AND…

their personal lives.

I hope you are not one of them.

Want to know what these people are doing, that is killing their business and personal lives?

Maybe you are doing this too, but I hope not.

They are living the 50/90 Rule.

When they should be living the 90/50 Rule.

I’ll explain what these rules are, and no, they are not the 80/20 rule. Nope. Not what I’m talking about here.

But first, let me share with you another problem.

If you are a business owner, a real estate agent, you have to, please for the love of everything in the Universe, stop talking, bragging, celebrating hours worked.

You get paid for results, not by the hour.

• “I work 60 hours a week!”
• “I work 80 hours a week!”
• “I’m on 24/7 for my clients!”

Stop bragging about hours worked, or start charging by the hour. Do one or the other, OK?

You are not punching a clock anymore. You don’t get paid time and half.

You don’t have to try to impress your boss anymore. You are not climbing a corporate ladder, to get a promotion.

You are the boss!

Your clients don’t care how many hours you work. Your clients want results.

No one cares about how many hours worked!

Well, someone cares. Your family cares. Working 80 hours a week is not cool. Stop acting like it is.

Remember, you get paid for results, not by the hour.

If you make this mindset shift, you will be miles and dollars ahead of your competition.

The 90/50 Rule

What I’ve observed with many real estate agents, business owners and entrepreneurs is that they don’t truly understand the difference between productivity and just being busy.

Tim Ferriss, author of the 4 Hour Work Week says this about productivity,

“…our culture tends to reward personal sacrifice instead of personal productivity. Few people choose to measure the results of their actions and thus measure their contribution in time. More time equals more self-worth and more reinforcement from those above and around them.”

Personal sacrifice instead of personal productivity…

More time equals more self-worth…

If you want to build the business you desire and live the life you deserve, change this mindset. Immediately!

Remember, you get paid for results, not by the hour.

The 90/50 Rule is about bringing awareness to this epidemic of sacrificing time instead of looking at your productivity and results.

It is simple, yet effective.

Be at 90% energy and effectiveness 50% of the time.

Most people are at 50% energy and effectiveness 90% of the time.

What does that mean exactly?

It means you are not present or on purpose. You are half there.

You are checking your favorite facebook group, your email, your twitter, your analytics, all at the same time, while you supposedly doing lead follow up. Or writing that blog post. Or sending out the newsletter. Your are multi-tasking. 50% energy.

And you do this the entire day, well at least 90% of it.

Always plugged in.

Always connected.

Never giving something the attention, the energy and focus it deserves. And I’m not just talking about tasks here, I’m also talking about people.

Doing things at 50% energy, 90% of the time leads to the excessive hours. Stop this.

The 90/50 Rule shifts you back the other way.

Give a task, a project, a person 90% of yourself. Be there. Be present. Give it focus. Give it attention.

Why only 90%? Why not 100%?

Contrary to athletes belief, you can’t give something 110%. You can’t, in my opinion, even give it 100%.

Go try to drive your call at top speed, pedal to the floor, all day, every day. Your car will fall apart very fast.

I don’t want this for you.

Don’t push yourself so hard that you are on the verge of a melt down.

Give it 90%. That will give you some amazing results.

And….

Only 50% of the time of what you are currently doing now.

Working 12 hours a day? I bet you can get the same results in 6 hour if you get focused and give the IMPACTFUL things 90% of your energy and attention, instead of the 50% you are giving them now.

Afraid you can’t get everything done if you start to follow the 90/50 Rule???

Good. You probably shouldn’t be doing most the junk you are doing anyways. You do it because you are trying to fill in time you think you are supposed to be working. This is where the 80/20 rule comes in to play.

So, flip the script.

At the end of each day, ask yourself,

“Did I operate at 90% energy in 50% of the work day or was operating at 50% energy for 90% of the workday?”

If this seems like a tough concept to grasp, I hear you.

A big part of this is your mindset. Doing a shift from 50/90 to 90/50 is not easy, because like Tim Ferriss said, “our culture rewards personal sacrifice.”

The next step is knowing what to prioritize.

