INDIANA 4-13-20

INDIANA EDITION

Turning Your Profession into a

PASSION

How to Incorporate Current Events to Your Email Blasts and Stay Relevant

Keeping in touch –

How to Stay in Your Clients’ Lives for the Long Haul

FEATURED AGENT

AMY COREY COVER STORY

LAURA & MANNY HERNANDEZ

INDIANA EDITION Fidelity National Title is proud to congratulate

LAURA & MANNY HERNANDEZ 9

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AMY COREY

With a mom who worked in estate for 36 years, Amy Co vowed to never get into same business. But the pass unwittingly seeped into her, after she sold her childcare b ness, and gave some though what she wanted to do next, LAURA & MANNY AMY COREY found herself circling back HERNANDEZ on being featured for the State real estate. 15 years later in the business, she wo of Indiana in Top Agent Magazine! as a solo agent, and while she goes to where s needed, her primary areas tend to be in the Hami CONTENTS County: Carmel, Westfield and Fishers.

has no for an elaborate marketing p 4) 4 WAYS TO WIN 18) 5Amy STEPS TOneed ACHIEVE Christine Banter, Sales Manager because through years of AS hard work she’s establis THE BATTLE AGAINST LONG TERM SUCCESS 219-309-6484 | christine.banter@fnf.com a network that allows her to be 100% referral based PROCRASTINATION northwestindiana.fntic.com A REAL ESTATE AGENT www.

don’t do a lot of online marketing. You won’t see

As the leading title company in the nation, we know what takesstop benches. Over the years I’ve learned on itbus to offer Exceptional customer service and exceed expectations.

Let us assist you in your next real estate transaction. if I put my head down and focus on serving peo

6) HOW TO INCORPORATE CURRENT EVENTS TO YOUR EMAIL BLASTS AND STAY RELEVANT

20) KEEPING IN TOUCH – HOW TO STAY IN YOUR they turn around and THE bless me by sharing my na CLIENTS’ LIVES FOR with their friends, family, and coworkers.” While LONG HAUL

most agents such a referral means a friend of a cli for Amy it’s entire generations of families. “I k 26) TURNING YOUR PROFESSION track of my family tree. And I have one family wh INTOI’ve A served PASSION from grandfather down to granddaugh a couple sisters, and a couple cousins. That fam tree is what sets me apart and what I enjoy ab this job, and why I do what I do.” Amy can often Phone 310-734-1440 | Fax 310-734-1440 spotted at her client’s birthday parties and weddin mag@topagentmagazine.com | www.topagentmagazine.com And she also gives back by throwing client appr No portion of this issue may be reproduced in any manner whatsoever without consent the publisher.

Agent of her clie ation prior parties andofdonating toTop charities Magazine is published by Feature Publications GA, Inc. Although precautions are taken to ensure the accuracy of published choosing. materials, Top Agent Magazine cannot be held responsible for opinions expressed or facts supplied by its authors.

To subscribe or change address, send inquiry to mag@topagentmagazine.com.

In real estate, the end of an agent-client Published in the U.S.

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relations often comes when the transaction is over, but Am clients can count on her long after the transactio done. “I’m in this business to serve, not just mak Top Agent Magazine living. But I also believe that if you serve, you make a living.” And she certainly makes a liv

mailto:mag@topagentmagazine.com http://www.topagentmagazine.com

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4 Ways to Win the Battle Against Procrastination One of the most common professional afflictions is procrastination. The funny thing is, everyone knows that procrastination is negative—it’s a waste of time, a creator of stress, and is entirely a problem of our own making.

Still, knowing all of this doesn’t necessarily decrease our odds of procrastination. There are plenty of explanations we give when putting 4

work off until the last minute. Perhaps you convince yourself that you work best under pressure, but it’s truer that you’re used to working under pressure by necessity. Maybe you’re a perfectionist and the fear of getting it all wrong puts you off from the task. Whatever the justification may be, overcoming procrastination requires some willpower and technique. With

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that in mind, take a look at a few tricks below to jumpstart your motivation and nix the lastminute time crunch. After all, you owe it to yourself and your business to operate like a procrastination-free professional.

