Mark Leader, North America’s No.1 real estate sales speaker/trainer and founder of Mark Leader Courses, is pleased to announce that Marcie Roggow has joined Leader’s Choice as its National Training Director.

Developed and led by Mark Leader, Leader’s Choice is a 45-hour, nine-week classroom course that has been proven to quickly increase production, dramatically improve self-esteem and foster work/life balance for real estate agents across North America.

Roggow, ABR/M, CCIM, CRB, CRS, DREI, GRI, SRS, and licensed since 1971, has worked in all facets of the real estate profession — broker-owner, developer and educator. She concentrates her efforts on disclosure and legal topics, but her main body of work is in real estate professionalism.

As Leader’s Choice National Training Director, Roggow will be responsible for recruiting and managing a world-class team of real estate professional trainers. The most important motto Roggow instills is to get back to the basics, and Leader’s Choice trainers will be an essential part of that process. While the nine-week program is the core element of Leader’s Choice, Roggow is creating a full-service speakers bureau that will offer clients talented real estate trainers covering a myriad of topics in order to complete a company’s training needs.

“My affiliation with Mark Leader and Leader’s Choice is a natural progression for me,” Roggow said. “I have been a trainer and author of courses for more than 20 years. My relationship with nearly every component of the real estate industry has provided me with the opportunity to meet and work with the best trainers in the business. Forming this new cadre of trainers to improve the performance of real estate professionals and, therefore, the service to the consumers is truly a pleasure. Leader’s Choice will be a new comprehensive real estate training company.”

“Marcie is a highly-intelligent, hard-working and dedicated individual,” Leader said. “She has exceptional credentials and a resume full of experience in everything from broker-owner to educator and everything in between. I am delighted to have her join Leader’s Choice. She will be an asset in a myriad of ways and help bring even more success to the Leader’s Choice program.”

A Charter Certified Residential Specialist (CRS), Roggow has served as the Iowa and Dakotas state chapter president and received the CRS of the Year Award for both states. She was one of the originators of the Regional Vice Presidents for the Council, for which she is very proud to have served six years as one of the first regional representatives. She was also president of the Iowa City Board of REALTORS®, one of the first national trainers for the ABR designation and responsible for many of the rewrites of that coursework.

Roggow is a senior trainer for the Sellers Representative Specialist Designation, along with an author and trainer of two CRS elective programs and the CRB elective, “What’s in Your Policy Manual?” Roggow’s emphasis is on professionalism, law, risk management issues and brokerage management. Her recently published “Internet and Social Media Policy and Procedures Manual,” which was co-authored with Frances Flynn Thorsen, was penned as a road map for brokerage companies dealing with Web 2.0. To that end, Roggow has worked closely with REALTOR organizations and Real Estate Commissions alike to draft legislation that can be understood not only by the consumer, but also by the licensee.

For more information on the Leader’s Choice program, visit www.leaderschoice.com.

The following is an article about short sales from Marylyn Schwartz, a Master Trainer for Leader’s Choice and a nationally-renowned real estate speaker/trainer and expert in the field of sales and team/management development.

It is a veritable alphabet soup of language out there relative to distressed sellers’ properties. There are foreign-sounding terms, made-up jargon, rules, policies, procedures; blah, blah, blah. No matter who you might happen to speak with, they know someone who knows someone who is an “expert” at handling one or all parts of the distressed properties’ options.

Well, to paraphrase the Trojans, beware of Greeks bearing gifts-especially when the gift bearers are claiming to be experts within a market segment fraught with pitfalls and legalities at every turn. Many are dilatants, few are experts. Rick Cowle (rcowlelaw@comcast.net), a highly experienced attorney who has handled hundreds of bankruptcies, short sales, foreclosures and mortgage modifications, is an expert. When Cowle speaks, he has experience, credibility and expertise on his side. His advice and counsel are sought by other attorneys new to “distressed property” issues.

MBS: Rick, you and I have worked with REO (real estate owned) properties and with sellers in all phases of foreclosure in the past. We’ve seen markets deal with the onslaught of short sales and foreclosures 15 years ago, but nothing comes close to what we are seeing today. The volume and rapidity of the properties cropping up is unparalleled. What advice do you have for the agents out there struggling to assist people fraught with problems?

RC: While it may be easier said than done, it is important to consult an expert. There are resources out there available to the public such as the Housing and Urban Development website, free credit counseling services, attorneys with extensive experience with distressed seller issues, etc. It is even possible to use Google to find attorneys who advertise their credentials as distressed property experts. The thing never to do is to give advice or guidance when you are not qualified to do so. Taking a three-hour short-sale class does not make one an expert on giving advice on the short-sale process. However, there is much that an agent can do in concert with an attorney. I always advise agents to help the seller find an attorney before they do anything else.

