EXECUTIVE AGENT MAGAZINE-BROWARD COUNTY, FL-JANUARY 2023

Erika Axani

Executive Agent of the Month

ERIKA AXANI

Attitude & Mindset Are A Choice

In the demanding, stressful, and emotional world of sales the slightest inconvenience or bump in the road can turn your attitude toxic.

Your alarm clock didn’t work, it’s raining, you forgot your umbrella, the line at the drive through was slow, you spilled coffee on your dress, the clients you drove around for three days looking at houses couldn’t get financing, you drove an hour across town to an appointment and your prospect didn’t show, your operations team screwed up the first delivery to your new customer, you had to fight to get your commissions paid correctly - again!

Suddenly you are engulfed in the sea of doom, your cup is half empty, and there is no silver lining to your dark cloud. Disruptive emotions begin to drive your behavior.

Your outlook goes negative and your patience shortens. On the brink of outright hostility, and you find yourself unable to focus on selling. You just want to go home and crawl back into bed.

For a Sales Professional, a bad attitude zone and the disruptive emotions that come with it, if unchecked, can be fatal to your career.

In sales, attitude is the “X Factor”. Attitude plays a powerful role in your success. Because sales is inherently emotional for both you and your buyer and emotions are contagious; your attitude can and will impact your buyer’s desire to buy from you. This is why the salespersons attitude is often the winning edge in hard fought battles for new accounts.

For this reason, you must protect your attitude at all cost. Develop a bounce back routine when things don’t go your way. Become aware of negative self-talk. Let go of anger. Maximize positive input. No matter what hap pens to you or what outside influences are at play, your attitude is your choice. You are absolutely and completely in control of it.

Here are three things you can do now to develop a winning attitude.

1. Invest in Yourself: It is easy to burn out in the sales profession. When you are tired and run down it is difficult to maintain a positive attitude. Train like an athlete. Exercise your mind, body, and spirit. Then, when you do get knocked down, you’ll get up faster and you will win.

2. Tune In: Learn to listen to your inner voice. It is there, talking to you all of the time. Most days we only listen when it says negative things. That’s when our attitude goes south. When you tune in to your inner thoughts you can get ahead of the curve and make repairs to your attitude before it begins to sink your sales career.

3. Filter the Noise: Stay away from negative inputs, negative people, and negative environments. Each morning say the words, “Today, I choose Joy.” This one act will condition your mind, body, and spirit to work together to protect your attitude.

In sales and in life, attitude is the greatest single predictor of how far and fast you will climb. In other words, attitude = altitude. Make the choice today to use your attitude to go straight to the top.

Jeb Blount advises many of the world’s leading organizations and their executives on the impact of emotional intelligence and interpersonal skills on customer experience, strategic account management, sales, and developing high-performing sales teams. He speaks to and delivers training to high-performing sales teams across the globe. He is the author of eight books including the mega bestseller Fanatical Prospecting and his newest release Sales EQ. To learn more call 1-888-360-2249.

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The Platinum Rule™: Relationship Strategies for Connecting with Anyone

Personality

differences: they’re what make life so rich and fascinating and often so frustrating, too. Most of us never figure people out. We just ricochet through life, getting along with some people and dealing as little as possible with others because they’re so different from us. Everyone knows the Golden Rule: “Do unto others as you would have done unto you.” But this habit can turn off those who have different needs, wants, and hopes than we do. Instead, the real key to making a difference is to apply The Platinum RuleTM. “Do unto others as they would like done unto them!” Once you understand and master The Platinum RuleTM, you’ll be able to build bridges to people of any style in any personal or business situation.

Dr. Tony Alessandra, CSP, CPAE has authored 13 books, recorded over 50 audio and video programs, and delivered over 2,000 keynote speeches since 1976. Copyright© 1999, Tony Alessandra. All rights reserved. This article has been adapted from Dr. Alessandra’s book, Charisma (Warner books, 1998. Dr. Tony Alessandra is recognized by Meetings and Conventions Magazine as... “one of America’s most electrifying speakers.” For information about Tony’s keynote presentations, please call The Frog Pond Group at 800-704-FROG (3764) or email susie@frogpondgroup.com.

Times are tough – but as an old adage reminds us, “when the going gets tough, the tough get going.” In business, a good salesperson knows how to ride economic waves. They know exactly how to take a group of leads and build them into a loyal base of customers and clientele who return time and again for products and services; who bring in referrals; and who increase the potential to close a sale by as much as 500%.