1. Make Your Intentions Known As realtors and mortgage professionals, you may serve as your own boss. So, when the time comes to complete a task and you put it off—perhaps you’re only disappointing yourself. This is easily remedied by making a new promise to try again tomorrow. On the other hand, it’s much harder to break promises and commitments to others. Try verbalizing your intent and commitment to your team, or to an assistant who can hold you accountable, or better yet—to a business partner or to a client.

Make a hard deadline public and you’re likely to perform for fear of embarrassment or losing face. In a way, this puts the pressure of expectation on you, instead of the pressure of the ticking clock.

2. Take a Baby Step When tasks pile up, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. If you’ve got a number of items on your to-do list, including some heavy hitters that require a lot of attention and time, begin by taking on something simple. Identify an easily completed job that needs attention and put it first in your queue. Duties that are straightforward and aren’t time-intensive can lead you to the rest of your to-do list, fueling you with the satisfaction of a task already complete. Even if it’s as small as returning e-mails, or dropping off your dry-cleaning, one simple thing off your Top Agent Magazine

list can inspire you to continue on to the next item in the spirit of productivity.

3. Work in Windows If work is the last thing you want to do and you can’t seem to self-motivate, make a compromise with yourself. Agree to work just fifteen minutes, and mean it. This tiny window of time is easy enough to complete, isn’t overwhelming, and you’ve already agreed to move on once time is up. The truth? Odds are that just fifteen minutes of active work will inspire you to keep going. After all, the most difficult part of procrastination is getting started. By putting in those fifteen minutes, you’ll trick yourself into diving into the action.

4. Switch Up Your Environment If you’re stuck in rut when it comes to procrastination and productivity, try changing your surroundings. If the office feels stale and stressful, take your work to the nearest coffee shop and try to tackle your tasks there. Perhaps the quiet, studious ambiance of a library can make you focus, or a picnic table outside the office can stimulate the senses. Sometimes changing your scenery can breathe new life into your routine and give you the extra push you need to get work done.

There’s no one way to overcome procrastination.

In fact, it’s likely a lifelong process of building discipline, finding techniques that work for you, and simply prioritizing your time more effectively. Don’t lose hope—remember these tricks and winning the war will be possible, even if you lose a few battles along the way.

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How to Incorporate Current Events to Your Email Blasts and Stay Relevant Email marketing is a cost effective and straightforward method of getting your name and services in front of clients with just a few keystrokes. This tried-and-true approach to digital marketing is a favorite of many, and there are countless ways to customize (and maximize) your email blasts to reap superior results. Despite this, many real estate profes6

sionals are content to standardize their email advertising and take a broad, one-size-fits-all approach to capturing interest and leads. While an up-front sales pitch certainly has its uses and benefits, it doesn’t hurt to shake up your routine and refresh your email marketing approach by adding specifics that draw renewed interest from your audience.

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Top Agent Magazine

One way to accomplish this is by tying in current events and local happenings to your email blasts. After all, your sphere of influence likely receives countless marketing emails per day. To cut through the noise, sharpen your message with a few specifics that separate your communications from the pack. Not every email should be focused on closing a sale, or else your audience will learn to stop listening.

How do you build your brand, stay top of mind, and keep the lines of communication open with your clientele? Here are a few ideas to get you started.

against an old rival? Do they host themed fan days honoring veterans or catering to families? Tailoring your communications to a local sports franchise’s big news or next event can draw intrigue and provide added value for your clients. Remember, not every communication you send should be focused on pitching and closing a sale, otherwise your audience will tune out your emails altogether. Instead, incorporate fun, community-oriented content that lets readers know you’re a resource for much more than real estate.

Sports news makes a splash

Become a one-stop-shop for holiday fun and seasonal ideas.

People love to rally behind the home team.

Is a regional, local university, or professional sports team in your area headed to the playoffs or the championship? Are they facing off

From Mother’s Day to Thanksgiving, anyone can send an email wishing clients a happy holiday. While the sentiment is a good one, you’ll be one of dozens flooding inboxes with

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your well-wishes. Instead, go beyond the traditional greetings and good tidings and become a hyper-specific resource for clients. Create a gift guide for Mother’s Day, outline family-friendly local events occurring in your area around the holidays, or engage in a promotional partnership with a local business who’s offering a holiday special of their own. In other words, don’t settle for just saying hello during certain times of the year. Instead, up the value of your email blast by offering clients curated information that relates to their interests and area.