MBS: Sellers who are in financial distress fear that they cannot afford an attorney to assist them. They often simply “ignore” bank delinquency notices because they believe they are powerless to help themselves. Presented with such a scenario, what do you recommend?

RC: While I cannot speak for all attorneys, I know that many, myself included, have plans that take into consideration the sellers’ current financial realities and allow for ways to navigate the process with little or perhaps no attorney fees upfront. There are cases where attorney fees can be billed to and paid by the financial institution holding the lien. This is one part of the negotiable issues to be worked out. The ultimate cost to the seller can be far more damaging by non-action than by researching all options. If the agent plays a part in being a resource to the consumer, they indeed have value. Knowing what to do is less important than knowing what is available to help the consumer and guiding them to those resources. Just helping sellers to know what questions to ask or where to begin the process is invaluable.

MBS: It is no secret that even when sellers, or agents they have authorized to do so, try to contact the bank(s) in question, there is no guarantee that they will make any progress getting to the right people to help. It can feel like a black hole, and the level of frustration felt by everyone is enough to cause ulcers. What’s the right way to handle these roadblocks?

RC: There is no one answer that is right. Getting to the right people in the right departments is key in possibly preventing foreclosure. It is not going to be the mortgage department that will facilitate the process. The right department may be called asset recovery, loss mitigation, workout or something else. In addition, each lender will have its own paperwork requirements. Getting that package from the bank and completing the required documents is essential to even being heard. By hiring an experienced negotiator who works with most, if not all, major national banks, he/she will know what is required by that bank in advance and has forms on file for the sellers use. By knowing how to complete the necessary forms and doing so in a timely fashion, it could shorten the process for short sale approval by perhaps months.

MBS: What is a short sale for those readers who may be new to this?

RC: When the sellers owe more on their mortgage(s) than the value of their home, the sellers are in a shortage situation if they decide to sell. There will not be enough money to pay off the loan(s). The seller would need to come to the table with proceeds to satisfy the lien(s). That is not the same as being able to justify a short sale where the bank determines that the seller is worthy to be allowed to sell the home at less than the outstanding lien(s), and the bank will accept as their loss the shortage. In order to be considered for short-sale eligibility one would have to have a hardship such as divorce, medical expenses, job loss, death of family member or some similar life catastrophic situation. In addition, the sellers’ expenses must exceed his/her/their assets/income, they are behind on their payments and have no way to repay the bank. Simply owing more than the home is worth yet wanting to sell regardless of a lack of hardship is not a reason to apply for a short sale.

MBS: Let’s assume there is a hardship as stated above. What is the process for the agent/seller to follow?

RC: List the property at a price based on a detailed market analysis. The agent needs to be sure that they make other agents in the MLS aware that it is a possible short sale and that “all transactions including the amount of compensation, are subject to bank’s approval.” The fact is that even if a home is listed at market value and a buyer comes along and makes an offer commensurate with that value, the bank may not accept the sale. There are cases where the bank’s price opinion may be higher than the offer on the table, and the bank may counter or refuse the offer if it does not conform to what they believe is accurate. I often suggest that the agent take a video of the home to truly document condition as some appraisals are done without a full walk through. Without documentation it may be difficult to make the case to the bank about why the home is not worth what the bank’s appraiser determined. Agents should always meet the bank’s appraiser at the property and provide them with comps. They may not use the agent’s comps, but the documentation could come in very handy if a conflict ensues. This is not to be taken as gospel that any bank will debate with either an agent or an attorney. Some will, others will not.

MBS: What are the banks looking for relative to a buyer’s qualifications?

RC: In the vast majority of the time, the bank does not want to negotiate contingencies. Buyers who have another sale pending and need the proceeds from that sale in order to close on the next purchase are not likely to be considered. Banks take a dim view of buyers requesting concessions. Sales are always as is with no repair credits, except under very, very rare instances. While buyers can have inspections done, it is for their consideration only and not for negotiating any issues that may surface. I had an incident where during the processing of the short sale, the house suffered a freeze-up. I went back to the bank and renegotiated for the purchasers. We had to document the problems and estimate the cost of repair. That is the kind of rare occurrence I would consider presenting to the bank.

MBS: Are there some red flags that agents should be aware of before venturing into helping a distressed seller?

