I decided to write this blog post about an individual whom I’ve been working with for over the past year who has played an instrumental role in the growth of my own business.

You’ve probably heard me say that without marketing, you don’t have a business. I believe strongly in this statement. But I also know that just any old marketing won’t do the trick. You need to develop awareness, build your personal brand, get your message out there and display your personality to get people to really take notice.

One of the reasons I started in this business was to fill a void in the marketplace. According to what my clients tell me, I am on the right track. This day and age people want to work with a real person, something they can get to know, bond with and create a long term lasting relationship with. No one wants to be “SOLD”. Showing that you’re different in what you stand for and how you go about what you do is so refreshing!

I can’t say enough good about the individual I’ve been working with. Every time a conversation turns to marketing, this person is the first person I recommend for a very good reason.

This person has helped me to identify my personal brand. They helped me create my SIMPLE logo. They created my website. They’ve helped me introduce systems into my business that’s eliminated work load and streamlined processes. They helped me set up an amazingly simple social media system that helps me make the biggest impact with the least amount of work (not to mention all the while having the most fun and adding maximum value to my clients). They’ve coached me continuously in effective marketing practices. Every time I think I’ve found something new and I tell this person about it, they respond with “I’m already on it. Check this out!”

Not only does this person have a growing reputation for being an expert in his field, he’s also got an amazing heart. He consistently goes out of his way to under promise and over deliver. He’s all about added-value. I shamelessly plug him every chance I have because of the impact he’s made in my business and the stress he’s relieved in my life.

Here’s a little video I shot recently about the results he’s gotten for me with my Twitter account. It blows my mind. I don’t know how he does it, but the results are proof that this guy definitely knows… no… excels in his field of expertise.

Now just an update on my Twitter account. As of the time of this writing, I now have 1,130 followers. With the systems that Jeff Schneider and the Marketing Ninjas team have put in place for me, I have seen drastic improvements in my traffic not only to my blog, but to my Facebook page and my other social media accounts. In fact, since these changes have been made I have seen a direct increase in my client base. Although this is important from a bottom-line perspective, what is even more important is the quality of people who are contacting me, looking for help and are ready to get started.

This is my official personal endorsement for an amazing individual who is massively talented when it comes to marketing yourself or your business using the Internet.

If you feel that you marketing isn’t where it needs to be, I highly, highly recommend that you contact Jeff. I’ve arranged with him to do a complimentary 1 hour consultation with anyone that contacts him through me. He normally charges close to $500 for this service, but he’s agreed to waive the fee for my community. (Thanks Jeff!)

Jeff’s team over at Marketing Ninjas specialize in helping businesses create a powerful online presence that attracts new customers and grows their bottom-line. Here’s some of the strategies they use:

• Website Conversion Optimization (helping you build your list effectively)
• Social Media Marketing (with an emphasis on doing it productively and making it easy)
• Search Engine Optimization (getting you ranked on the 1st page of Google, I haven’t started this yet)
• Video Marketing (video is the hottest thing on the Internet right now)
• Email Marketing (the most cost effective way to add value to your clients)
• Blog Management (I don’t use this service, but great if you want to blog and don’t have time)

You can contact Jeff and the Marketing Ninja team here or feel free to contact Jeff directly at 1-888-450-1859 ext. 168

Again, thank you Jeff for all you’ve done for me and I look forward to continuing to work with you into 2011 and watching my business grow as a result.

Make life easy for home buyers and in turn make your life easy as well. Get a better price, be more competitive and sell faster just by using these simple techniques and heading the advise of this video above. Sell you Real Estate or Investment property and get the best bang for you buck. If you are an investor and trying to sell the tenant occupied home – consider an incentive like bonus if you sell the property in a certain period of time by them keeping it clean and doing a few of these tricks, or offer to hire a home cleaner for them every 2 weeks…most people would love to have a free home cleaner come in and simplify their busy lives!