Doing so makes your emails a must-read, while demonstrating your ability to go the extra mile.

Pop culture serves as a fun and timely tie-in.

Is a new gaming app sweeping the nation? Have your social media feeds been flooded with the same viral video? Is everyone gossiping about the same TV show premiere? Pop culture tie-ins in your email marketing campaigns can be extremely effective, but in order to for

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them to work, you’ll need to move quickly and keep your focus on the phenomenon, rather than your service pitch. The goal behind pop culture marketing tie-ins is communicating the progressiveness and hip factor of your brand, while capturing timely, topical interest that’s at a fever pitch. Everyone wants to be in on a running joke or trend, and if you leverage trending pop culture moments in your email marketing, you’ll be able to draw views and clicks from a wide audience.

Plenty of services offer standardized email marketing templates and content for today’s real estate professionals, and while the motivation behind marketing is transactional, your communications don’t have to be. The surest way to make an impact in your clients’ inboxes is to add original value and break apart from the pack. Consider updating some of your routines with these current events oriented techniques and your email audience is sure to take a second look.

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LAURA & MANNY HERNANDEZ

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LAURA & MANNY HERNANDEZ Team Hernandez serves Northwest Indiana, near Chicago.

“We’re looking to grow our team to help keep up with the amount of business coming in.”

Laura and Manny Hernandez got into real estate together, getting their licenses in 2006. “I got started when I was about 21,” says Manny. “My cousin had a mortgage company at the time and I started working with him, doing mortgages.

When the market crashed in ‘07, I didn’t really 10 Copyright Top Agent Magazine

want to continue doing the mortgage thing and clients were always asking if I could also help them find a home, so I started selling real estate full time.” Laura and Manny have been working together since 2006, with Laura activating her license 5 years ago.

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Today, the Hernandezes are building their team and systems. Manny is a sales and negotiation specialist and provides sales training, while Laura focuses on listings and marketing, as well as building team systems for optimized workflow. They also have an assistant and an OSA who specializes in helping buyers find homes.

“We’re looking to grow our team to help keep Top Agent Magazine

up with the amount of business coming in; our vision is to hire two ISAs, four or five agents and a listing/marketing assistant in the next two years...we’re hiring now.” Laura says.

Team Hernandez serves Northwest Indiana, near Chicago. Manny estimates that about 80% of their current business is repeat and referral.

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“What’s unique about us, is that Manny and I are opposites, so we’re able to divide our role as team leaders.”

“I believe it’s just doing right by them, providing great service and helping them meet their goals, whatever they may be, whether it’s buying, selling, or investment properties,” he says.

“We try to treat our clients like friends and family, and look out for their best interest.”

“Manny, in particular, has a knack for networking,” Laura says. “A lot of times, our listings are sold before they even go up because we have this big database of buyers and we know exactly what they’re looking for. We have a system where we meet with our buyers first before going out [to the property] to make sure they’re really educated on the process and that we really understand what they’re looking for so we’re not just sending them a bunch of houses that don’t really match their needs.

Manny’s good at taking them out and really Copyright Top Agent Magazine 12

listening to them and pinpointing what they’re looking for. Many times he’s able to pick home to show them that they would never think to look at — clients love that.”

“I’m the house whisperer,” Manny jokes. Manny and Laura are currently working on a system to stay in better touch with clients, which will include video emails and personal calls. When it comes to the marketing, Laura says, “Right now, we’re building and tweaking a whole bunch of our systems.” She’s particularly interested in virtual staging, which creates a digital model that shows the potential of a home. “We also have a nice network of what we call ‘buyers in waiting,’” Manny adds. These are people who may not be actively looking, but Manny and Laura will contact them if a perfect match appears on the market.