RC: Sellers need to be very cooperative with the agent and whoever else enters the process. Couples involved in a divorce and at odds with each other can present insurmountable challenges when it comes to being responsive and getting all documentation in the hands of the right people. The sellers must also be willing to do the required paperwork. This is time consuming and detailed. Anyone who won’t ‘dig out’ what is needed as proof of the claims being made is wasting everyone’s time. There are also transfer documents that require signatures. Once again, if there is more than one seller, and the two or more are not likeminded, raise the red flag and be sure the problems are cured before approaching the bank with an offer. We hear about short sales taking upwards of a year plus. That is usually because of problems with issues such as referenced above. Well prepared and cooperative sellers make both the attorney’s and agent’s jobs much easier.

MBS: Often homes will have more than one lien holder. In such instances, what happens when trying to process a short sale?

RC: I have had about a 90% success rate working through this very issue. I know that the high rate of success is due to being very familiar with the lien release process and how to approach banks relative to why taking the sale is in their best interest. It is often a delicate balancing act fraught with lots of back and forth negotiating. I would say that it would be nearly impossible to accomplish without the skills of a very experienced negotiator working on the sellers’ behalf.

MBS: What upcoming trends do you see within this segment of the business?

RC: Lack of knowledge on the real estate practitioner’s part while the number of distressed sellers continues to grow will only exacerbate the challenges of getting these properties sold rather than in foreclosure. Banks are not yet geared up for the breadth and depth of the problems, and many sellers are falling between the cracks who could otherwise have been helped. The market will soon be flooded with REOs as these homes process through the banks’ systems after the foreclosure process. Agents want to work this segment of the market yet few understand the breadth and depth of what is required and the time commitment. Banks need educated agents for REO listings.

MBS: Having managed and processed hundreds of REO properties, I could not agree more. As matter of fact, errors and omissions companies are now concerned about indemnifying brokers who do not require their agents to clear all REO listings with the company prior to seeking them out. It is a very litigious, slippery slope. Banks require all kinds of guarantees and bonding for persons who work on their listings… not for the faint hearted for certain.

RC: I could not agree more. The more people understand the whole process from first delinquency on the mortgage through to the REO stage, the less likely they are to want to take it all on.

MBS: There are times when second lien holders, or even first, will ask the sellers to sign an unsecured promissory note for part of the shortage paid by the lender on the sellers’ part. When does that happen and how often?

RC: If the lien holder(s) feel that there are assets forthcoming, they may take this step. We see this often with loans that are secured by PMI (private mortgage insurance). PMI companies are getting hit pretty hard with the number of bad loans that were secured by PMI and subsequently failed. They may try to recoup part of the indemnifying monies they’ve lay out if they feel there is a good chance to recoup part down the road.

MBS: There are so many other topics that we could explore at great length. Volumes have been written on the whole area of distressed sellers and properties. What would you say is the single most important thing an agent could do to help them help their sellers?

RC: Education, education, education. Read, take classes, join networking groups of like-minded practitioners, etc. We simply cannot know enough to help people who need good advice, guidance and support now more than ever!

MBS: Amen to that!

Short on Sales Doesn’t Equal Going After Short Sales

by Marylyn Schwartz

The following is an article about short sales from Marylyn Schwartz, a Master Trainer for Leader’s Choice and a nationally-renowned real estate speaker/trainer and expert in the field of sales and team/management development.

Ever hear the expression, “There are no free lunches?” Well, there is little, if anything, free today, especially a fast way to make money in real estate. For the time being, the days of slapping a sign in the ground and voila you have three offers are a fond memory. In many markets, the sign in the ground has a better chance of sprouting roots and growing into a tree than it does generating a ready, willing and able buyer quickly.

So, what are the agents thinking relative to an effective way to level the playing field? Why don’t we go after short sales? Oh, how wrong that will be for most. If finding qualified buyers and motivated sellers is challenging, wait till you see what really challenging looks like … enter the pre-foreclosure market.

Short sales are sales in which the outstanding mortgage balance(s) is more than the market value able to be realized were the home to be sold. Owners find themselves in this predicament when they over leveraged the home relative to its value. Lots of folks took loans with interest rates that, when they recalculated, caused the owners to be unable to pay the higher monthly payment. In many cases, when the owners went to refinance the home, they found that the equity to do so was not in the home. Sellers could not make the margins work relative to loan amount to property value ratio. A great many homes declined in value for all the reasons we all know too well. We can play the blame game till the end of days. However, it is far more productive to devote energy to what we can do to move forward.

To say that banks are being cautious when making loans is an understatement. For a bank to accept a short sale from a mortgagee, they are going to do diligent research to ensure that the seller cannot pay the loan and has not a “farthing’s” worth of resources that they can offer to the bank to lessen the short sale. If that seller has a savings account, 401K, stocks, bonds, a co-signer, etc. the bank will vigorously pursue the asset(s) to bridge the amount owed with the amount realized by the short sale.

