Are You Prepared for a Computer Meltdown?
On my way back from speaking at Triple Play (the New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania Association of Realtors Annual Conference), I had a catastrophic fail on my computer. Apple looked at it, said they couldn’t resurrect it, and
gave me the card for a company that might be able to restore my hard drive and save my data (it could cost up to a $1,000 or more).
What would you do if this happened to you? I have my articles backed up on a site called Authory, some of my most important data on my Macbook Air that I bought for travel, but my videos, training power points, and audios are not on that device due to its limited storage capacity.
I used to back things up on a hard drive, but they didn’t work with the Thunderbolt C computers, so I stopped doing it.
I walked out from Apple having to wait until the end of 2023 to get a new Macbook Pro and a hard drive to back up my files in the future. I’m still up and running with my Macbook Air, so you’re at least getting a newsletter this week.
The good news was that I have been paying for BackBlaze. When I logged on to their site, all the files I needed were there—it was over one terabyte of data (1,000,000 megabytes). I could download individual files as I need them and they had a zip drive solution, but I had way too much data to retrieve using any of those options.
I was happily surprised to find that they could send me a hard drive for $189.00 plus tax with all my data. Best of all, once I downloaded it, I could keep the drive or return it to them for a refund.
If you’re not subscribed to an online backup system, you need to do so NOW. You never know when a small problem can wipe out your contacts and all your other important data.
Also, get in the habit of backing up your device on an external drive at least weekly, because even the best cloud backups don’t always work 100 percent of the time. This is incredibly important if you’re now using videos or audio podcasts in your marketing because they take up so much space.
It’s a pain to get everything transferred and a new computer set up, but not nearly the disaster it would have been for me without BackBlaze.
Are You Worth a $1.86 per Week?
2024 is going to be a tough year for almost everyone in the real estate industry. The difference between top producers who succeed and those who will see their business decline significantly is training.
At every event where I have ever spoken, the top producers are almost always in the first few rows. Their approach is, “If I can find one idea or strategy that will give me a competitive advantage, it was worth being here.”
To quickly access the training you need, when you need it, our Premium Membership Program is your go-to-source.
In addition to the content you receive in this newsletter, our Premium Members receive an additional 52 articles per year, our weekly radio show podcast with top performers and experts from across the entire real estate industry, plus our audio training library that has over 300 6-to-10-minute audio training segments packed with thousands of useful tips and strategies to keep your business strong no matter what the market does.
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Take Advantage of December
Do you have too many parties, too much shopping, and too many other tasks to do? Don’t fall victim to the “It’s the holidays” excuse.
During the 20 years I was actively selling, Decembers were always great because I was working while the rest of the real estate community was on vacation. Even though there are fewer clients, those who are in the market are usually serious. Consequently, this is a great time to prospect.
Also, make a special effort to say thank you to the special people in your client database. This can be with a phone call, text, a small gift, or any other token of appreciation for being one of your loyal customers.
Remember, staying in touch is still the name of the game.
Happy Thanksgiving!
It’s Thanksgiving and the holidays are here once again. Byron and I are especially grateful for your readership and support of our business this year.
As we move into 2024 and are plunged into what may the toughest year in the real estate industry’s history, we’ll be here with relevant content to help you navigate what will most likely be a very different real estate environment 12-24
months from now.
When there is chaos and confusion, there is also a wealth of opportunity. We’re here to help you find it.
In this time of gratitude, please remember to give back to those who are less fortunate than you are. Donate what you’re not using to charity, extend a helping hand to someone who is struggling, or visit that person who is alone during the holidays.
Most importantly, express your gratitude for all the blessings in your life, not just on Thanksgiving, but every single day.
A Feel-Good Exercise to Put a Smile on Your Face
As real estate faces the most troubling crisis in its history, it’s easy to get caught up in the bad news of the day. If you want to feel happier, here are some quick ways to do it. Your goal is to get to 100 items on your list.
- Jot down anything that makes you laugh.
- Write down the name of every client who transacted with you this year—be grateful they trusted you enough to buy or sell in this year’s very difficult market.
- Do you have enough of the basics like toilet paper and hand sanitizer—remember when those items were so hard to get during the pandemic?
- Did anyone you know have a baby this year? Add the baby’s name to your list for something to be happy about.
- Did anyone you care about reach a major milestone in life—graduating from high school or college, getting married, or celebrating a 25th or 50th wedding anniversary?
- Are your house payments current, are your utility bills paid, and your other payments up to date? Add each of those items to your list.
- Do you have friends and/or family you enjoy and who are helping you personally and professionally? BE sure to tell them how much you appreciate them.
The bottom line is you cannot feel unhappy when you focus on what makes you feel grateful or what makes you smile. Your brain can only process one emotion at a time.