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Manny’s favorite part of real estate, he says, is the joy of helping people. “I know it sounds cheesy,” he says, “but it’s just a Kodak moment when you help someone going through a stage in their life, and just having them be grateful for everything we’ve done for them and finally get into their new home.” “What’s unique about us is that Manny and I have complementary strengths and personalities, so we’re able to divide our role as team leaders,” Laura says. “He gets Top Agent Magazine

energy from talking to people and meeting people, and I get it from the creative and business side.” Real estate is such a great industry to be in because we can be authentic and creative in building our business and have the freedom and flexibility to be with our kids.

Real estate has also allowed them to give back.”

With the previous brokerage we were with,” Laura says, “we donated a portion of our profits Copyright Top Agent Magazine 13

to the Children’s Miracle Network.” Since joining Realty Executives in February of this year, they’re looking for a new charity or charities to be involved with. They’re even considering starting a charity of their own to help local families and children in need. “We’re very dedicated to helping our community, especially kids,” Laura says.

Educating the client is also hugely important,” he adds. “I feel like the more you educate them up front, the easier the process will be for everyone.” “We’re also always educating ourselves to keep up technology and improving our business as a whole” “We’re really down-to-earth people,” Laura says. “We’re not all about the sales. We really value meeting people and building relationships over money; the sales success is just an end product of doing what you love, working hard and authentically helping people.”

Their other goals involve business growth.

“We’re looking to hire more administrative staff and agents to make sure our client’s experience is as stress free as possible,” Manny says.

To learn more about Laura & Manny Hernandez, please visit thsells.com, email laura@thsells.com, or call 219-308-5647 www.

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Tim & Laura James are proud to congratulate

LAURA & MANNY HERNANDEZ

on being featured for the State of Indiana in Top Agent Magazine!

Tim & Laura James, Franchise Owners 219-898-4357 TimJamesTeam@pillartopost.com pillartopost.com/timjames www.

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Mike and Pam Tezak are proud to congratulate

LAURA & MANNY HERNANDEZ

on being featured for the State of Indiana in Top Agent Magazine!

Mike Tezak | Broker/Owner Realty Executives Premier

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VALPARAISO OFFICE 310 E Lincolnway, Valparaiso, IN 46383

CROWN POINT OFFICE 112 W Clark Street, Crown Point, IN 46307

(219) 462-2224

219-462-2224

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Fidelity National Title is proud to congratulate

LAURA & MANNY HERNANDEZ

on being featured for the State of Indiana in Top Agent Magazine!

Christine Banter, Sales Manager 219-309-6484 | christine.banter@fnf.com northwestindiana.fntic.com www.

As the leading title company in the nation, we know what it takes to offer Exceptional customer service and exceed expectations.

Let us assist you in your next real estate transaction.

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5 Steps to Achieve Long Term Success as a Real Estate Agent Real Estate can have a reputation as an industry with a high turnover as far as agents go. Being a ‘people person’ with an entrepreneurial spirit is a great start, but what some fail to realize when starting out is that this is a business.

So if you’re in it for the long haul, you need to treat it that way. Here are some key steps you need to take to have your own successful real estate business.

1

FIND A MENTOR

Once you get your license and hang your sign at a Brokerage, you’ll find that you’re pretty much on your own. That’s why it’s a good idea for new agents to find a large Brokerage that offers in-house training and mentorship or a boutique brokerage that has more seasoned agents who are eager to take a new agent under their wing. Being able to shadow a more experienced agent is invaluable and allows you to mirror what you’ve seen and run through the numerous scenarios that will arise when you are representing a client.

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CONTINUOUS TRAINING

This is a business that is constantly changing, so it’s smart to always stay ahead of the curve when it comes to new technological innovations and systems. There are even numerous online resources, where you can keep up on your trade, such as blogs by top producing agents that are a treasure trove of information. A confident agent with an in-depth knowledge of the business is one that easily earns the trust of their client, leading to repeat and referral business, which will be the bread and butter of your business.