After that it is knowing how to prioritize the important and eliminate the distractions and things that don’t matter.

Take a look at your business and life and think about how it would look if you followed the 90/50 Rule.

This was Katherine’s reaction last night when watching the Biggest Loser.

They were doing the weigh in and one of the contestants got on the scale.

This contestant needed to have lost 5 lbs for her team to win and for them to be safe from eliminating anyone.

She was the last one to get on the scale.

It was left up to her. Just her.

She got on the scale.

The scale starts flickering around. Numbers going up and down. Seem serious dramatic music playing and then….

The show goes to commercial!

Katherine throws her arms up in the air, “Noooooo! Don’t go to commercial!”

Suspense and Desire

That is great storytelling and marketing.

They are creating suspense.

They are creating desire.

They are telling a story that is compelling and draws you in.

You better believe that Katherine didn’t let me change the channel during the commercial.

Are you creating compelling marketing messages that create desire in your prospect?

Do your prospects want to know more?

Are they willing to wait around to hear or see what comes next?

Or maybe willing to take immediate action to find out what is next?

I think Internet Marketing and social media has made us lazy marketers.

Some people might argue that old school marketing is dead and it’s all aboutrelationship marketing now.

That people will buy or sell with you just because they Like your facebook or follow you on twitter or you engage with them.

I say Hogwash!

Good marketing. Compelling storytelling. Marketing that creates suspense and desire still works and will always work.

It’s baked into our DNA.

Don’t be lazy with your marketing, emails, information, knowledge and blog posts.

Don’t just give it away, give it away, give it away like the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

Create desire.

Go back thru all your marketing content, every blog post, every landing page, every email and see if you are truly creating desire with a compelling message.

Does it make the prospect want to take action, to find out more info, to come back tomorrow, to show up to your event, to email you back, or pick up the phone and call you?

The number of platforms that she covers is mind numbing.

The amount of content that she needs to create and consume is overwhelming.

So how does she do it all?

Take a listen to this Productivity Podcast where she shares

• How she handles her email
• How she handles her social media

Can’t see the audio player? CLICK HERE

I will be joining Katie and the Inman News team at Real Estate Connect next week. Will you be there?

That would be the translation of ”Oel ngati kameie!”

“Oel ngati kameie” means “I see you” in the Navi language, from the movie Avatar.

What a wonderful greeting, huh?

I see you!

Acknowledging someone. Letting them know you see them, that you are giving them attention.

Boy, that sure seems the opposite of marketing and especially social media now a days.

There seems to be a lot of screaming online, “Look at me!!!”

How’s that working for you?

Is your facebook page bringing you business?

Is your facebook profile bringing you the transactions that so many GooRoo’s and Experts promised?

Can you truly justify that the time you have spent on twitter has been worth the investment?

How about your blog? Is it really generating leads and helping you close more transactions?

Stop Doing What You’ve Been Told

If you’ve been doing what all the social media experts or the tech savvy agent in your office has told you to do and its not working…Stop it.

I’m willing to bet, a lot of the tactics and ideas they are telling you to do, would full under the the “Look at me!!!” category.

Why not try the “I see you.” idea?

Instead of building a new facebook page or worrying about how many Likers you have…
Go “write something…” on a friends, past client, or neighbors wall. <- If you do this you will see why I said “write something…”

Let them know, “I see you.”

Instead of writing another blog post or doing another video…
Go leave a comment on a local bloggers site or youtube channel.

Let them know, “I see you.”

If you’ve been doing what you’ve been told and it’s not working. Stop. Pivot. Go the other direction. That doesn’t mean stop using social media, that just means, use it different.

Instead of the “Look at me” approach, that I see so many doing and trying to figure out how to make work, why not try the “I see you” method.

This is the method we take inside our Levels Coaching program.

It’s about using the tools and social media effectively. Not just using them, to use them.

If you want to be more effective with your entire business and your approach to social media, you should become a member of Levels Coaching.

There are some great results taking place inside Levels. For example…

“When this program had started, I had only 4 deals closed for the entire year. Since starting in Levels, I have added 3 listings, wrote 7 offers and will have closed 3 deals.” - Rich Ganim

Learn more about LEVELS by Clicking Here >>

So, what are you going to do today, to let someone know you see them?