A Positive Mindset Generates Positive Actions

Most salespeople are driven by commissions. So imagine if they viewed every person they encountered as a pro spective client. Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines client as “a person who pays a professional person or organization for products and services, a person who engages the professional advice or services of another, and one that is under the protection of another.”

If salespeople viewed every person they met as a client – someone under their care who seeks professional advice and products or services – the potential for sales would increase dramatically. This seemingly simple change in mindset and attitudes makes a world of difference in sales, commissions, and profits.

Creating a mindset that perceives every individual who comes into a business as a client is one of the first steps in driving sales and increasing commissions and profits. However, it is a proven fact that when a client comes into a business and specifically asks for a particular sales person, the closing percentage skyrockets. To achieve this, salespeople must know how to prospect.

Prospecting – Reviving A Lost Art

Prospecting has three primary results: an appointment for an immediate sale; referrals to new prospects actively looking to buy, and creating future prospects. Successful prospectors know that while there are many approaches, the best methods are in-person (personal), telephone, and written communication.

Yet today, most salespeople don’t have the first idea about how to prospect successfully.

This is where managers, as the coaches and leaders, come in. The first step is to focus the team on the overall goal – changing the variables they control, beginning with driving traffic – and then to change their mindset.

Develop a game plan and create opportunities for the team to practice, play and win. It’s like Vince Lombardi says, “Practice does not make perfect. Only perfect prac tice makes perfect.”

• The importance of team. Think of a professional football team. They practice for hours at least five days a week to play a single, one-hour game. The team who wins is not always the biggest, fastest, or best, but the one who goes in with a well-rehearsed game plan and then executes it. Practice, Play, and Win.

• Change the mindset. Teach the team to prospect –24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and yes even in your sleep. Take them out into the field and train them. Then be sure the team views each individual who enters the business as a customer with the ability and intent to purchase.

• Assign a dollar value to each customer. Every potential customer who comes to the business has the power to increase your paycheck along with the company’s gross.

Salespeople cultivate customers through prospecting and referrals; they convert customers into clients by establishing and maintaining a relationship that allows them to build a sense of trust. It’s this trust that allows clients to rely on the salesperson for advice, and allows the salesperson to secure more referrals and sales.

The bottom line is, prospect, prospect, prospect – every single day, not just when the business is bad or down. Prospecting needs to become an automatic reflex, like breathing, an act that happens successfully and continu ously.

With a positive mindset, a view toward the future, and the right training, salespeople will understand the need and will continue to prospect for opportunities and loyal clientele, regardless of how business is doing.

Richard F. Libin is the author of the book, Who Stopped the Sale? and president of APB-Automotive Profit Builders, Inc., a firm with more than 43 years expe rience working with both sales and service on customer satisfaction and maximizing gross profits through per sonnel development and technology. He can be reached at rlibin@apb.cc or 508-626-9200 or www.apb.cc. (www. whostoppedthesale.com)

“Salespeople cultivate customers through prospecting and referrals; they convert customers into clients by establishing and maintaining a relationship that allows them to build a sense of trust.”

WHATEVER THE PROJECT IS, START TODAY

Knowledge fueled by emotion equals action. Action is the ingredient that ensures results. Only action can cause reaction—and only positive action can cause positive reaction.

All of that said, there are still so many people who are really sold on affirmations. There is a famous saying that “faith without action serves no useful purpose”—and how true that is! Now, there is nothing bad about affirmations when they are used as a tool to create action. Repeated to reinforce a disciplined plan, affirmations can help create won derful results.

But there is also a very thin line between faith and folly. You see, affirmations without action can be the beginnings of self-delusion. And for your well-being, there is little worse than self-delusion.

The man who dreams of wealth and yet walks daily toward certain financial disaster and the woman who wishes for happiness and yet thinks thoughts and commits acts that lead her toward certain despair are both victims of the false hope—which affirmations without action can manufacture. Why? Because words soothe and, like a narcotic, they lull us into a state of complacency. Remember this: To make progress, you must actually get started!

The key is to take a step today. Whatever the project is, start today. Start clearing out a drawer of your desk… today. Start setting your first goal… today. Start listening to something motivational… today. Start putting money in your new “investment for fortune” account…today. Write a long-overdue letter… today. Anyone can! Even an uninspired person can start reading inspiring books.

Get some momentum going on your new commit ment for the good life. See how many activities you can pile on your new commitment to the better life. Go all out! Break away from the downward pull of gravity. Start your thrusters going. Prove to yourself that the waiting is over and the hoping is past—that faith and action have now taken charge.

It’s a new day, a new beginning for your new life. With discipline you will be amazed at how much progress you’ll be able to make. What have you got to lose except the guilt and fear of the past?