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BUILD A STRONG ONLINE PRESENCE

Yes, referrals are the basis of your business, but building a strong online presence and marketing yourself to new clients is also important, especially before you’ve built up a strong referral base. Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, and other social media tools are great way to get leads both for your listings and for yourself. It’s even a good idea to buy several domain names when you start, so that when you’re ready to build a website, you can ensure you have the names you want. Obviously the internet is also a great resource to find leads. Before you find a niche for yourself, it’s important to take advantage of every avenue there is. A lot of successful agents started off doing things no one else wanted to take on like foreclosures, expired listings or lower priced homes. But as you’ll find out, helping those who need it most is a great way to build a loyal client base, that will not only come back to you when they are ready to sell or buy again, but will be your biggest cheerleaders when it comes to referring you to friends and family.

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BUILD A SOLID FOUNDATION

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SET GOALS

One thing you’ll find in this business is that doing a lot of work up top, will lead to a more successful outcome down the road. That goes for marketing plans for your listings, as well as your business as a whole. It might not be the fun part, but it will allow you to one day focus on what you do best, dealing with your clients. Set up your CRM and the other systems you want to use from the get go. Getting these things established before you’re hopefully a busy agent is the best time to really learn them and decide what’s best for you.

Once you build a strong foundation and are establishing your client base, it’s important to continually set goals that help you implement your business strategy.

You can even invest in a real estate coach if you need someone to hold you accountable. It’s also important to constantly reevaluate what you’re doing. Set up a monthly audit, where you go over what is and what isn’t working. As we mentioned above, this is a fluid business and things are constantly changing, the same can be said of your business. What worked a year ago, might be losing you money as your business grows.

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g n i p Kee h c u in To

HOW TO STAY IN YOUR CLIENTS’ LIVES FOR THE LONG HAUL

One sign of a great real estate agent is there long list of loyal client following. Part of achieving a great referral base is being a great realtor during the transaction. But, that’s only half of the work.

To truly be your client’s realtor for life and keep them coming back to you as well as referring others to you, you have to stay in their lives past the transaction. Keeping in touch with your past clients can be one of the most important parts of your business, and one that many realtors tend to push to the wayside.

Do you stay in your client’s lives, or do you disappear? People refer people that they feel they know well and that they trust, people they consider friends. However, earning and keeping your client’s trust involves maintaining a delicate balance with how much you contact them. Experts recommend reaching out to your clients at least quarterly. But, it’s not just about how often you stay in touch. You also need to be mindful about how you are reaching out to them. Here are some tips on how to keep in touch with your clients for the long haul: 20

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INDIVIDUAL PERSONAL CONTACT One of the best ways to keep in touch with your clients is to simply give them a call every once in a while. Follow up and see how your clients are doing. Offer them assistance if they need it. Personalized contact helps to ensure that you remain as important to your clients long after the sale as you were during the transaction. Giving your clients a call on special occasions such as birthdays or holidays also makes for a great personal touch.

Of course, nothing beats face-to-face contact. Stopping by to say hello can be a great way to keep in contact. An even better way to catch up and maintain that friendship is to set up a lunch or coffee date with past clients. Giving individual clients your undivided attention goes a long way towards maintaining that bond you formed during the transaction and earning your client’s loyalty and trust. Interactions like this make a lasting impression on your clients.

Of course, many busy REALTORS® may not have time to follow up with every client oneon-one. A great way to still give personal attention to your clients without meeting each and every one for lunch is to throw a client appreciation party. This allows you to get in some face-to-face time with each client and make sure they all get your undivided attention and quality time to catch up with you, even if it’s only for a short time.

Now, if you have a lot of past clients, this can be difficult to manage during one party. One way to get around the numbers problem is to organize smaller events based on client’s inter-

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ests. Instead of throwing one giant party, host a pool party for the families with kids or a wine and cheese get together for single clients. Hosting special events like these ones goes a long way towards keeping your contact with past clients more personalized and setting you apart from those businesses that simply send them a calendar once a year.

PROVIDE CLIENTS WITH USEFUL NEWS PROVIDE CLIENTS WITH USEFUL NEWS One way that many REALTORSÂŽ keep in touch with their clients is by sending them newsletters. This form of contact can be a double-edged sword. You want to make sure you provide them with useful information that reminds them of your value as a real estate professional.

Otherwise your communication will amount to nothing more than spam, and clients will think of you less as a trusted friend and more as a nuisance salesperson.