• Improve SEO with Linkbuilding Made Social
• or
• What Social Network Should You Be On For Maximum Boost In 2012

I thought What Social Network would be the run away favorite.

It was only about a 60/40 favorite, which tells me something. What does it tell you?

Here is the winner, What Social Network Should You Be On…

There are only two channels I watch on TV.

Well, three actually.

I watch SyFy and ESPN.

And then I watch whatever channel the Packers and Badgers are on.

I’m sure I’m not the only SyFy Nerd + Sports Fan/Jock in the world. There has to be other people that like both.

But, you couldn’t tell that by watching the commercials on these TV channels.

The products, services, etc, advertised on the SyFy channel are different than the things advertised on ESPN.

Now take what Katherine watches….

She watches Bravo.

She might even watch OWN or W or Lifetime. But I’m usually not in the room if those channels are on.

{POP QUIZ}

Do you think the commercials on Bravo or Lifetime are the same as commercials on SyFy or ESPN?

Why or Why not?

What Social Network Should You Be On In 2012

Let’s think about this strategically.

Let’s think about this like a marketer.

Let’s think about this like a business that is trying to earn a professional level of profit.

If people who have Million$ of Dollar$ to spend on advertising don’t market across the same TV channels equally, what can we learn from this?

• People who watch SyFy probably like certain things.
• People who watch ESPN probably like certain things.
• People who watch Bravo probably like certain things.
• People who watch FoxNews probably like certain things.
• People who watch MSNBC probably like certain things.

These marketers are trying to match their product or service to the right audience.

{Let’s Play A Matching Game}

If I make Video Games what channel should I advertise on?
If I make an electric car what channel should I advertise on?
If my company creates mutual funds what channel should I advertise on?
If I sell Vodka what channel should I advertise on?
If I run a matchmaking website what channel should I advertise on?

What does this have to do with Social Networks?

My philosophy, start thinking about them like TV channels.

What this means is you have to start thinking about your target audience, your prospective client.

You have to give thought to how they think, act, behave, their interests and likes and who they think they are and more importantly, who they want to become.

What I say is the hottest next social network should not matter.

What any of the GooRoos or EX-perts say should not matter.

This is about YOUR audience and prospects.

So the question I see and hear from people all time of , “What is the one social network I should be on?” is not a question I can answer or the GooRoo’s or EX-perts. Only you can answer that question.

Some Other Things To Think About

Facebook has the most people right?

Who cares!!!!

CBS has more people watching that channel vs the SyFy Channel. But…

If I have a product or service that is perfect for a nerdy sci fi geek, who cares that more people watch CBS! I care where my target audience is, right?

Google Plus is the fastest growing, so you should be there right?

Who cares!!! You shouldn’t!

How Many is not as important as Who.

I need you to really get this…

How Many is not as important as Who.

Read this out loud please. >> How Many is not as important as Who.

What Social Network Has Your Target Audience

The social network that has your target audience is the one you should be focused on in 2012.

That means you need to give some thought to who your target audience is.

Or maybe, if you already know who some of them are simply ask them, “Hey, where do you spend time? What social network do you hang out on?”

One last thought….

And just because a bunch of Real Estate Agents are hanging out somewhere or using a certain social network or tool does NOT, I repeat, does NOT make it the right one for you. Unless your target audience is other real estate agents.

Have a Happy New Year and a rocking last for moments of 2011!

Stay Productive | Keep Focused | Be Consistent
– Darin “partyin’ like its 1999″ Persinger

P.S. >> If you really are committed to making a professional level of profit in 2012, it is really important to start understanding marketing and business development.

I have an hour long audio training and PDF called “Business Development – The Productivity Junkies Way”.

It’s not for sale and I won’t give this away for free. It is too valuable.

What it covers is,

Right now, only my 1 to 1 clients and members of Levels Coaching have access to this.

So, if you are really committed to marketing and business development…

Stop delayin’, stop hesitatin’, quit playin’ and let’s start working together.