• De-Clutter, Clean, and/or Organize all rooms in the house – This should be your very 1st step. Get rid of or pack up anything you don’t think you’ll need to use right away. Clean your drawers and cabinets (potential buyers will open them up to look inside) and put anything you think you might need in a small, organized box in an out of the way
• Address any and all repairs that need attention. Inspect your house inside and out to search for cracks, etc. The small investment of time and money will mean a bigger return when it comes to the sale price. Don’t forget to check for leaky faucets, squeaky doors, and burnt-out light bulbs. You may even want to consider repainting your walls with neutral colors so that they appear fresh and clean.
• Make kitchen counter tops and cupboards feel large and Spacious. Counter tops and shelves should not be filled with food and appliances. You want your kitchen space to appear large, clean and functional. Make sure your dishes are stacked correctly, turn your cups and mugs so that they’re all facing the same direction, and make sure everything (including your spice jars) are clean and in order.The kitchen is the heart of the home and plays an important part in attracting the heart of a buyer. This is an active area that needs special attention. Cabinetry should be clean and if they require a fresh coat of paint or stain it is a must to do. New cabinet pulls are an easy way to update the room and make the kitchen feel fresh and new. Remove excess pots and pans, phone books, small appliances, etc. as these things make the kitchen seem smaller and covers workspace. DO NOT have fridge clutter such as notes or pictures or multiple magnets. Clear countertops and add a few back drop items such as candles or decorative pieces. Remove trash containers and tidy under the sink.One final thing to consider if you have ceramic tiles in your kitchen, or any tile with a grout line, is to step back and see if those grout lines are dark or black. I’ve seen a lot of kitchens with light colored tiles that have black grout lines. This really draws the eye down to the problem and makes the overall kitchen look dated or old. Consider having a professional come in to steam clean those grout lines. For a couple of hundred dollars you will be amazed at the difference it makes.
• Bedrooms should appear peaceful and serene. Sparsely furnished is best. Use your best duvets or comforters or invest in new ones if yours are worn. Clear off bedside tables, and add back just a few books or simple art piece. Bedside lamps add a warm ambience for showings. Remove excess paintings or photos from the walls. In some cases, old curtains do more harm than good. Take them down and clean the windows for a fresh look. Children’s bedrooms usually need to be simplified. Take down posters and box up toys. Simple and classic is always best.
• Keep the bathroom as bare as possible, never leave your personal items in view when showing your home. Decorate bathroom with fresh soaps (unused of possible, have a simple squirt soap available if someone needs), flowers, bowls or designer pieces. Invest in new towels and fold them neatly. Never leave medicines, money, jewelry or personal items of this type on display.In fact, depersonalizing your whole property is a powerful selling tip. Buyers will be more attracted to your house when they can imagine themselves living there. To make your house look lived-in without looking like anyone actually lives there, pack away into storage:
• • All family photos
  • Holiday souvenirs
  • Trophies & certificates
  • Collectible items
  • Children’s artwork
  • Home Gyms that haven’t been used in months
  • Other
• Know that when the house has a showing it should appeal to all five of the senses:
• • Sight: Open the blinds and drapes to let in natural light. Keep clutter away and consider keeping your pet out of the home for that day.
  • Smell: Put out flowers and candles in the main rooms of the home and a colorful bowl of fruit on the dining table.
  • Taste: A hot pot of coffee helps with taste and smell also.
  • Hearing. Turn off the sound on all television sets and computers, and have some easy listening or jazz music playing in the background softly.
  • Touch. Have your guests sit on the softest couch, and make sure everything is clean and dust-free.
  • Space. When showing guests around your property, let them enter the room first. In smaller rooms e.g bathrooms, stay at the door. Too many bodies in too small a space causes a problem.
• Make sure you put away or hide any major appliances you don’t want to sell. If you want to take your antique chandelier you should take it down before you show the house. Otherwise, a potential buyer may see it and want it for herself. In fact I make it a point when working with my Buyer clients to have them list on their sheets as wee walk through Make and styles of items they see in a prospective home that they like. These become bargaining chips in the negotiation. In Fact I have been able to get more Air conditioners for my clients they you can imagine. Remember in the eyes of a buyer everything can be negotiable.
• Have some fliers made up with details and photos of your house for prospective buyers to take away with them. This is a bonus step as most Realtors will have sheet already available for their clients
• One final tip, and maybe the biggest bang for your buck, is to go through your house and look at the light bulbs you are currently using. Those energy saving bulbs are great for living in but not so good for selling a home. Change the low wattage or energy saving bulbs to brighter ones. This will make your home appear larger and brighter. Both very important things to home buyers. You will also note that in our Canadian Winters with are long and drawn out that often buyers will be looking at your home at night time. Add extra lamps and increase the wattage of your exterior lights if possible (check the wattage rating of the fixture first as this could be a fire hazard). Think of the experience for making it easy to have people be at your home…your want it to feel like there home and treat them that way. If its 6:00pm and they show up at the house at -15 or -25 Celsius and its dark out so their Realtor can’t see the lockbox and the whole family is waiting outside in the dark and bitter cold. All that could be solved and the entire experience of viewing your home can be better with a few lightbulbs! If you are worried about conserving energy just get a timer to set for the lights or a motion sensor so it creates a similar effect.

