Mike Butson's Blog

The mouth is a mighty tool. Add a nice set of ears and keen desire to understand…it’s a force to be reckoned with. Sure, the Internet is great, with all that SEO business, email, Facebook and linkage to here and there. After all, most people begin their home search on the computer, right? That s...

Seems that tweeting, blogging and facebooking rage on. That’s a good thing. Gets you and your message out there to a bunch of people at once, yes? Simple question though—If you have time to write, review, post and then check your email for hopeful response to your stuff…um, well, seems you have t...

This morning is our office’s annual awards breakfast. We’ll hand out plaques, handshakes and certificates. Toast will be shared, while laughs and camaraderie rule the morning. Yes, it’s time to stop and smell the bacon. Most importantly though, each and every member of this elite group, who repre...

You are a professional salesperson. Are you comfortable with that? Would it be more socially acceptable to be a welder? Accountant? Maybe a TV sportcaster or chef? Over and again, I observe real estate sales professionals spend as much time masking their identity as to continually define. Over an...

  Sales in Last 7 days As of 3/29/11     Paradise Magalia Chico Oroville Number Sold 6 3 6 6 High 420,000 185,000 334,000 150,000 Low 81,000 77,000 126,000 50,000    

A few years ago, there was a TV commercial by Staples with a demonstrated effort to gain attention as a purveyor of school supplies. Shown, was a happy and carefree mom and dad, swinging through the store and filling their cart with pencils, notebooks, backpacks and other necessities of school li...

Did your friends used to say, “You ought to be in sales. You are such a good talker.” Maybe you listened to them and now here you are. In sales. Talking. And talking. And talking some more. Well, it's Wednesday, the week is in full swing and my latest lecture toward my 12 year old son gives me pa...

The chance to help people and make a ton of money to boot. It’s right in front of you. Want in?  “Nope.” “It’s too much work,” or “I don’t want to be sued,” or “I don’t know if it’s in the best interests of my clients.”  I’ve heard all that about (you guessed it) short sales. Even from some who ...

A new week—new month. So many see the fruits of that springtime labor pay off now. New listings on the board, escrows open, others closing. The sound of happy buyers and sellers fill the hallway and Realtors® everywhere breathe a sigh of relief. Finally you are getting ahead.  Are you really? Sho...

There was a brief time where it made sense to me that a child is a valuable teacher for sales skills. Think about it—she will not take no for an answer and will always ask for the prize. Regardless of prior rejections. As a parent, I often will say no, but sometimes give in. Is it because of a la...