Clarifying your goals
Begin with the end in mind for better clarity in obtaining your goals. This is an exercise that will force you to focus on exactly what you must do to obtain what you want.
For loan agents this might be listing first your highest goal, i.e. “closing a loan” and then listing (in reverse order) what is necessary in the process of a successful closing. i.e. “9. Close the loan”, “8. Get the documents signed” etc. The last item in your list (the first thing you would actually do) would be something like “1. find ways to get prospects”.
As you struggle to build your list in reverse order, don’t get frustrated or think that it has to be perfect or have every little detail, this is only the first half of the exercise. Going in reverse order (beginning with the end in mind) is the key to the exercise and will unlock your creative ability and allow you to stay focused on each step. When you get your list completed, now rewrite the list in forward order. i.e.”1. Find ways to get prospects” “2. Make list of past clients” “3. Develop letter to ask for referrals” etc. Now as you write your list in forward order you can tweak, add or delete items that need editing. When finished, you will have a focused road map to achieving your goals. After you are done, you will want to do the same for other ways to find prospects and other goals you have.
This article is a perfect example of “beginning with the end in mind”. I am president/ceo of an Orange County Appraisal company and used this exercise to brainstorm how to get more appraisal orders by serving potential clients. Since loan agents were* (see below) the majority of our clients, I started with them in mind (or…I started with the end result in mind) “make new loan agent clients” Below is an example in forward order:”
- chas writes articles that help loan agents get more loan prospects
- chas publishes to websites that appeal to loan agents
- loan agent is drawn by the article topic
- loan agent reads article
- loan agent clicks on Leeper Appraisal Services web link
- loan agent is encouraged by “LeeperAppraisal.com” website to order appraisal, get quote, get free comp check or read other articles etc. “
- loan agent orders appraisal
- loan agent becomes a client of Leeper Appraisal Services
and they all live happily ever after…
*Well, they don’t really live happily ever after, things have changed since I first wrote this article. While this excercise is great for all of us, the HVCC has radically altered the way Leeper Appraisal Services gets its business. Loan agents can no longer order appraisals from appraisal companies. Many have turned to appraisal management companies which is acceptable under HVCC. Leeper Appraisal Services has now registered with California to do Appraisal Management. You can now go to AppraisersDirectory.net to find appraisers.
Chas W. Leeper, SRA has been a real estate broker for over 35 years; a certified and designated real estate appraiser for over 24 years; an author, sportsman and grandparent. He is currently the CEO of Southern California Real Estate and Appraisal Inc. More information about Mr. Leeper can be found at : leeperappraisal.com/principalappraiser.htm or call 949-574-5534.
Kids often enjoy seeing magicians perform and they tend to get even more excited when the performance is for their own party. This is an exciting time for the kids and should be a memorable event as well. Before hiring magicians in Miami, you might want to consider the following tips on how to go about choosing the right magician.
References -If you are able to get references from friends and family members who have heard of any magicians, this would be a great place to start. There are many magicians that have a fantastic reputation solely by word-of-mouth.
Reliability- It’s always good to know if the magician you are hiring is reliable and will show up when it’s time. Make sure to get a confirmation from the magician, so that you know for sure the show is a go. Many will require a form of deposit to reserve them for a show and then final payment is made when they show up at the event.
Guarantee- Most magicians don’t provide a guarantee that the show will be a success. However, there are some that do and these are often magicians that provide a high quality show. Check on a guarantee with the Miami magicians you want to hire.
Age Appropriate- This is important, especially if the show is supposed to be for very little kids. Some magicians play with the crowd and may use humor that is more geared towards adults. Little kids might not understand everything that is going on, if the show is over their heads. Another consideration with age appropriateness is to make sure no one gets offended either. Some magicians aren’t suitable for children at all.
Insurance- Finding out if your magician is insured a good way to know if they are reputable. There are many that aren’t insured. Magicians Miami should have public liability insurance that will provide enough coverage for your event. Be sure to ask for proof of this insurance. If a copy can’t be produced, then this magician probably isn’t covered.
Full or Part-time- It’s always good to find out if the magician you are hiring does this for a living or if it is only a part-time gig. If it is part-time, make sure to find out if your event is going to clash with the magicians other form of employment.
Hiring magicians in Miami can be a stress-free process, as long as you make sure to cover all the bases in the beginning. Using the tips listed above should help you to choose the perfect magician for your child’s party.
These are tough economic times and Goodwill chapters are doing their part to help people find jobs with the creation of new programs designed to build job skills and centers that offer financial information and advice. These programs are able to start and flourish due in large part to donations. While most people donate clothing and home appliances certain Goodwill chapters accept car donations as well. The proceeds go toward helping people get to work and job training. If you car isn’t running you can still make a car donation instead of junking the car where it will be sold for parts.
Almost all donated cars are accepted by Goodwill because no matter the value of the car it can be put toward the development of job training programs to get people back on their feet. An outstanding example of this can be seen at Goodwill Industries of Central Florida which has opened a number of self-sufficiency centers for the unemployed and underemployed. The centers are located throughout central Florida and have three main elements; the job club, networking center and a library. The job club provides members of the program with training to improve interview skills, basic office skills and also offers resume writing workshops. The networking center is the place to go for job leads and even has the “hello line” which serves as a home phone number for program members without landlines. The library gives participants access to information regarding community organizations that provide counseling services.
Each and every car that is donated to Goodwill has a positive impact on helping them accomplish their mission of providing job training and skills to the disadvantaged and disabled members of our society. By donating a car to your local chapter you could be helping to develop these life changing programs in your area.