Into Real Estate Rehab? Find a Contractor! page 1 Why New Year’s Resolutions Fail page 2 5 Networking Tips for Small-Business Owners page 2 Find Your Flow page 3 Book Review: ‘The Greatest Secret in the World’ page 4
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The Greatest Secret in the World Og Mandino Shares the Ultimate Secrets to Success
“In truth, the only difference between those who have failed and those who have succeeded lies in the difference of their habits.” –Og Mandino, “The Greatest Secret in the World” Last month, I recommended “The Greatest Miracle in the World” by Og Mandino. As I believe we should never stop striving to grow and improve, it’s
“Salesman” in order to get value from “Secret.” Within these pages, readers learn how to ditch the bad habits holding them back and adopt good habits that can help make us better people. Nowhere does Mandino claim this path will be easy. From Scroll I, “I will form good habits and become their slave,” to Scroll X, “I will pray for guidance,” each step demands time, meditation, and thought. But when all is said and done, you will find you have the tools to chart your path to a greater tomorrow. You might ask yourself, “Why go through all the extra steps? Just tell me what this ‘secret’ is, and I can start following it to success today.” The truth is, you know the secret already. Everyone does, but most people fail to see it clearly. Like many of Mandino’s works, this is not a book to read idly. When you pick up “The Greatest Secret in the World,” be prepared to study the lessons within. Only then will you understand how to remove the obstacles standing between you and success. Even after you have come to understand the secret, what makes this book incredible is how a person is able to return to it and learn more, year after year. Improve your business strategy, your skills as a salesperson, or your relationships with loved ones. Life is an ongoing journey, and “The Greatest Secret in the World” acts as a guidebook.
fortunate one of the greatest inspirational writers of all time left us with many more incredible books. Today, I’m encouraging you to read “The Greatest Secret in the World,” Mandino’s direct follow-up to his renowned “The Greatest Salesman in the World.” Dive deeper into the 10 Scrolls described in Mandino’s first book as you learn how changing your thoughts can change the world. While this book’s message is undoubtedly amplified for those who have read “The Greatest Salesman in the World,” you do not need to pick up
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