Most people don’t realize that these few simple things can make the differnce between selling your home and not. It can also make the difference between getting $5000 – $10,000 more money or very simply selling fast versus sitting on the market for a long time. If you are selling a home  right now be sure to take these steps immediately.

Have an incredible day!

These are important questions to be asking, and if you are like most Canadians and our neighbors south of the border you may be so gripped with FEAR upon receiving your RRSP statement in the mail that you don’t even open it!

Oh crap there goes my retirement next egg! I thought mutual funds were safe...?

Education and understanding about other “vehicles” that exist in the world can change the direction of the downward spiral your current retirement accounts are in. It is time for us as a collective to take ownership, accountability and responsibility for our choices in life especially when it comes to our money. A friend and Real Estate Investor in Edmonton, Alberta that I know has often been quoted as saying “the more you manage your money, the more money you have to manage”. This is a powerful statement, something I have have always believed and until I heard it form her mouth I had never quantified it so simply. I believe in it so much that I have added it into many of the presentations I give on a Regular basis when I am teaching Canadians how to become their own bank.

So how do we start getting educated and moving forward? What can you do specifically to take your financial IQ to a new level? There are resources everywhere that can get you on the path. One of my top recommendations and something that I give to most of my clients is a book that changed my life. Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki has taken me on an incredible journey. A path that has led me to meet some of the most incredible people in the world and the greatest relationships with positive like minded entrepreneurs that both inspire and continually challenge me to rise up and strive for a better world for us all to live in. Great people and mentors like Jimmie Jayes, Jayson Lowe, Timothy Francis, and Don R. Campbell who make helping and empowering others on the choices that are available in the world of today a purpose for their lives

- Robert Kiyosaki on his most recent book Conspiracy of the Rich.

In the book CashFlow Quadrant by Robert, he talks about three Keys to wealth. Those three keys are:

1. Delayed Gratification

2. Long Term Vision

3. The Power of Compounding

He further goes on to say that “financial intelligence is not so much how much money you make, but how much money you keep, how hard that money works for you, and how many generations you keep it for.“

So the real question that you may want to ask yourself is…how much money are you keeping? Take a look at your bank statements and credit card statements. Add up all the amounts that are for regular recurring payments then answer this, how many payments with after tax dollars has walked out of your bank account up to this point in your life? If you have earned that money once, been taxed on it, and then it’s gone…it’s gone! That means you have to re-earn that and money get taxed on it again. Some would say that is the equivalent of economic slavery. The good news is that there is ways to get around this and to be pro-active. You can get educated and learn tools to maximize the 3 keys to Wealth that Robert talks about and you can even find solutions out there that have limited to NO Risk.

So the challenge is laid, start by going to some local presentations in your area and ask good questions. Become “Curious George” and pay attention to the questions that other people are asking so you can learn from a different thought process and perspective. Then find a local Cashflow club in your area to go play the Cashflow 101 & 202 games. Make sure you are playing with people of integrity who play the game the way it was intended by its creator and not trying to force feed or sell products to you (yes, if you can believe it there are people out there that will destroy the sanctity of this incredible financial tool by putting Cards in the deck that introduce their own investment products and services and ruin the true learning experience). To find out about clubs in your area send me an email and I can try get you connected, you are also welcome to come and join me at a local game in Edmonton, Alberta. It would be my pleasure to meet with you and to have fun enjoying a safe, positive and engaging learning environment.

Here’s to your Success!

Richard Canfield

Well this has been an important topic with almost everyone I have spoken with in the last year. Again by popular demand we are hosting an event tonight. 2 more spots for Free registration have just opened up. This will be a small group with a warm learning environment and a great chance to continue your path of education and awareness with great financial concepts and strategies that you can access here in Canada.

We will be covering the strategy and illustrating a tangible example of banking to create generational Wealth on a Actual person here in Edmonton. Bring your pen, paper, business cards, smile and an open mind and we look to see you there tonight!

Please note, only registered Guests will be allowed access to this event, make the decision and commit to it!

ONLY 5 Hours Left to till the event begins!

The next thing to do is ask all my friends for some feedback on what they like and the reason why. In order to make this happen I have put together a super-quick survey (don’t worry, it’s only one question long), where everyone can vote on what design they like best.