The paperwork required to justify the bank’s willingness to negotiate a short sale will take the better part of a 16-hour day to complete. Frankly, many sellers needed weeks to complete the bank’s process. In today’s environment where many properties are going into foreclosure, banks would rather find a real buyer and sell the home rather than taking it into inventory. An REO (real estate owned) property costs a bank between 30-60 percent of the outstanding mortgage balance to take that property through the foreclosure process and then to sell it as a bank asset.

The agent who decides to assist sellers with this process had better know all the ins and outs before embarking on the journey. You’ll need to be familiar with the typical bank paperwork, who to contact within the bank to bring a short sale to the forefront (hint: the person calling the seller about their late payments could care less about negotiating a short sale … neither does the mortgage side of the bank.) Finding out who handles asset recovery properties, or as they are often called REOs, are the people who, in most instances, do not want to “buy” the home back through a foreclosure.

Advising a seller as to the best process for handling a short sale is rife with responsibility, not to mention liability. There are many attorneys who specialize in the process and may be the best choice for an uneducated seller and/or agent. The sellers may wonder how they would pay the attorney. However, the attorney will attempt to negotiate his/her fee with the bank as part of the short sale amount. Likewise, the agent’s marketing service fee can be rolled into that short sale amount.

Once the sellers are able to demonstrate to the bank that they are unable to pay the loan, the bank will most likely consider a short sale. If the agent finds a buyer to present to the bank, that buyer had better be golden in every way. They will need to:

• Have an outstanding FICO score
• Have irrefutable documentation that they are ready, willing and able to close
• Remove contingencies if the bank wants to sell as is, and that is common
• Have a signed offer in hand to present to the bank

It is incumbent upon the agent to provide the bank with compelling proof of the value of the home. Offers that do not match up with the real value of the property are a waste of time for all concerned and will do nothing to endear the agent with the bank. The bank is not interested in dealing with an agent that they perceive to be marginal, possessing limited skills/understanding of market values.

It might be worth noting that the larger bank’s asset recovery personnel may want a resume from any agent with whom they do business. They’ll want to know if the agent has a working understanding of the ins and outs of pre and foreclosure processes. With the amount of work at the doorsteps of the larger banks relative to mortgage holders in trouble, the banks have neither the personnel nor the inclination to “educate” agents on how to work with them to close a sale, or for that matter, handle a property in the bank’s inventory. They look for people who understand the bank’s requirements (most are quite similar) and get the job done.

With all the additional education needed to get up to speed on how to handle short sales and other pre-foreclosures through to foreclosure properties, it makes no sense that an agent who is not profitable should take his/her eyes off generating business through readily available channels: FSBOs, expireds, target marketing, SOI, door knocking, etc. Trying to get ready to get ready to feed, clothe and house one’s family through some kind of nirvana shortcut is back to believing there are free lunches, the Easter Bunny brings the colored eggs and the guy with the white beard is coming with that Lexus … .

If an agent is thriving and wants to broaden his/her knowledge of the industry by learning another segment or specialty, then that’s a good thing. However, diverting from what needs to be done today, i.e. generating revenue quickly, to learn a complicated, risk-filled new business, will ensure failure. The lifeblood of a successful real estate agent is referrals, prospecting and salable listings. Everything else is gravy. You’re not ready for the gravy if there is nothing to ladle it on!

Leaders Elite, a North American online membership-based training and coaching program for real estate professionals, will present the following Webinars during September 1-15, 2009.

•  September 2: Advanced Web 2.0 Marketing. Presented by Brad Hanks. You’re on Facebook, LinkedIn, Flickr, YouTube, Twitter, and you’re blogging. Now how do you turn these social media tools into business generators? Social-media guru Brad Hanks will teach you to create your “marketing vortex” with the simple strategies you’ll learn in this one-hour Webinar.
• September 3: Good to Great. Presented by Mark Leader. To achieve outstanding results in challenging market conditions is not only a characteristic of the greatest salespeople, it is a must for everyone. In this presentation, open to all Leader’s Choice graduates and their guests, Mark will share with you the 10 characteristics all great salespeople share.
• September 9: Generating More Business By Mastering Your Sphere of Influence – Group Coaching Call. Presented by Coach Ron Alpert. On this important call, Coach Ron will teach you proven tips for “mastering” your sphere of influence so they can help you achieve your goal of getting half your new business from referrals.
• September 15: The Wise Agent. Presented by Brandon Wise. Leaders Elite is excited to offer its members free access to The Wise Agent, a complete, easy-to-use Web-based business management system created and designed for REALTORS® by REALTORS®. In this presentation, The Wise Agent’s Brandon Wise will walk you through some of the fantastic features included with this service.