Affordable group coaching >> Check out LevelsCoaching.com

For custom coaching >> Check out 1 to 1 Coaching

Darin, with so much to do in my business and my day, how should I schedule my daily activities?

Great question, especially as we head into the new year.

Here is a Productivity Nugget to answer your question. And below the video, you can sign up to get access to the Productivity Junkies Time Management Kit to help you even more with this.

Some of my earliest memories are of watching the Packers on TV with my Dad and my Brothers.

That’s just the way it is in Wisconsin I guess.

The Packers are having an amazing season following their Super Bowl win.

They will have literally not lost a game in over a year!

The last team to beat them was the New England Patriots exactly one year ago. The Packers lost with their backup quarterback playing, cuz Rodgers was out with a concussion.

But since that time…PERFECTION!

How have they done it?

What can you learn from them and apply to your business?

Well, the Packers have done things almost the exact opposite of what most NFL teams do.

Take the Philedelphia Eagles for example…

The Eagles are 5-8 this year. After they spend million$ of dollar$ to get the “best’ players.

That is the typical route. Spend a ton of money and try to put together a Super Bowl team for that year.

Nothing seems wrong with that philosphy does it? Nothing wrong with wanting to win.

But the Packers on the other hand…

They have been committed to what they call ‘Draft & Develop’.

The General Manager, Ted Thompson and the Head Coach, Mike McCarthy have been committed to the process of Drafting talent and developing that talent. Even if that means the team in the first couple of years wasn’t a Super Bowl winning team.

This ‘Draft & Develop’ approach gave the Packers the youngest team in the league from 2006 to 2009. Nevertheless, the Packers reached the playoffs three of the last four seasons, and that Super Bowl win last year and this season off to a 13-0 start.

Maybe Jim Collins should research the Packers for Good To Great.

I can’t find the exact numbers so don’t quote me on this, if you know, let me know…

But the Packers roster is made up of about 45 out of the 52 players have NEVER played for another NFL team.

And 37 of the players where drafted by the Packers right out of college.

What does that mean?

• It means they are creating a dynasty.
• It means they are winning without having to spend as much as the other NFL teams.
• It means they are committed to a long term vision.

What about you in your business?

To me ‘Draft and Develop’ sounds a lot like a Sphere of Influence/Database driven business.

Focused on the long term.

Nurture the relationship = develop the player.

Too many agents though, are spending HUGE amounts of money and time to generate new leads for their business. That sounds like spending the million$ of dollar$ on free agent players.

Many agents are chasing the Shiny Object, the newest hottest trend. That sounds like chasing players and spending dollar$ instead of developing players that fit the strategy, the goals of the team.

What is your approach in business?

Are you committed to the long term?

Are you in it for the year or for your career?

Are you going to take the ‘Draft and Develop’ approach like the 13-0 and Super Bowl Champs?

Or are you going to spend million$ of dollar$ and be 5-8?

If you want to do the ‘Draft and Develop’ approach….

There are 2 things you can do right now…

#1 I have a book on Amazon Kindle called Stop Contacting, Start Connecting.

It’s about building a Sphere business, but takes a different approach from things you’ve heard in the past.

There are a few reviews there if you want to decide if this read is for you.

CLICK HERE To Learn More About Stop Contacting, Start Connecting

#2 Have you heard of the Geeky Girls?

They are joining me on my live, group call for Levels Coaching this week.

We are going to be talking about generating referrals.

Both Lisa and Laurie are both masterful at this.

If you want to become a Member of Levels before this live call…

Visit LevelsCoaching.com

I should mention, there are a lot of teams trying to copy, I mean model the Packers approach now.

For example, it looks the Seahawks are doing this out in Seattle.

We will see if they have enough patience to stick it out though.

Are you going to have the patience to stick it out in your business?

She is also in demand as a trainer, speaker and coach for leading international real estate companies.

By the way, I didn’t make up the claim that her brokerage, The Good Life Team, is the most innovative.

It really is.

Inman News named her brokerage the  Most Innovative Brokerage or Franchise.