Only the first 100 people will get a chance to vote and the voting ends Saturday at Midnight! That’s only 55 hours away!

If you can help me out I would greatly appreciate it, all I ask is that you be honest with your answers and if you can spare an extra 10 seconds please write a comment about what specifically you like about your top picks!

So if you’re interested in providing me some feedback, please click on the following link to quickly rank the 6 concepts in order of your preference. It will take you 30 seconds and help me tremendously. Click here to take survey

P.S.  if you can rank all 6 that’s awesome but the minimum to rank in order of preference is 3

P.P.S. – these are just the initial drafts, I will look at all the suggestions and likely implement a couple changes on the top Logos

With this in mind one of the key pieces to look for in a market direction is the pace at which it moves. Personally I like the tortoise mentality to Real Estate: Slow and steady wins the race! I prefer to see boring and momentous growth slowly trudging along an upward direction. This constant pattern that stays clear of vast upswing and large skyward curving graphs keeps the populace safe from the natural opposite of the rapidly climbing curve…you guessed it, the vicious downward spike.

This is exactly what happened in the 2005-2006 “Tiger Woods years” (this phrase was coined by top Canadian Real Estate Expert Don Campbell), in fact, much like Tiger Woods the golden child of Golf who had an unstoppable climb to the top his rapid downfall stands as a real life example to mirror the changing tides in Edmonton’s Real Estate market. At the end it always boils down to simple supply and demand. 2007 saw very very strong demand, however the supply began to quickly outpace the demand (which really didn’t wane much). Eventually we were at a point of 20-24,000 properties on the market from a combination of MLS, FSBO, and new home construction but only a demand of 4-6000 buyers. It’s pretty easy to see how the pendulum can swing in the favor of the buyers who have so much choice that they can demand whatever they want.

As you can see in the info below taken right from the Edmonton Real Estate Board Market update the year over year increase for March is about 10%. That is 5% greater than the national average over the last 40 years in Canada. Yes we are still below the peak levels of 2007 (my condolences again to those that purchased at the peak), but many would argue that the downfall was actually a move back to reality.  Edmonton being a leader in pulling forward out of the recession and one of the first markets to forge ahead with growth during the economic turmoil, this increase is robust and perhaps even somewhat excessive in the last year. The forecast is for 5% growth over 2010 according to the Real Estate Association in this market, current demand is strong, rates are still low, and the ratio of sellers to buyers is at a solid balance. If you are looking to purchase either for a family home or an investment my suggestion is evaluate your goals and determine your long term plan first. Once you have defined this you can make educated and value based decisions that are a match for your needs and what you are trying to build.

Take a look a the march stats below and click here to read through the 2010 Predictions.

Edmonton, April 6, 2010: Housing figures released by the REALTORS® Association of Edmonton for March and the first quarter of 2010 show that resale housing prices are up; listings and sales are up.

“There is consumer confidence in this market and both buyers and sellers appear eager to enter the housing market,” said Larry Westergard, president of the REALTORS® Association of Edmonton. “Prices are up about 10% from a year ago and sellers are eager to take advantage. Buyers are aware of higher mortgage rates ahead and are getting into the market before the rates rise.”

Single family residences in the Edmonton area sold on average* for $388,473 in March which is up 4.7% from February and 11% from a year ago. Condominium prices rose by 8.4% month-over-month and 10.5% year-over-year. The average condominium sold for $252,416 in March. Duplex and rowhouse prices (at $313,836) dropped a third of a percent in March but were up 10.4% from a year ago. The average residential price was $343,607 (up month-over-month by 8.5%).

Sales also demonstrated the optimism of the marketplace. 3,728 residential listings in March were up over 30% from a year ago and up 246% in the first quarter. Residential sales of 1,571 properties in March were up 15.1% from a year ago and 77.3% in the first quarter. Sales were up from 1,307 in February: a 20.2% increase. The March sales-to-listing ratio was 42%; down from 52% in February.

“Seller activity has boosted the inventory to 6,770 residential properties,” said Westergard. “I am less concerned about available inventory now than I was at the beginning of the year. I think the market has reached a balance between buyers and sellers.”

All major banks raised their fixed mortgage rates in late March and the Bank of Canada has warned that interest rates will rise again after the second quarter. Many buyers are hurrying to lock in rates and find a home before the more stringent qualification requirements for mortgages come into effect on April 19. Alberta will not be influenced by the GST harmonization taking place in Ontario and BC so we may not see the sales slump in the second quarter that is expected in those two provinces.