Developed and led by Mark Leader, Leaders Elite’s virtual-based program offers monthly Webinars, coaching and communication templates as well as an effective activity planner developed by Leader.

Non-members may sign-up for a free 30-day membership to Leaders Elite. For more information, visit www.leaderselite.com.

The following is a testimonial from Ann Arbor, Mich., based real estate agent Kirk Spangler, a graduate of the nine-week Leader’s Choice program and a member of Leaders Elite. Despite the tough economy, Kirk has found ways to thrive. In fact, he was the Leaders Elite Top Appointment Producer for July.

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I was one of the first to sign up for Leaders Elite. The Activity Planner is one of the best things available there. It keeps me focused. I’m not great about logging in and getting in there, but Mark reminds you when you don’t. That, I think, is the best thing about it! Leaders Elite provides an accountability system that is constantly needed.

I was a school teacher for 33 years. I sold real estate and continued to teach for 13 of those years. I retired from teaching three years ago. Interestingly, I was actually producing better when I was teaching. I was more focused. Since I semi-retired, I realized I didn’t really know how to be a businessman. It took a year-and-a-half to two years to get my stuff together to do well in business — Mark’s program helped me do that.

As everyone knows, the economy is in the tanker here in Michigan. That said, you have to get a lot of appointments because a lot of them aren’t producing anything. You’ve got to go on a lot of them just to get a little bit of business. People are upside-down on their mortgages, and I often have to deliver that bad news.

I’m fortunate in that a lot of the work I did this past winter with Leaders Elite’s personal marketing program and referrals are starting to produce. I had four closings in July and have six scheduled for this month. The biggest thing is sticking with it. In other words, you don’t get immediate feedback on seeds you planted in January, February or March, but those are finally starting to produce.

In August, I’ll make my desk costs. At my office, once you make your desk costs, we keep 100%. It will be a very good year for me, especially considering the economic conditions here in Michigan, which have taught me to adjust. I did two leases in my first 12 or 13 years in the business — I’ve done eight in the past three months. People are just trying to bide their time until things get better. They’re leasing to give the economy a year to bounce back. All of these leases, even though they don’t pay much, are still potential clients down the road. It’s a two-way street that works well for everybody.

Mark is a very real person; that’s the best thing I would say about him. He’s not only a dynamic individual in his presentation, but I really consider him a friend. I can call him, and it doesn’t have to be a business scenario. There aren’t a lot of people in the business world you can feel that way about.

— Kirk Spangler
Real Estate One
Ann Arbor, Mich.
Leaders Elite Top Producer for Appointments in July 2009

This e-mail came from Mary Rose Olejniczak, a member of the Leaders Elite community, in response to a request for some “Good News.”

Good news to me!

With having a VERY dry six months and not knowing if I am going to get to closing with some of my deals, I have had six closings in the last three weeks and more to come!

Since I have made the commitment to step up to the plate and get rid of the clients that are dragging me around or the ones that do not return calls, I have let them go, and I will not take them on tour without a commitment with them.

Thanks to Mark and Leaders Elite, and be strong!

Leaders Elite, a North American online membership-based training and coaching program for real estate professionals, will present the following Webinars during August 16-31, 2009.

• August 18: Short Sales. Presented by Bob Lachance. Manage My Short Sale^TM allows you to manage your short sale office from any location, giving you total control over your short sale business. The system allows you to communicate with your clients, learn from other users and stay up to date with the latest changes to the preforeclosure industry.
• August 19: Open Session: Write down two items bugging you about your business and bring to this call – Group Coaching Call. Presented by Coach Ron Alpert. This fun, informative and fast-paced open forum is geared toward active agents who are having particular issues and/or questions about their business that they would like answered. Remember, no question is a bad question – except the one not asked!
• August 24: Welcome Aboard. Presented by Mark Leader. Sit in with Mark as he welcomes you and the other new members to the Leaders Elite community! Mark will take you on a tour of the site and give you an exclusive look at all the powerful custom marketing tools the site offers that will educate, motivate and inspire you to become the best salesperson you can be!
• August 24: 7 Thought Power Processes to Success. Presented by Linda McLean. This Webinar will reveal how to shift your thinking into top gear. Are you struggling with how to make changes in your business but can’t seem to figure out what to do? Learn the easy to follow step-by-step process in building your roadmap to success.
• August 25: AddressGrabber. Presented by Ben Syzek. Power your database with fresh real estate leads. In this 45-minute Webinar, you will learn how real estate top producers actively use freely available sources of lists on the Internet to build targeted prospect lists in their neighborhood.
•  August 31: My Expired Leads. Presented by Oyvind Ragnhildstveit. Available only to Leaders Elite members, Oyvind’s Webinar will teach you all you need to know to get the most out of My Expired Leads, a powerful marketing tool included in your Leaders Elite membership. He will show you how to activate your account, get your expired leads and get moving on increasing your production!

