Candlelighters Fun Walk

Weichert Realtors – Wayne Murray Properties supports Candlelighters ChildhoodCancer Family Alliance. Candlelighters mission is to provide emotional, educational, and practical support to children with cancer and their families. In addition, Candlelighters desires to promote childhood cancer awareness, and the need for childhood cancer education and research in the Houston community.

Please click this link to watch a video about Candlelighters.

In September, Candlelighters will hold its annual fun run to raise much needed money for its Camp Cliff. Will you please take a moment to read this letter from a father who has been touched by the loving volunteers and staff of Candlelighters?

Dear Friends:

You can make a difference for a child with cancer, Right Now, Today!!!

We are the Camarillos, a Candlelighters family. My name is Gerardo Camarillo and with my wife, Dilma Camarillo, we were blessed with one beautiful daughter, Ivana Laura. Even before birth, Ivana had a tough time. Mom had to undergo surgery on her second trimester to remove some tumors that were outgrowing Ivana. It was at this time that a doctor first touched Ivana, moving her to get to the tumors. Having beaten the odds at such surgery, it came as a tremendous shock when on October 15, 1999 a pediatric oncologist told us that our ten month old Ivana had, among other things, Infant Leukemia. Despite a very poor prognosis, Ivana once again beat the odds and after chemotherapy and a bone marrow transplant, she is now a happy ten year old child.

During her long treatment period, we became a Candlelighters family, joining other families that have been touched with childhood cancers and finding some joy amongst the nightmare. First it was just finding someone to talk to at parent meetings, someone who had gone through what we were going through. We were overjoyed when Candlelighters honored Ivana at the annual Lights of Courage Luncheon in May of 2002. The greatest surprise, however, came when we first attended Candlelighters’ premiere family outing, Camp CLIFF, a weekend retreat for children diagnosed with cancer and their families.

The experience of Camp Cliff is unlike any other. It is the one place where a family can go and talk of childhood cancer with families that understand the horror you live through. More than that, it is a camp where you remember to have fun again, to laugh, to have a conversation that can be about cancer or about football. Ironically, it is a time to forget, at least for a moment, that childhood cancer can overtake your life. For our family, like many others that have been financially devastated by cancer, it is an opportunity to enjoy a family vacation that we could otherwise not afford. Candlelighters offer this wonderful, magical camp at NO COST, NOT A SINGLE PENNY, to their families.

At the time when Ivana was diagnosed, and throughout her treatment, family friends would always ask, “How can we help, what can we do?” It is human nature to try to alleviate the burden, to help in anyway you can, to be part of the solution. Some of you may be in this situation at this time. Well, the answer is as simple as “take a walk.” On Saturday, September 11, 2010, the Candlelighters Fun Walk 2010 will be held at Hershey Park once again. The theme this year is “Rock the Walk.” Now the Fun Walk is, as everything Candlelighters does, itself a celebration with a Kids area, food, music and fun for everyone. It seems like a carnival where you can’t help but have fun. The walk is part of the festivities.

Candlelighters Fun Walk is also a fundraising event to support families at Camp Cliff. Candlelighters provide everything for the family at Camp Cliff, at an expense of over $500.00 for a family of four. Candlelighters make it easy for you to participate. There are several ways to make a difference and help families of children with cancer:

You can start by raising “Walk money.” Simply ask ten (10) friends, family members, co-workers, neighbors, etc. for ten dollars ($10) each. Of course the more donations, the better. Every walker who raises $100 or more will receive a walk t-shirt.
You can be a Team Captain to recruit at least ten (10) walkers. A walk team can consist of family, friends, co-corkers, church members, neighbors, etc. who each collect money on Candlelighters behalf and walk with us.
If you can’t participate in the walk, you can make an online donation. Simply go to http://www.candle.org/, and click on donate. Click again to make a donation. Under event donation select Fun Walk, either team or donation. Fill out the Team Name Team Weichert Gold, if any, and the rest of the information requested. It’s that simple.
If you prefer, you can send a tax-deductible contribution of any amount, made payable to Candlelighters to help, to 8323 Southwest Freeway, Suite 435, Houston, Texas 77074.
The Fun Walk monies support Camp CLIFF, so we hope that you will participate this year in helping us. Every dollar helps send one more child and their family to Candlelighters Camp Cliff. This year Candlelighters, like most charitable organizations, is facing funding problems due to our economy, so this year your participation is more crucial than ever. I am enclosing a walk brochure with more details, but if you would like more information about the walk, please don’t hesitate to call the Candlelighters office at (713) 270-4700.

