What is important when times are tough

I just returned from the Real Estate Connect conference in New York and there were some very depressing economists there. As you no doubt have surmised, the housing market is in a recession. There is a wave of sadness, despair and fear crashing down on those directly involved in the industry: real estate agents, brokers, lenders and the like.

And for good reason. There are 10 month plus inventories in markets across the country. Everyone seems to have stopped buying and selling homes. So, that was the gist of the conference and then I was on a technology panel. My message? Not so much about the next technology killer app - sure there are exciting things appearing daily. But mostly, my message was about getting real.

When times are tough it's more important than ever to make sure you still have passion for the business you're in. If it's real estate, it's especially tough right now. Agents are entrepreneurs. They make the dream of home ownership come to life everyday. So what do they do if they are still passionate about real estate, but times are this tough. They reach out to their customers, who also are afraid of the housing market and the repercussions, and provide them with information and support. They check in, to make sure they're doing OK. In my book, Real You Incorporated, I write about real connections with your customers. And this is a perfect time to do just that.


All of us are in this together as the economy slows down. When you focus on putting the real you in your business - take action and reach out to your clients from your heart, sharing your knowledge and your passions - you'll find a deeper, more authentic connection with your customers when the economy picks back up.

And it will. For more, visit my website: http://RealYouIncorporated.com