Developed and led by Mark Leader, Leaders Elite’s virtual-based program offers monthly Webinars, coaching and communication templates as well as an effective activity planner developed by Leader.

Non-members may sign-up for a free 30-day membership to Leaders Elite. For more information, visit www.leaderselite.com.

By Marylyn B. Schwartz, CSPPrint Article Print Article

August 14, 2009-Founded in 1944, The American Society of Training and Development (ASTD) has been providing research, education and support to more than 70,000 members in 100 countries and who provide services in the field of workplace performance and education. Dr. Brian Lambert Ph.D. (blambert@astd.org) is the organization’s Director of Sales Training Drivers and is a renowned researcher whose accreditations are exemplary.

In ASTD’s most recent study, State of Sales Training 2009, Dr. Lambert took aim at answering some crucial questions about the state of sales training and the effectiveness of delivery methods being employed by companies today. (Full survey may be ordered at: http://store.astd.org or by calling 800.628.2783; ASTD Product Code: 190903.)

Those of us in the real estate industry have seen the number of classroom-delivered training sessions drop significantly over the past three years and be replaced by on-line programs and webinars. One need only speak with real estate Boards of Education directors to know that they struggle to fill seats in scheduled classes. It costs far less to deliver a sales training program on line than it does to hire skilled sales training professionals to conduct in classroom education.

What Dr. Lambert’s research concludes is that what we are losing by foregoing predominately hands-on classroom education far outweighs the nominal upfront savings realized by delivering primarily on-line programs. The old adage, you get what you pay for, has never been more apropos.

MBS: Dr. Lambert, I’ve read your study and found it to be very enlightening. As an educator, it was my contention that there were topics that could easily and effectively be delivered using on-line methodologies. However, there seemed to be no replacement for human interaction and learning where sales skills were concerned. Who were your respondents and how did you correlate what was learned?

Dr. Lambert: The study was comprised of responses from managers, field sales professionals, training and development experts and financial services workers. In order to break down what we learned, we realized that we had to compartmentalize the data into several ‘buckets’ of content mix. The five categories we created were: selling skills, product training, industry knowledge, company-specific knowledge and management issues. What we found, in a nutshell, is that knowledge transfer on the web was effective, skills transfer was not. Knowledge transfer is the practical problem of transferring knowledge from one part of an organization to another as well as transferring good ideas, research results and skills between organizations, businesses and the wider community in order to enable innovative and/or more effective products and services to be developed.

MBS: For example, one company creates a better ‘mousetrap.’ That information may be made available to other companies (patents and ownership issues appropriately dealt with), and said information may be shared through a clear step-by-step on line seminar/webinar. Unlike need-to-know knowledge which is immediate and necessary for doing one’s job well… the so called sales skills.

Dr. Lambert: Knowledge transfer, sometimes known as best practices should be learned first. Once the person understands the ins and outs of the organization, they are ready to absorb practical selling skills. It is difficult for sales persons to bring product to market (in the case of real estate, product is the property) without a clear understanding of the resources available to them to integrate throughout the sales process. In other words, what the broad overall services of the organization bring to bear on the entire sales cycle. Sales training becomes more effective when training content and delivery are fully integrated into a firm’s wider base of learning and development activities.

MBS: There is a good deal of discussion about the value of the so-called Sales 2.0 as a sales component of Web 2.0. Tell us what they are and what impact they are having on education.

Dr. Lambert: Web 2.0, referred to as ‘on-demand’ technologies integrates technology with proven sales learning techniques in order to increase sales effectiveness and velocity. The sales team and the consumer are linked through the Internet, thus allowing the sales professional to react immediately to clients’ interests and needs. Sales 2.0 is seen by many as enhancing the quality of communication and collaboration between sellers and buyers and members of the selling team and stimulating a more proactive and visible integration of sales knowledge and the customer’s buying cycle. Of great interest is the finding that Sales 2.0 and Web 2.0 paradigms have, as yet, had little or no impact on generalized sales training approaches. Our research suggests that individuals are actually better able to learn selling skills by sharing knowledge within formal or informal mentoring/coaching/training relationships, engaging in “trial and error” learning and observing other highly skilled sales professionals as well as their peers.