Thank you in advance for your support and we hope to see you at the Fun Walk on September 11th. Remember, You can make a difference for a child with cancer, Right Now, Today!!!

Sincerely,

Gerardo A. Camarillo

Branding: Company vs Personal

Jeremiah Owyang, on his blog Web Strategy, recently wrote about Personal versus Career Branding. In his post Jeremiah describes the difference between creating a personal brand and a career brand.As expected, Jeremiah described personal brand as focusing on the individual. Interestingly enough, I thought Jeremiah would describe career brand as developing or helping to develop the brand or the company identity. But he didn't do that. Instead he said that career branding is focusing on what you can do for the consumer.

This is not what I had expected at all! It sounds a bit familiar though. Help me here, I'm feeling a little yellow!

Today in Fast Track training new agents were introduced to the DOORS Listing System, one of Weichert Realtors greatest tools. It isn't great because of its success rate although that helps generate income. It isn't great because of its customization or the size of the portfolio. The greatness of the Door Listing System stems from the focus of the presentation. It's all about the seller and meeting the seller's needs. WOW!

I am encouraged as I hear current marketing leaders write about company values. Their ideas reflect the solid appproach that Jim Weichert has been talking about for years. Weichert Realtors' Core Values reflect the foundation of real estate agency, serving the customer. Wayne Murray loves quoting Jim Weichert, "We are not confused."

Just Dive In!

Dive into the unknown
Originally uploaded by aknacer

When you go to the beach or to the pool, how do you get into the water? We've all seen those who test the water before getting in; first a toe, a short pause, a step or two reaching shin deep. This process goes on for a while until finally they get completely in the water.
What about the opposite scenario? Have you seen the person who, without testing the water temparature, throws all caution to the wind takes a running dash and with a huge splash completely submerges himself in the water? Crazy, huh?
It's like the person who plans to plan to prospect. Whether it's a geographic farm, a sphere of influence campaign, or a system to contact expired listings, just dive in.
There'll be things that don't work exactly right but it won't matter. Jim Weichert's proven open house system doesn't have a 100% success rate. Instead, Jim Weichert encourages agents to look for success in doing the activity. Floyd Wickman uses different words to describe activity: "Great results are the sum of small things, done well, repeatedly."
Just dive in!

Pssst...It's the Systems!

Marty Rueter, President of Weichert Real Estate Affiliates, wrote an enlightening account of recent visits to two different Waffle Houses. (Waffle Houses? Yes, Waffle Houses!) Marty’s experience describes the systems that Jim Weichert perfected and Wayne Murray sought when becoming a franchise office of Weichert Realtors.

Enjoy this well written article.