Clients react much more positively to communication containing information that is pertinent to their lives. Update your clients on what is going on in their local community and housing market. Demonstrate your knowledge about the community and the things that are important to your clients. Include information about local cultural events, community news, housing statistics, information on the mortgage market, home maintenance advice, home design tips, and anything else that your clients will find personally useful. Your clients will always be interested in value.

SEND CLIENTS MEMORABLE AND PERSONAL CARDS Sending your clients cards related to important events in their lives and letting them know that you remember those events and care will go a long way towards building and maintaining a close personal relationship with them. You want to make sure your cards stand out, though. Sending popular holiday cards can be a mistake, as they will most likely get lost amongst all of your clients other holiday cards and will be quickly forgotten. Instead send something more personal such as: HOME ANNIVERSARY CARDS: Send cards to each client on the anniversary of the closing of their home.

CONGRATULATORY CARDS: Remember important events such as wedding anniversaries, graduations, new babies, etc.

SPECIAL BIRTHDAY CARDS: Instead of just sending your typical birthday card, add something special to yours that will stand out. Include a $1 scratch off ticket or a $5 gift certificate to Starbucks. Make sure to include a handwritten personal note.

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GIVE CLIENTS AN UNUSUAL GIFT Make sure the gifts you send your past clients stand out. Send your past clients an odd gift at the beginning of the year or on a holiday. Think outside the box and send things like funny magnets, customized mugs, a personalized piece of wall décor, and other fun and unusual items. A great way to make your gift stand out even more is to include a funny note with it that will catch their attention as well as make them think of you. For example, one cute idea is to send clients a bag of popcorn with the note, “Real estate is popping, give me a call.” You could send a bag of goldfish with a note attached that says, “I’m fishing for your referrals.” Get creative and have a little fun with it, your clients will notice and remember you for it.

TAKE ADVANTAGE OF SOCIAL NETWORKS

Social networking sites make staying in contact with past clients in a more informal and friendly basis much easier. Connect with your past clients on Facebook. This will help you stay up to date on the important things happening in your pact clients’ lives. In return, it provides you a great platform for keeping those past clients up to date with what is going on in your business as well as keep in contact in a more informal manner. Use Facebook to remind past clients to check their basement after a heavy rain or that they can contact you for help during tax time.

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You can even organize your contacts on Facebook into customized lists such as “past clients,” “industry contacts,” etc. This will help you better manage your Facebook contacts.

This will also allow you to view specific news feeds based on these lists and send messages to a particular list of contacts. Don’t forget about the many other social networking sites such as Twitter or LinkedIn either. Utilize this technology to drive personal contact with your clients.

STAY ORGANIZED

No matter how you choose to keep in contact with past clients, make sure to be consistent.

Consistency will help you stay organized and diligent about reaching out to your past clients regularly. A tool used by many real estate professionals to stay organized is a customer relationship management solution. Whether you use one that is online or a computer software program, this will help you stay organized when managing your contacts and allow you to set notifications to alert you when you need to contact certain clients, send out gifts, plan a client appreciation event, and many other things throughout the year.

Staying organized and consistent in your contact with past clients will help you continue to build and manage your referral base, as well as open the door to repeat and referral business.

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AMY COREY With a mom who worked in real estate for 36 years, Amy Corey vowed to never get into that same business. But the passion unwittingly seeped into her, and after she sold her childcare business, and gave some thought to what she wanted to do next, she found herself circling back to real estate. 15 years later in the business, she works as a solo agent, and while she goes to where she’s needed, her primary areas tend to be in the Hamilton County: Carmel, Westfield and Fishers.

Amy has no need for an elaborate marketing plan because through years of hard work she’s established a network that allows her to be 100% referral based. “I don’t do a lot of online marketing. You won’t see me on bus stop benches. Over the years I’ve learned that if I put my head down and focus on serving people, they turn around and bless me by sharing my name with their friends, family, and coworkers.” While for most agents such a referral means a friend of a client, for Amy it’s entire generations of families. “I keep track of my family tree. And I have one family where I’ve served from grandfather down to granddaughter, a couple sisters, and a couple cousins. That family tree is what sets me apart and what I enjoy about this job, and why I do what I do.” Amy can often be spotted at her client’s birthday parties and weddings.

