The diet industry is a multi-billion dollar industry because people are always looking for the next fad weight loss program. I did not develop the ultimate weight loss plan but I will clue you in on what it is. It’s simple, very simple and does not cost a penny.

Expend more calories than you consume. Thank you very much.

If you’d like more details on my secret weight loss plan sent to you, send me a check. Expect delivery in 4-6 weeks.

Are you a real estate agent or real estate investor that operates your “business” hopelessly looking for that magic pill for real estate? Wondering what you can do to jumpstart your real estate career? Wondering how you can be like Mike? Thinking this whole foreclosure mess has got you down.

Well luckily for you, I spoke to our friends at Magic-Pill-4-You and we have come up with 10 ways to Increase Your Sales by 50..60..even 70% or more right away and still have all the time you need to do…whatever it is you do.

1. Answer your phone: It’s amazing how much business you will have if you just answer your phone during business hours. Can you imagine calling Walmart during business hours and not getting a hold of them? You are in a sales business, every missed call can cost you money. I can’t tell you how many houses I have pulled up in front of and called the number on the sign only to get voicemail. That’s absurd!

2. Make sure whoever answers the phone has the answers the customer needs or can immediately put them in touch with someone who does. If you answer the phone, make sure you do. It’s your listing and if you have ever sold a house before you should have the answers to the questions you are asked at your disposal. In fact, you should anticipate the questions you will be asked. I don’t know is not an answer a “professional real estate agent” should respond with. It does not matter where you are, with today’s technology you should be able to access any info about the property, anywhere.

3. Have business hours or coverage spanning multiple time zones. With the dollar weak and the Euro strong, you may have foreign buyers interested in a property you are marketing…you are marketing …aren’t you? No one expects you to be available 24 hours per day but that does not mean someone shouldn’t be.

4. Make sure you enter the right contact info on the MLS, your business cards, your website…etc. Agents seem to think that a prospective client wants to chase them down and spend time re-faxing and re-emailing. We don’t! Provide your prospective client with one point of contact. Again, with today’s technology this is absolutely no problem.

5. If someone does leave you a message, respond promptly. Not when you feel like it, not when you get around to it, PROMPTLY. Have you ever gone to a fine dining restaurant..or just about any restaurant for that matter? When you are done with your meal they bring you the check. It is placed on your table and the server waits until you insert your credit card or money. Once they see you have inserted the credit card they PROMPTLY come to your table. Point being never make anybody wait that is, or may be, spending money with you.

6. AOL is not the Internet. Repeat after me, AOL is not the Internet. Get a real Internet connection. AOL screens your email and does not allow certain emails to be sent to you. Here’s a hint…How many businesses that you work with have an AOL email address. It exposes you as being cheap and behind in technology. Keep the AOL account for Aunt Emma and Mom and Dad. Breakdown, spend the money and get a real Internet connection for your “business”. [and that goes for a real domain as well...heck why stop there, maybe you can be real adventurous and start a blog!]

7. I don’t know who sold it to you, I don’t know who mentioned it in the office…but lose the autoresponder on your email. It’s stupid and it’s the same as the voicemail. If a client sends you an email, they know you may not be sitting at your computer. Just respond PROMPTLY. By the way, promptly is not in a week or so.Which leads me to number 8 on the list.

8. Learn how to detach from the fax and embrace email as the technology it has become. Check it often. You don’t have to do so personally, but somebody should be able to check and respond to all of your email. Again, with the technology available today, there is no reason to make your client run to the printer, then over to the fax machine simply because you want to continue to be a dinosaur. The vertical integration of technology allows someone to go to your website or blog, search a property, and if they want to, you should have the technology available so that they can email you an offer right from their desktop. Lose your fax machine dependence. Embrace Web 2.0 and be a real estate agent in today’s world.

9. This might be a novel thought. Go to work everyday with a plan. Start by going to work everyday and then if you actually do that, then please have a plan as well. Although you are probably an independent contractor, let’s not fool ourselves. You have a job. Treat it as such and simply show up. It’s amazing how much you can accomplish by simply showing up. As Seth Godin stated…”Showing Up is underrated”.

10. Have fun and be enthusiastic. This is a fun business. If all you want to do is complain about the market and whine about Sellers being unrealistic, please by all means, take the day off. Take the week off. Maybe go ahead and just quit the business. We don’t need your malaise. Enthusiasm is infectious, whining is contagious. People want to be around those who are infectiously enthusiastic, they seek to avoid acrid whiners. Consciously decide to be enthusiastic.

Well that’s it. 10 simple steps you can immediately implement with very little cost and a modicum of effort. You can do this today and begin seeing results tomorrow. Just like dieting, you can subscribe to a million fads, or you can take control of your own destiny and simply eat less and exercise more. There is no magic pill that you need to take. You have the power to change your life anytime you decide to do so.

Parting Thought: Is the real estate market down because no one is buying, or is no one buying because no one is working the market? I believe the market is populated with able Buyers, but they need to be courted, marketed to and served. No one is just going to give you their business anymore. You have to earn it. You earn it by PROVING you have the goods.