I had my first BAD Waffle House experience recently. Toni and were driving down I-65 from Nashville and stopped at our favorite
breakfast stop on a Saturday morning. I should have known
something was awry when no one greeted us as we entered –
Maybe they didn’t see us, I thought to myself. The waitress at the
register finally promised she’d be right with us.
It wasn’t an abnormal Saturday. There were sojourners there like us but locals also -- enough to
warrant two cooks. It took about ten minutes to get some water (“the decaf was still brewing”) and
another ten minutes to place our order (still no coffee). We watched and waited ... and waited,
expecting to hear the whir of the egg beating machine that makes Waffle House omelets so fluffy (still
no coffee). The cooks seem frazzled, overwhelmed. The wait staff chit-chatted, idly watching the cooks
trying to keep track. Finally after consuming thirty minutes with still no decaf, I interrupted our
waitress and asked if she had called in our order yet. “There are two orders still ahead of you,” she
responded, “We’re very busy.....”
I’ve been to hundreds of Waffle Houses all around the country, and studied (admired) how they
operate. They have a marvelous SYSTEM for offering tasty, quick, hot food (albeit high cholesterol).
There was no SYSTEM in this particular Waffle House; no automatic greeting, no “condiment code” to
keep track of multiple orders (I’ve seen as many as fifteen cooking at a time), no system for having
fresh hot coffee ready to pour. I noticed the cooks weren’t wearing sanitary gloves. The posted health
notice was 87. Starving but frustrated, we walked out, much to their disinterest.
Toni still wanted her coffee. I wanted an omelet. So a few miles down the interstate, we stopped at
another Waffle House, this time dubious of our next Waffle House experience. “GOOD MORNING!”
two staffers called out. “Coffee?” one asked us right away. And within nine minutes we were inhaling
two delicious omelets with extra cheese and our second cup of decaf. A real Waffle House!
I relayed our disappointing experience to Kim, our Waffle House waitress in Pensacola, FL. “Must be a
franchise.” she responded matter of fact. “We’re trying to get rid of them. They’re costing us business.
They ignore our way of cooking, always skipping steps like our ordering code, and skimping on the
fresh coffee. Why would anyone franchise with us if they’re going to ignore our proven methods?”
“Beats me?” I said, unfamiliar with the problem.
“They’re not a real Waffle House like this one,” Kim shook her head. “They’re just making pretend.”
“And failing,” said I smugly.

Success Track Training for Weichert Agents

Weichert Realtor's Success Track classes are held Tuesdays and Thursdays from 12:00 to 2:00 PM in the Riverstone office in Missouri City. All Weichert, Realtors - Wayne Murray Properties agents are encouraged to attend.

If you are interested in receiving more information about becoming a real estate agent or in particular a Weichert professional please call Byron Underwood at 281-208-1700.

Thursday January 14th Scenarios for the Outgoing Phone Call

Tuesday January 19th Generating Listings and Sales through the Open House

Thursday January 21st Succeeding with For Sale by Owners

Tuesday January 26th Creating Listings by Contacting Expired Listings

Thursday January 28th DOORS - A Two Visit Listing part 1

Tuesday February 2nd DOORS - A Two Visit Listing part 2

Open Houses Work

Don't take my word for it. Take a SUCCESSful Weichert Realtor professional's word for it. Interested in learning how to make open houses work to sell your listings and help create new business? Call today 281-208-1700 Weichert Works!

Why Teens Don't Tweet

Geoff Cook, cofounder and CEO of social networking site myYearbook, wrote this enlightening article regarding Teen activity on several social media sites. Worth the read. Follow the link to his article in TechCrunch.

5 Easy Steps to Prospect with Twitter

Now that your new Twitter account is up and ready to be used, I am sure your are wondering what to post. This important video gives you five quick and easy ways to ensure Twitter will create business for you. Success starts with Activity!

Let's Rock the Walk Fun Walk 2009

Come join us Saturday, September 12th to support Candlelighter's Childhood Cancer Family Alliance at Terry Hershey Park, 15200 Memorial Park.
The mission of Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Family Alliance is to provide emotional support for children with cancer and their families.
Please help Rock the Walk and rasie money for Candlelighters. Monies raised from the Fun Walk go to fund Candlelighters Camp Cliff, the annual family camp. Raising walk money is easy. Simply ask 10 friends, family members, co-workers or neighbors for a $10 donation each, All workers who raise $100 or more will get a Candlelighters Walk T-Shirt.

For a short informational video click on the title above: "Let's Rock the Fun Walk 2009"

To make a donation for a walker or a team online go to www.candle.org and click donate.

On-line marketing goes to the front line!