Now, I offer you this challenge: See how many things you can start and continue in this—the first day of your new beginning.

- Jim Rohn

“The greatest source of happiness is the ability to be grateful at all times” — Zig Ziglar

Know of a REALTOR® doing amazing things? NOMINATE them to be our next Executive Agent of the Month

AGENT MAGAZINE EXECUTIVE

Erika Axani

Executive Agent of the Month

“I believe that by providing buyers with all of the information possible, I’m vetting out a better buyer.”

ERIKA AXANI Sharing the Keys to Paradise

South Florida destinations like Lauderdaleby-the-Sea and Lighthouse Point invoke images of sun-drenched shores, sugarsand beaches and lacy palm trees. At these magical addresses, days move with the rhythm of the tides, and sand castles are built to last forever. For those seeking a share of this extraordinary lifestyle, only the best real estate representation will satisfy. They need look no further than Erika Axani, award-winning agent at Broward County’s number one private real estate brokerage, Florida Luxurious Properties. For more than a decade, Erika has been conveying paradise with uncompromising service. Her passion for this singular community powers not only her success in real estate, but her leadership in organizations that make the region a better place to live.

With a focus on luxury properties priced at $1 million and above, Erika delivers white-glove service with exquisite attention to detail. Every listing receives its own customized promotional package, complete with stunning photographs, luxury brochures, a lifestyle video and a private website that captures every distinctive feature with floorpans and 3-D tours. “I believe that by providing buyers with all of the information possible, I’m vetting out a better buyer,” Erika says. “What sets our company apart is that we invest heavily in strategic marketing. We place homes in local magazines and in publications in the Northeast. We also advertise in the Wall Street Journal. And through our affiliation with luxuryrealestate.com, we list our properties around the world.”

Erika and her company believe so completely in the value of their service, they do not charge a cancellation fee if they choose to terminate their listing. “I’ve never once in my career had a cancellation,” Erika says. “The relationships we create by not making our service so contractual shows our clients that we are investing in them. It also holds me more accountable to do my job. I feel that my clients can see the hard work I’m doing for them.”

Erika is truly a local expert who works exclusively with buyers and sellers in Broward County’s premier communities. When clients seek her expertise in luxury markets like Palm Beach and Miami, she connects them with trusted partners from her luxury network. This way, she is able to maintain the kind of locally focused, hands-on service she believes her clients deserve, whether they are first-time home buyers, seasoned owners or sophisticated investors.

Recently, a buyer who had saved for many years to purchase their first home said this about working with Erika: “She walked us through a very detailed process that was completely foreign and didn’t hesitate to go over items three and four times until we were understanding. Erika was extremely

patient and never made us feel pressured, though we were looking at houses for many months. We love our house so much and couldn’t have asked for a better Realtor®.”

A satisfied seller declared: “This is my 10th house to sell in my lifetime. I can honestly say Erika has been the best agent I have ever used. She is professional, kept me updated on every aspect of my listing, was always available to help me with anything I needed. I would highly recommend Erika to list any property.”

A busy entrepreneur, the wife of “the most amazing supportive husband anyone could ask for,” and mother of twins who are “the most magical human beings on earth,” Erika reserves energy to sponsor local causes she believes in. Her real estate practice is deeply entwined with community service, and in a community known for its privileged lifestyle, she leverages her professional status to influence others to take positive action. Beginning with a quarterly happy hour event she co-founded to benefit Broward Children’s Center, Erika helped raise money to build a recreation center for children with special needs and to repair the organization’s young adult living facilities. “This organization serves children with severe special needs. They eat through tubes and can’t speak. Fifty percent of these kids were once typical children, but have become

disabled due to an accident or severe abuse. It is heartbreaking to walk through the facility, and the stories of the families are so painful. After seeing it, I couldn’t think of supporting anyone else. Now I’m also secretary of the board for the Children’s Comprehensive Care Center.”

In addition, Erika is a passionate supporter of the United Way and local schools. She says that part of the joy for her is that when she sees a need, she is able to connect people and resources to solve prob lems quickly. “I find that a lot of people get inspired and want to help, but they’re just not sure how to get started. I try to be that conduit between people who have resources and those in need.”

People trust Erika with their greatest investment because she is more than a real estate professional. She is a neighbor and friend who works hard to make life in her community extraordinary for everyone. “I love being out and constantly meeting and bonding with people,” she says. “It makes me feel good when I can change someone’s life for the better.”