MBS: Many organizations employ some level of Internet based initiatives to assist their sales teams. What do the sales teams think of this approach? Is it well-used within the organization?

Dr. Lambert: People don’t want it. Further, when available, the take up rate (how often it is used) is terrible. By far, people prefer informal to formal learning coupled with trial and error. Think of it this way. Would you want your doctor trained this way? Good trainers/coaches understand that there are three crucial components necessary to facilitate sales training. The team needs feedback, motivation and observation. Learning isn’t learning unless behavior changes. There must be verifiable transfer of knowledge. When an organization replicates what happens in live training with a good on-line reinforcement program, the organization can fully correlate sales performance with the desired outcomes.

MBS: What skills should be measured when analyzing the effectiveness of a sales training initiative?

Dr. Lambert: Listening, adapting the sales process to the buying process, problem solving, creativity in the process, empathy and ethical decision making. As you can see, these are tried and true skills that can only be inculcated through experiential learning combined with hands-on training. There was a disconnect between what was assumed to be what sales professionals needed and what they actually wanted. A key reason for undertaking the research was to separate supposition from reality. Our biggest ‘ah ha’ was the need for re-defining sales training and placing the components into the aforementioned ‘buckets.’

MBS: Do new sales professionals have different needs from experienced ones?

Dr. Lambert: Years of experience do not equal expertise. Buyer trends and decision making processes morph over time. Are you operating in the 80’s while the buyer is shopping in the 21st century? The sales person who is keen on enhancing skills and staying current with trends is the one likely to succeed. It is time to start putting the ‘people’ back into sales people. Create better systems, processes and tools is all we hear. Technology does not help place the focus on the customer. Building relationships requires tools and company support, but it is the interpersonal skills of the sales pro that ultimately differentiates success and failure. The competitive advantage is not about pay scales and commissions. While money needs to be there, without the right kinds of support systems that couple hands-on training and peer-to-peer learning, people become dissatisfied and will not perform at optimum levels.

MBS: I am delighted to know that in most sales fields, instructor-lead classroom training leads as the most popular method for delivery. That coupled with on-the-job-training, coaching and mentoring makes for success. Let’s hope that those in the real estate industry take to heart the need to continue face-to-face interventions if we want to improve the state of the industry and skills of its practitioners. I never met a sales person who could learn how to handle a tough client or a difficult objection from a webinar. Your research supports that observation.

Dr. Lambert: While technology moves rapidly forward, the changes in effective training methodologies have not, as some might have anticipated, kept pace. The tried and true of people-to-people interactions still provides the best approach to effective learning and behavioral change.

MBS: Thank you, Dr. Lambert, for your enlightening research and all the great work done by ASTD over so many years. As a long-time member of the organization, I encourage our readers who are concerned about quality education to jump on board.

Marylyn B. Schwartz, CSP, is an expert in real estate and corporate sales training/management and team development. She is president of Teamweavers and a trainer for Leader?s Choice?. Contact her at: www.marylynbschwartz.com or e-mail: Teamweaver@aol.com.

The following is an article from Marylyn Schwartz, a Master Trainer for Leader’s Choice and a nationally-renowned real estate speaker/trainer and expert in the field of sales and team/management development. She discusses learning the ins and outs of social media and networking.

I am relatively new to using social networking as a means of communicating with friends, associates, clients and others. The journey to reach my skill level, moderately adept, has been both interesting and frustrating — more the latter than the former.

Let’s face it, we middle aged folks (I am giving myself significant leeway here as I don’t know many 115 year old people) are generally a stubborn lot who find it tough to completely change the way we are used to things being done. Remember, we are the ones who walked 10 miles to school without shoes. Okay, I rode the bus, but it was a public bus replete with winos and peeping Toms.

Think of it. First, there was the computer. Talk about a learning curve. My curve looked like the flight path of Haley’s comet. What would the nuns from my Catholic school education days say about the decline of the handwritten letter? Mercifully, most of those nuns have passed on now. I shudder to think how the loss of the mastery of cursive would have broken their blessed hearts.

So, kicking and screaming we get the computer thing down pretty well: term papers, letters, office stuff, etc. and then bam, we’re hit with e-mail communication.

Those were tough times. I longed to hear the words, “Give me your address so I can drop you a note.” Instead, the cry throughout the land was, “What’s your e-mail address?” The minute you said, I don’t have one, you were branded as a Paleozoic idiot. Move over Lucy, we have the new missing link right here.