And she also gives back by throwing client appreciation parties and donating to charities of her client’s choosing.

In real estate, the end of an agent-client relationship often comes when the transaction is over, but Amy’s clients can count on her long after the transaction is done. “I’m in this business to serve, not just make a living. But I also believe that if you serve, you will make a living.” And she certainly makes a living, selling 40 to 60 units per year, with 13 to 15 million of volume.

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And while she loves her work, Amy prefers to have a balanced life. When she’s not doing something outdoorsy like hiking and kayaking, she volunteers at Agape Therapeutic Riding. Agape is a nonprofit organization that utilizes horses to work with kids who have disabilities, veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder, at-risk youth, seniors, and women grappling with the fallout from domestic violence. And this challenge proves to be therapeutic for Amy as well.

“I’m scared of horses, but they are magical animals. I do this to overcome my own fear, and to help others.”

Amy’s mom instilled in her a love for real estate, but she also passed on a more meaningful message, one Amy carries and tries to honor each day. “When you focus on others, your world grows. You can’t be unhappy if you’re in gratitude and serving others. I think that’s what we’re meant to do on Earth.”

To learn more about Amy Corey email amy@amymoveshomes.com, visit thecoreyconnection.com, or call (317) 908–2599 www.

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Turning Your Profession into a Passion The old adage goes that if you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.

On the other hand, it’s easy to get bogged down in the day-to-day worries and responsibilities of your career, even if you generally enjoy what you do. While there’s no guaranteeing that every day on the job will be a picnic, there are a few steps you can take to vastly improve your morale and transform your profession into a passion.

After all, cultivating a passion for what you do will not only add to your quality 26

of life, but will likely make you more successful in the long run.

BUILD YOUR BASE OF KNOWLEDGE Knowledge builds confidence, and confidence breeds success. A sure way to light a fire in your heart for your daily work is to challenge yourself to learn more and expand your understanding of your field. By doing so, you equip yourself for success, create challenges, and find the most inter-

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esting features of your work—especially those that most appeal to your interests and talents. Try reading the top five books on the topic of your industry, or subscribe to a podcast where thriving professionals offer their two cents. Either way, learning more about your industry is bound to reveal a source of inspiration worth pursuing.

THINK ABOUT THE BIG PICTURE

and excelling in your field, you may find that others’ approaches inspire your own.

Likewise, what you learn from other successful, passionate people in your field can help you shape your own office and work life, in turn creating more opportunities for you to fall in love with what you do, all over again.

TAKE RISKS

CONNECT WITH LIKE-MINDED PROFESSIONALS

One of the biggest hindrances of professional passion is falling into a rut. Routines are familiar and everyday responsibilities vie for our energy. But the next time you tackle a task the way that you always have, take a moment and try to refresh your perspective—is there a more clever or efficient way you could approach this project?

Even better: why not take the plunge and do the things you’ve always been meaning to—throw that client appreciation event you’ve put off planning, take the continuing education course you keep forgetting to register for, even try a creative activity that pushes you out of your comfort zone.

There’s no better way to inject some passion into your life than by going outside your bubble and taking a risk.

Have you ever chatted with someone who was overflowing with energy for what they do? That sort of passion tends to be infectious—often causing us to beg our own questions about professional engagement.

By participating in local organizations or networking with those who are active

Passion comes from all directions—from your own interior journey and from the world around you. To transform your profession into a passion worth having, invest in yourself and venture into the vast world around you. You’ll surely reap the rewards.

Sometimes reinvigorating your passion for your work is about looking outward, rather than inward. Gain some perspective and consider who your work helps in the long run. As a real estate professional—whether you work as an agent, broker, in mortgages, home inspections, or otherwise—your work positively impacts someone else’s home-sweet-home. You make a difference. While it may seem like just another day at the office, taking a moment to visualize exactly who you are helping in the world at large is a great way to add some motivational fire to your daily tasks.

Top Agent Magazine

Top Agent Magazine

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Top Agent Magazine