Erika

Erika is the most sophisticated real estate professional I’ve ever worked with. She sets the bar with a coherent and deliberate process with iteration and resilience, with pragmatism, with strategic vision, with craftiness and savvy and an eye for opportunity in pivotal moments.

Ryan, Rio Vista

Erika was amazing! She made every step of our home buying and selling process seamless and fun. We recommend her to anyone trying to buy a new home or sell their current one. She was organized, efficient with our time, quick to respond and helpful in the negotiating process. Erika was exactly what we were hoping for in a realtor.

Christina, Plantation and Davie

We would give Erika 50 stars if we could. We couldn't recommend her enough. This past November Erika helped us to buy our first house, something that we have saved our whole lives for. She walked us through a very detailed process that was completely foreign and didn't hesitate to go over items 3 and 4 times until we were understanding. Erika was extremely patient and never made us feel pressured, though we were looking at houses for many months. We love our house so much and couldn't have asked for a better realtor.

-Katie, Deerfield Beach

This is my 10th house to sell in my lifetime. I can honestly say Erika has been the best agent I have ever used. She is professional, kept me updated on every aspect of my listing, was always available to help me with anything I needed. I would highly recommend Erika to list any property.

Pauline, Las Olas Isles

THOUGHTS BECOME ACTIONS

The process is that thoughts become actions and actions produce results. So the equation starts with the thoughts. So the key to success is to start with and control the thoughts that we have.

Good thoughts become good actions become good results. If you have read my articles or heard me speak, you know that I always come down to action. We need to act if we are going to be suc cessful! Yet, our success starts long before our actions. In fact, our success begins in our thoughts.

Success Begins in Our Thoughts

The process is that thoughts become actions and actions produce results. So the equation starts with the thoughts. So the key to success is to start with and control the thoughts that we have. Good thoughts become good actions become good results.

But there is this predicament we have as humans. It is this “battle” we have with our thoughts. Thoughts of depression, negative thoughts, thoughts of fear etc constantly creep into our minds and cause us to act in certain ways that are going to produce the antithesis of the kind we want that will produce success.

So what can we do to win the battle with thoughts? Here are a few main points. Apply these immediately and then constantly and you will be on your way to winning the thought battle.

Guard your mind.

Pretend that behind that forehead of yours is a very precious thing – your mind – because it is pre cious. If you had a storehouse of gold in your house, you would hire an armed guard to stand watch and keep all the bad guys out. Yet, many of us let any

old thing come into our minds. We need to keep the bad thoughts, the negative thoughts O-U-T! Now when I say this, I mean both the ones that start in our heads and the ones that come from external sources.

Proactively place good thoughts in your head. Just like a garden, where you weed, or pull the bad stuff out, and plant, put the good stuff in, so we do the same thing with our thoughts. Buy tapes and music that will produce good, happy thoughts in your head! Watch TV programs and videos that put good thoughts in your head!

Avoid the naysayers. They are all around you. You work with them, you live near them – some are even in your family! Whatever you do, do not let them affect you with their negative thoughts. Spend as little time as you can with them (unless it is your spouse or kids –then you need counseling!)

Act on the positive thoughts that you do have. When a positive thought comes into your head, act on it! This will begin to produce a “bridge” between what you think and how you act! This will then make that transition even easier as time goes by! Four key ideas to win the thought battle:

• Guard your mind.

• Proactively place good thoughts in your head.

• Avoid the naysayers.

• Act on the positive thoughts that you do have.

Go forth and Win the Battle!

- by Chris Widener

SOUTH BEACH

Power by Embracing Enthusiasm...

Enthusiasm is rarely a topic that comes to mind when we think of success. And yet, without it life becomes mundane and the spark we wish to ignite in others fizzles away without the desired result.

Embracing enthusiasm is important because it replaces fear and worry. When I was in my early 40s I experience what many call a mid-life crisis. Prior to this dark, short chapter in my lie, I was accustomed to making many and huge decisions. I spiraled downward into a period of depression in which I could not decide on the color of my socks each morning.

The catalyst for my turn-around was the new project I tepidly decided to take on. Early in the process, enthusiasm was a quality I forced on myself. I pretended I had it until it finally showed up. It showed up because (I think), as others became excited about my dream, their excitement spilled over to me and replaced pretending enthu siasm with the real thing.

I grew into a bona fide, honest cheerleader for finding success in very today. That was the end of bad days for me. Now there are good days and, better yet, great days! And an interesting thing happened: my enthusiasm and excitement became contagious. Others reflected my newly refashioned positive mindset. The spark I sought to ignite became a forest fire from which many lives were positively impacted.

