We have all heard the phrases “Earners are learners.” “Grow yourself and grow your income.” We asked our network to tell us about the ONE book that made the biggest practical impact in their business so you can narrow down your reading list and get a jumpstart on the New Year and 2020. We hope this list will help you personally and professionally in 2020.
1. Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion by Robert B. Cialdini
“Influence by Robert Cialdini… We are in the ‘Human Connection’ business and we need to be extremely effective with the Human Connection and building great long term relationships. The Real Estate Industry is transitioning from a ‘Relationship Business’ to a ‘Transactional Business’ and if our Industry becomes transactional based, it will weaken the role of the Real Estate Agent and continue to drive down Real Estate Agent Compensation. As Real Estate Agents, the real battle we are facing is making sure our industry does not turn transactional and as technology expands, yes we must learn and master how to use technology as effectively as possible, but we need to use technology to allow us to develop stronger relationships and we need to be extremely careful to not allow it to replace the relationship.”
About the author
Dr. Robert Cialdini has spent his entire career researching the science of influence earning him an international reputation as an expert in the fields of persuasion, compliance, and negotiation.
Influence has been listed on the “New York Times Business Best Seller List.” Fortune Magazine lists Influence in their “75 Smartest Business Books.” CEO Read lists Influence in their “100 Best Business Books of All Time.”
2. The Greatest Salesman in the World by Og Mandino
“I’d recommend The Greatest Salesman in the World by Og Mandino. It was recommended to me by Verl Workman and it’s just brilliant.”
“It’s influenced by many ancient philosophies including lessons the Bible and others. For example, one is ‘I will form good habits become their slave.’ Things like, ‘Start each day with love in your heart. I will persist until I succeed.’ It’s got a lot of the same ideas you might find in other books but the way it’s written and presented is brilliant.”
About the author:
Og Mandino is the most widely read inspirational and self-help author in the world. Former president of Success Unlimited magazine, Mandino was the first recipient of the Napoleon Hill Gold Medal for literary achievement. Og Mandino was a member of the International Speakers Hall of Fame and honored with the Masters of Influence by the National Speakers Association. Og Mandino died in 1996.
3. Shift: How Top Real Estate Agents Tackle Tough Times by Gary Keller
“Shift is a great book because it shows you how to look at how to get from where you are to where you want to be. There are 3 parts they use metaphors for the Rider, the Elephant and the Path.”
“The Rider is the intellect. The plan maker. The system generator. This Rider gets on the Elephant, which represents the motivation and actions taken…or just standing still. It can be easy to have a great plan, but if you don’t have the motivation and take action, the elephant just stands there. You don’t go anywhere. The third part, however, relates to the short synopsis above. The PATH is how you get there. Is it with ease? Or are there boulders in the way? What about pebbles? Twists and turns? How well the elephant moves is determined by the path you choose.”
“Choosing Bought Leads over Generating Leads is one of those paths that can lead to a myriad of problems.”
(If you want to learn more about Donna’s thoughts on that last point, check out our recent rundown of the most important trends to know this year.)
About the author:
Gary Keller is an American entrepreneur and best-selling author. He is the founder of Keller Williams, which is the largest real estate company in the world by agent count, closed sales volume, and units sold. Keller founded Keller Williams on training and education and later brought his teachings to print.
4. The Maxwell Daily Reader by John C. Maxwell
“I love this because it is truly ‘365 days of insight to develop the leader within you’. Don’t believe me? Here’s a sample that directly relates to the market transformation happening as we enter 2019:
Great leaders are seldom blindsided. They realize that the punch that knocks them out is seldom the hard one — it’s the one they didn’t see coming. Therefore, they are always looking for signs and indicators that will give them insight into the problem ahead and their odds of fixing it… Pay attention to your intuition and follow up when something strikes you.
“See what I mean? You may have a gut feeling to take a course of action as 2019 approaches. Hopefully, this excerpt gives you the courage to follow your instincts.”
About the author
John C. Maxwell is an internationally recognized leadership expert, speaker, coach, and author who has sold over 19 million books. He is the founder of EQUIP and the John Maxwell Company. A New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Business Week best-selling author, Maxwell has written three books which have each sold more than one million copies.
5. Exactly What To Say by Phil M. Jones
“Exactly What To Say by Phil M. Jones is a must read/listen for every agent. It is a quick, tactical take on sales scripts that can easily be applied to a real estate transaction. If you are open minded to a better way of selling this book is amazing.”
About the author
The author of five international best-selling books, and the youngest ever winner of the coveted “British Excellence in Sales and Marketing Award”, Phil is currently one of the most in-demand assets to companies worldwide.
6. Dare to Lead by Dr. Brené Brown
“I love to read, the most recent was Brene Brown — Dare to Lead and coming up is Rachel Hollis Girl, Stop Apologizing.”
About the author
Dr. Brené Brown is a research professor at the University of Houston where she holds the Huffington Foundation – Brené Brown Endowed Chair at The Graduate College of Social Work.
7. Wealth Can’t Wait by David Osborne
“Passive income in a shift is extremely important. It always was important. However, with home sales slowing there may be more deals to be had which will increase the ability to invest in real estate. Wealth Can’t Wait by David Osborne and Paul Morris would be my go-to for any agent right now looking to explore those opportunities.”
About the authors
David Osborn has built one of the top real estate brokerages in the world with more than 4,500 agents and annual sales volume exceeding $10 billion per year.
Paul Morris is a prolific and award-winning entrepreneur, trainer, author, and business consultant.
8. The E-Myth Revisited by Michael E. Gerber
“Well…. since we are talking about 2020, they should probably listen to the book on a place like Audible but I would recommend a book like The E-Myth Revisited. ;)”
About the author
Michael E. Gerber is an American author and founder of Michael E. Gerber Companies, a business skills training company based in Carlsbad, California. Inc. Magazine called him “the World’s #1 Small Business Guru.”
Before you choose, take stock
Intel is great but learning itself can become overwhelming if you don’t go about it with the right intentions. This is the time to fill your forecasts, build your pipeline and really reflect on who your customers are and what they need from you. Take an inventory of your business strengths and improvement areas. Are they aligned with your biggest personal goals? What about your goals for the year?
You’re too busy to spend time learning about an aspect of the business that’s better off in someone else’s hands. Focus on getting the right people and systems in place so that you can place your best energy where it matters most.
Books are filled with great ideas, but information is only power when applied. Take action this year and commit to a book a month or a book a quarter and implement and execute the ideas you take from them all the create the life you truly want to live!
Strength and courage,
Wade