The average days-on-market in March was 41 as compared to 47 in February.

Highlights of MLS® activity
March 2010 activity                                               Record for the month*       % change from Mar. /09
Total MLS® System sales this month                                  1,744                          16.50%
Value of total MLS® System sales – month                        $539 million           28.90%
Value of total MLS® System sales – year                            $1.25 billion            24.10%
Residential¹ sales this month                                             1,571                         15.10%
Residential average price                                                   $343,607                  11.70%
SFD² average selling price – month                                     $388,473                  11.00%
SFD median³ selling price                                                     $364,000                  9.20%
Condo average selling price                                               $252,416                    10.50%

¹. Residential includes SFD, condos and duplex/row houses.
². Single Family Dwelling
³. The middle figure in a list of all sales prices

* Average prices indicate market trends only. They do not reflect actual prices, which may vary.

Richard

________________________________________________________________________________________________

REALTORS® predict stable housing market in 2010

Edmonton, January 13, 2010: Larry Westergard, President of the REALTORS® Association of Edmonton predicted a stable year ahead for the local housing market. He was addressing 1,000 REALTORS® and their guests at the annual Housing Forecast Seminar at the Shaw Conference Centre today.

REALTORS® expect that sales figures, which have drooped in the last two years, will follow the trend established in the last half of 2009 and continue to climb. “Edmonton has a robust economy and consumer confidence is high,” said Westergard. “We anticipate sales of about 21,000 units in 2010 which is up 10.5% from the 19,000 residential properties sold in 2009.”

Prices for single family homes and condominiums will remain stable. Average prices for single family homes will vary through the year within a small range. “Prices in the spring are always higher than January or December,” explained Westergard. “Month-to-month variations, both up and down, can be expected, but overall we expect prices to rise about five percent.” The average price in December 2010 is expected to be $385,000 as compared to $367,000 today.

The resale condo market is feeling pressure from the new condos being built and that will keep prices in check for the next year. Condo prices are expected to remain flat with no significant increase in the year-long average price. Buyers can expect to pay $244,000 (on average) for a condominium next year – about what they would have paid in 2009.

There were just 4,037 residential properties available for sale through the MLS® System at year end and Westergard warned that if inventory figures remain low it could tilt the market in favour of sellers and cause prices to rise higher than expected. On the other hand, if mortgage rates go up it could prevent some potential buyers from entering the market and put downward pressure on prices.

“REALTORS®, homeowners and sailors all want calm seas and smooth sailing,” said Westergard. “It appears to be a stable market ahead with strong sales prospects will make the ride comfortable for everyone.”

I started off my weekend right with a Friday night of fun and learning. With some new guests, old friends and some repeat players coming out to this months Cashflow game. We had an incredible Cashflow 202 game where everyone was able to get out of the rat race and upgrade to the excitement and the FastTrack.

Creative joint Ventures, some heated opportunity bidding wars and some intense collaboration from all players made this one of our most entertaining games to date. One of our players, a seasoned and accomplished Real Estate investor with a portfolio of over 12 units was playing the 202 version for the first time with us. It had been several years since he had played to 101 version and one of the comments he shared with me as we were packing everything up was just how realistic the game is to life and the various aspect that you will encounter on this tremendous journey. From unique opportunities that are available to us all (once you are open enough to see them), to the doodads and vast market fluctuations that can creep up at a moments notice to devastate a portfolio.

What I am truly amazed by every time I play the game with fresh people is the capacity for ideas that are generated by everyone at the table to put deals together that otherwise would never come to fruition. The sheer power in asking a simple question: “what specifically is it that you need?”

This simple question stimulates the solution brain to kick in and suddenly people brainstorm to map new ideas in a group that you may not otherwise have. In the game this can take many forms but one of which is often a quick resource review of the other game players. Who has what, who needs what and how can we create the largest win-win situation with the current opportunity that is presented.

I find this fascinating and incredible that when you boil things down to a core aspect from deal to deal, the greatest successes from most players comes from the teamwork they structure in a game that mimics the real world scenarios we encounter on a regular basis. Therefore, Zig Ziglar has his day again with one of the greatest quotes I have ever read in my life

“You will get all you want in life if you help enough other people get what they want.”

Here’s to the team you have helping you in your life and all you can accomplish together!

they infiltrate.