How Krisstina Stays Productive

In the Productivity Nugget Podcast Krisstina and I talk about

• Her morning ritual “The 9:03″
• The tools she uses
• How she blocks time
• Plus more….

Take a listen below.

Don’t see the podcast player?

Click here to listen

Links from the Podcast:

Coffee With Krisstina

The Good Life Team

I share why “content is king” is a myth.

I also give you three other _______ is “king” myths.

Don’t see the podcast player? CLICK HERE

Brian Clark, aka Copyblogger – Don’t share your way into poverty

Podcast transcript

There might be a few people that are going to disagree with me.

This email MIGHT make a few people angry.

I’m counting on getting some emails telling me how “wrong” I am.

I’m sure a couple of angry tweets will show up also…

Why?

Because I’m going to dispel 4 big myths about what is “KING” when it comes to your online lead generation.

You’d think these Myths are butter the way they are spreading (especially in social media). And I believe hurting people’s incomes and ability to provide for their family.

You ready?

1. Myth #1: Content Is King

NOPE!

True, content is important. And you need it to get found.

But is it “king”?

If it is, then it must have been folded in a bad hand of poker.

Because there are millions of people creating content online right now who are B.R.O.K.E.

They have content created themselves into the poor house or as Brian Clark aka Copyblogger says, “Don’t share your way in to poverty”.

And if Content is “king”, then you’d be sunk. Because there are so many Realtors already creating content. There are many agents working like a dog, putting out boat loads of valuable content each day.

But STILL aren’t closing transactions from it.

If content was the end-all-be-all, then all of these agents would be pulling in the “benjamins”.

But lucky for you….

Content is NOT “king”.

2. Myth #2: Traffic Is King

Ditto with #1.

There are lots of agents out there bragging about their “traffic.”

They are bragging so hard, we might as well autotune them and turn it into a bad T-pain hip hop song.

Traffic is NOT “king” though.

I could write about coffee shops or a donut bakery all day long and bring traffic to my site…

But is that traffic showing up to buy or sell a home? Or are they looking for coffee and donuts.

Traffic IS important, but it’s not king.

3. Myth #3: Teaching Is King

Is it?

If teaching is “king”, why are teachers in our culture always going on strike to get paid more money?

But there are many “online teachers” teaching you to just give away all your valuable knowledge and info.

To just “teach” your prospects.

I think I’m naturally a teacher. I was even going to school for Secondary Education.

But that natural skillset didn’t help me in real estate sales and business.

I still needed to learn about marketing and lead generation. And, teaching doesn’t replace those skillsets.

Yes, teaching is a nice addition and a wonderful enhancement.

It can do wonders for your prospects and sphere viewing you as a resource.

But it’s not even close to being “king”.

4. Myth #4: Engagement Is King

Nada.

Sure engagement is nice. It’s important.

But have you ever had a conversation with a woman that has been engaged for a VERY long time?

Engagement isn’t enough.

OK, so if the above ain’t the  “king”, what is?

Don’t say Elvis!

Email me back and let me know what you think it is.

I’ll let you know soon, but I’ll drop a big hint on ya right now…

If you are not on my email list, you are going to miss the announcement today that Impact Formula is open again.

(CLICK HERE TO GET ON MY EMAIL LIST)

Not only did you miss the announcment but you missed a pretty kicking email about the 4 Myths.

1. Content is King Myth

2. Traffic is King Myth

3. Teaching is King Myth

4. Engagement is King Myth

I debunked all these Myth’s like I was one of the two crazy, geeky guys on MythBusters.

Then…

After some myth debunking, I re-opened the doors to Impact Formula.

Impact Formula is a program to help you do the stuff that actually matters online, if you want to make money.

I understand, not everyone does though.

Some people love the fame. Being popular does equal success to them.

Some people want to be a celebrity or a rockstar.

And that’s good for them, and I’m not judging their goals but let me explain…

• Popularity…
• Celebrity…
• Rockstardom…
• All the pats on the back in the world…

Don’t pay the bills.

If you are looking for a way to make more revenue for your business and provide a better lifestyle for you family, than Impact Formula is for you.