Your exposure in the marketplace drives business to you! When working on a marketing plan to increase your personal business, you have to consider how to increase exposure within the marketplace. This can come in many forms including yard signs with personal riders, personal contact within your Sphere of Influence, phone call canvassing for Just Listed and Just Sold activity, open houses, direct mail, and internet exposure. Considering that more than 90% of all buyers start their home search online, internet marketing should play a significant role in your marketing plan. Internet exposure, just like marketing itself, comes in many different forms including e-postcards, on-line video clips, social networks, and website postings of your listings and personal information. To increase our exposure locally and nationally Weichert, Realtors has increased its online presence. Our listings now post to many highly trafficked real estate and classified ad websites. To learn more about these online locations visit Weichert University to see the newly revised DOORS presentation.

Not a Weichert agent? Call a local office to learn how you could be a part of a SUCCESSful Weichert Realtors team.

Open House Invitation Call

Neighbors appreciate being invited to open houses. Many attend to get an idea of home values in the neighborhood. Others come to find a good agent. Take a few minutes to make invitation calls encouraging neighbors to attend the open hous. This calls shows a messge left on a neighbor's answering machine.

Do you have what it takes?

Do you have what it takes to be successful in real estate, to be an independent contractor working for yourself with nobody to answer to, nobody to call your boss? Take a few minutes to read through the folowing questions and comments written by Dan Miller.
1. Are you a self- starter? Successful people don’t sit around and wait for people to come to them.
2. Do you get along with different kinds of people? Are you conversational, get along with printers, secretaries, mortgage brokers, title people, appraisers etc?
3. Do you have a positive outlook? Focus on the positive. Optimism and sense of humor essential. Small setbacks are just opportunities to stepping stones to eventual success.
4. Are you able to make decisions? Procrastination is the main obstacle to good decision making. “How to Eat a Frog”- concept is to do what you look least forward to and do it early in the morning, of get it over with- out of the way. 80% of decisions made right away.
5. Are you able to accept responsibility? Be willing to listen to your client’s complaints, gripes, and accept responsibility for your mistakes.
6. Do you enjoy competition? Don’t have to be cut–throat, but enjoy competing for listing presentations for example. Even competing against yourself. Dan sets small goals for himself when he was a struggling student he would set small goals for himself like he would 20 cold calls before eating lunch- sometimes he would eat at 12pm, sometimes at 4pm. You could do 40 door hangers and go have a latte after it.
7. Do you have will-power and self-discipline? Without it you won’t succeed.
8. Do you plan ahead? Need a long-term plan to succeed. Know where you want to go and devise plan to get there. For example, I will do 3 find 2 new buyers a month. How to get there- what are the most effective activities to find new buyers- open house, networking, referrals, and postcards.
9. Can you take advice from others? You don’t have to have all of the answers- learn from others. Don’t have to make all of the mistakes yourself- take seminars, read marketing or business books, hire a business coach or mentor.
10. Are you adaptable to changing conditions? Change is constant- market changes, technologies change, relationships change. Do you adapt well and are you able to take it in stride and enjoy that each new day is not like the day before?
11. Can you stick with it? Most new ventures take longer than we would like for them to. If it was easy, everyone would be doing it. Are you prepared to make a one year commitment to this business no matter how bleak it looks sometimes? Will you continue even if your friends or family tell you to throw in the towel?
12. Do you have a high level of confidence and belief in what you are doing? If you don’t believe in what you are doing, you won’t be able to sell it. Enthusiasm is selling what you believe in.
13. Do you enjoy what you are doing? Don’t think that you will be successful if you are in it just for the monetary rewards. You should get a sense of meaning and satisfaction from what you are doing.

Helping people buy and sell real estate is a rewarding job. Getting to help people live thier dreams can't be listed in the job description of a real estate professional. With all its rewards and glory, selling real estate isn't for everbody. Reflect on your answers to these questions to help decide if the exciting career in real estate is truly for you. Still think you have what it takes? Let's talk!!

A Perfect Fit...Weichert Realtors