Here’s my advice to you if you want to enjoy suc cess and are having a tough time getting excited:

Fake enthusiasm until it becomes real (no, you will not be a phony)

Surround yourself with positive people (don’t listen to negative talk)

Think about how you can help others less for tunate than you (gets the focus off you and on someone else - which is a great thing for your well being)

Learn how to give yourself and some of your money to others (if you refuse to give, then the things you own and the money you possess OWNS you).

Norman Vincent Peale states, “Often enthusiasm is the bridge between poverty and prosperity.” I know, from personal experience, he’s right.

He also wrote: “Enthusiasm releases the drive to carry you over obstacles and adds significance to all you do.”

Now it’s up to you. What will you do with this information? File it away in some dark corner, or get excited about your dreams and go for them? It’s your choice.

Now, go make it an enthusiastically great day

Don Loyd has been involved in real estate in some form for more than 38 years. He has written several books on the subjects of real estate, business, goal setting, and personal development. He writes a weekly column, and has served as a co-host for a financial services radio show. For more information, go to http://www.RealCashFlow.net.

5 Habits That Will Make You a Better Leader

The difference between good leaders and great leaders is the habits they master. Here are some behaviors you can develop to become a better leader:

Habit #1: Manage your time.

The Center for Management and Organization Effectiveness (CMOE) found that leaders spend an average of over five hours a day on email and phone calls alone. Along with daily interruptions, it can be extremely hard to make progress on critical projects. In her book Finding Your Balance, Joan Gurvis recommends that instead of multitasking, you try a technique called “channel changing.” Instead of doing several things at once, give each person or activity your full attention and commit ment; when you have completed that, change to another “channel,” again giving it full attention. Working in focused chunks of time is more effective than allowing today’s to-do list to manage you.

Habit #2: Learn to delegate.

One shortcoming to being a better leader is trying to accomplish everything by yourself. There are plenty of reasons why. Maybe you’re a perfec tionist who feels it’s easier, or maybe you feel your own work is better than that of your employees. A great leader knows that his or her most important task is developing others—teaching people how to think and ask the right questions. It is a skill that is the least developed in most organizations. The bottom line: If leaders don’t delegate, subordinates don’t learn to improve and organizations can’t grow.

Habit #3: Walk around.

Although email and texts are great for communi cating across time and distance, effective leaders realize the value in talking face to face. One of the best ways to find out what’s going on is to set aside time each week to get out of your office and talk to everyone—the receptionist, the supply clerk and team members, not just managers. You will uncover problems and opportunities you may never have learned of otherwise. When you ask people how

they are doing, what’s working well and what could work better, you not only get information but also increase the camaraderie between you and your employees.

Habit #4: Listen deeply.

Richard Branson says leaders should listen more than they talk because that’s how they learn what’s going on. Great leaders learn to listen for context as well as content—what I call deep listening. Deep listening is being fully present in the moment with the person who is speaking, and not trying to judge or control the conversation. We let go of our assump tions to hear not only what is being said, but also the emotions, motives, needs and goals of the person speaking. This kind of listening builds trust and respect, and it encourages the sharing of informa tion you need to make good decisions.

Habit #5: Be open to new ideas.

The most successful organizations are the ones that do things first and do things best. A great leader is always looking for the next big idea—one that improves the efficiency of the current operation or makes a product better. The leader who encour ages new ideas from everyone, who is not afraid to support the team to drive their ideas forward, is the leader whose team members will create noteworthy innovation.

As with everything, some of these habits will be easier to develop than others. The real goal is to improve the way you lead, and with practice and time spent on the right things, you can become the leader you want to be.

It’s

Susan C. Foster is a former executive, 24/7 worka holic who now coaches executives and careerists. She is a Master Coach and writer, and is the author of

Not Rocket Science: Leading, Inspiring, and Motivating Your Team to Be Their Best.

Our bone marrow transplant reunion is now standing room only.

Each year, City of Hope invites bone marrow transplant recipients and their families to attend the “Celebration of Life” event. It’s a joyous time during which survivors of blood cancers such as lymphoma, leukemia and myeloma embrace their health, their life and each other. It began more than 35 years ago when City of Hope created what is now one of the largest and most successful bone marrow transplant programs in the world. In fact, we’ve completed over 11,000 transplants and, according to national reports, our outcomes are among the best in the nation. The goal of curing cancer isn’t just something we work at. It’s what we live for.

If you have cancer, make us your first call. Or ask your doctor for a referral. We accept most insurance. 800-826-HOPE

WE LIVE TO CURE CANCER.

Science saving lives.

cityofhope.org/bmt