E-mail was repugnant, lacking all warmth, tone and innuendo. It threatened to render the youth of the nation incapable of empathetic communication. We were warmed not to type in all caps. When you type in all caps, YOU ARE YELLING AT YOUR AUDIENCE. Sorry gang. Oh, and heaven help us when emoticons were born. Apparently e-mail cannot simultaneously exist with language that expresses the most common of human sentiments. Without symbols to denote joy, fear, anger, amusement, disgust, etc. we were emotionally illiterate. Yikes, that is to say:

However, the human spirit, especially in the older and wiser among us, is indomitable. We overcame our distaste for the lowly e-mail and are now e-mailing with the best of them… or are we? What seems to be happening is that we are suddenly e-mailing less and Facebook-ing, MySpace-ing, Linkedin-ing … more than e-mailing. Oh, I still get e-mails, but I get more private “my-wall-to- your-wall” notes than e-mails. (If you don’t know what that means, you are not social networking — yet) What would happen to all of those private communications if I suddenly stopped checking my sites? Would I be friendless in no time flat? Would the world slip by while I sat ideally watching the birds in my yard? Within weeks would people say, Marylyn who? And, if that were the case, would that be so bad??? There in lies the real question. Can we stand by, arms crossed, chins raised in haughty defiance, shouting, We’re not going to take it anymore! Right, try it and that’s when the family has the private meeting and the words long-term care are bantered about.

Truth be told, we don’t want to be left out totally while the youth of the world continue to hunker down in their rooms creating their avatars, blogging to each other, texting till their little fingers all develop arthritis, exercise using their Wiis and creating ever more diabolical ways to advance technological communication.

Like it or not, our options are limited. The world is going forward with or without us. You’re in or you’re out. I say, sign up, log in, blog a lot, blog a little and enjoy the ride. Oh, by the way, there are blogs for martini drinkers and wine lovers. Thank goodness, it is not all work!

Mark Leader, North America’s No.1 real estate sales speaker/trainer and founder of Leaders Elite, is pleased to announce that Yolly Seedtibood with Crye-Leike REALTORS® in North Little Rock, Ark., has been named the Leaders Elite Wall of Fame’s Star of the Month for July 2009.

Developed and led by Mark Leader, Leaders Elite is a North American online membership-based training and coaching program for real estate professionals. The virtual-based program offers monthly Webinars, coaching and communication templates as well as an effective activity planner developed by Leader.

Seedtibood received this international recognition from Leader for her total points and dollar amounts accumulated in July.

“I am extremely proud of Yolly in all her efforts to be successful,” said Harold Crye, CEO of Crye-Leike REALTORS®. “By their nature, real estate people are entrepreneurs, and Yolly is certainly proving that she has the drive to pull ahead and accomplish her goals.”

Kirk Spangler with Real Estate One in Ann Arbor, Mich., was the top producer for appointments scheduled in July. Gary DeGrandchamp with Real Estate One in Livonia, Mich., was the top lister for properties and overall listings in July. All individuals competed for the awards with other Leaders Elite real estate professionals throughout North America.

“With the economic changes we all face, the greater Detroit area housing market has required our sales staff to develop new marketing skills and approaches to the real estate business,” said Dan Elsea, owner of Real Estate One. “Through Leaders Elite, Kirk and Gary have done an outstanding job of developing those skills to thrive in a challenging environment. They continue to exceed our and their client’s expectations, regardless of market conditions.”

“During these extraordinary times, extraordinary people always rise to the top,” Leader said. “I certainly believe Yolly, Kirk and Gary are extraordinary people who will continue to succeed and achieve the standards of excellence.”

Seedtibood is a member of the North Pulaski Arkansas Board of Realtors and has achieved the ABR (Accredited Buyer Representative) and MMDC (Crye-Leike Multi-Million Dollar Club). This is her fourth year with Crye-Leike REALTORS.

Spangler, E-Pro, SIOR, has been with Real Estate One since 1995 and is a member of the Ann Arbor Board of Realtors. In June, he reached the top ten in closed production with the Ann Arbor office of more than 100 agents, and he credits his work in May, June and July for four closings in July and six closings scheduled for August.

DeGrandchamp is a member of the Western Wayne Oakland County Association of Realtors (WWOCAR), Michigan Association of Realtors (MAR) and National Association of Realtors (NAR). He has received the Rising Star Award and a Gold Membership in the Multi-Million Dollar Round Table with Real Estate One. DeGrandchamp has been with Real Estate One for more than five years.

For more information, e-mail info@leaderselite.com or visit www.leaderselite.com.