As I reflect upon the powerful decade we just experienced, I am reminded of an equally powerful decade 50 years ago, the 1960s. It was a decade of change and a decade of seismic shifts in attitudes, especially among the rising generation now known as Boomers. It was a decade of tragedies beyond belief with the assassinations of John F. Kennedy, Martin Luther King and Robert F. Kennedy; in a war fought on foreign soil in Viet Nam and Cambodia; movements for equality in civil rights and women’s rights; and of changing attitudes never to return to the same dimensions.

As we enter a new decade, change is inevitable, especially in how we conduct our homebuilding businesses. Without a doubt, recovery will happen, albeit at a slower rate than we have experienced in past recovery cycles. Our prospects have adjusted their attitudes and have shifted their expectations to reflect their desire for a simpler lifestyle. This is the new normal for the new decade… doing more with less.

Builders have cut costs, downsized staff, improved efficiencies, and this business model is here to stay. The recession has caused a competitive shakeout with only the strong surviving. This means that your competition is leaner and eager to perform and capitalize on the opportunities inherent within the new normal. With most surviving homebuilders working smarter, not harder, the new normal is essential to understand and embrace in order to survive and thrive.

What have you done within your company to embrace the new normal? Please email Request@55PlusMarketing.com, and a compilation of responses will be shared in future editions of this newsletter.

Are you sure you have top performers on your sales team? Can they promote your company culture, your branding, your USP, and can effectively communicate your messaging to prospects to close more sales?

Recruitment or retention of top performers to assure that you have compiled a winning team has been simplified by psychologically driven assessment tools Today more than ever before, assessments and recruiting will be the secret to your ongoing success in the new normal.

Can we help you learn if your team is in the winners' zone to capitalize on the new normal? Please contact us to learn how 55 Plus, LLC can help you achieve your sales goals in 2010.

Are you a top sales performer and would like to be matched with a company that compliments you?
Yes, please contact me.

Are you seeking a top sales performer for your sales team?
Yes, please contact me.

Join me at the 2010 International Builders' Show!
January 19-22, 2010
Las Vegas, NV
www.BuildersShow.com
The New Deal for the New Decade
Friday, January 22, 2010 at 8:00 AM

Don't forget to stop by '50+ Lifestyle Central' - the place to be during the 2010 International Builders' Show.
In additional to a full range of 50+ housing education sessions on today's hottest topics, visit 50+ Lifestyle Central - the 50+ Housing Council's official headquarters - in North 256. Take advantage of a myriad of opportunities, from networking and socializing with your peers and industry leaders to learning or just relaxing.

50+ Lifestyle Central hours are as follows:

• Tuesday, January 19 - 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
• Wednesday, January 20 - 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
• Thursday, January 21 - 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
• Friday, January 22 - 7:00 a.m. - Noon

Meet the Active Adult Experts
Tuesday, January 19, 3:30 - 4:30 p.m.

• Integrated Home Technology and the 50+ Consumer
• Land Planning
• Revamping Your Marketing to Prepare for the Recovery
• Emerging Trends and How to Apply Them to Your Business

Boomers on the Edge - How to Get Started in Active Adult Housing
Wednesday, January 20
Feasibility, 9:00 am - 9:45 am - Michael Starke, Spectrum Consulting
Land Planning, 10:15 am - 11:00 am - David Jensen, CAASH, David Jensen Associates
Design, 1:00 pm - 1:45 pm - Gary Snider, BSB Design
Marketing and Sales, 2:15 - 3:00 pm - Todd Harff, CAASH, Creating Results LLC, and Jane O'Connor, CAASH, MIRM, CMP, CAPS, 55Plus, LLC and Mature Living Choices

Wednesday, January 20, 3:30 - 4:30 p.m.

• Floor Plan Designs That Sell
• Multifamily 55+ Design
• Going Green ... Why It's Good for You and Your Buyers

Thursday, January 21, 9:00 - 10:00 a.m.

• Community and Home Designs for Today's Changing Market
• Closing the Sale: Follow-Up Techniques That Work
• Using the Internet as a Sales Tool
• Active Adult Clubhouses and Amenities

Peer-to-Peer Topic Tables
Tuesday, January 19, 10:30 - 11:30 a.m.

• Builder Forum
• Finding Creative Sources for Capital (tentative)
• Age-Restricting - Opportunities and Challenges for Builders and
  Developers
• Selling to Today's Active Adult Buyers - Jane O'Connor

Architectural Plan Review/Marketing Reviews
Architects - KEPHART, BartonPartners, KTGY, Hord Coplan Macht
Tuesday, January 19, 9:00 - 10:00 a.m.
Tuesday, January 19, 3:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Wednesday, January 20, 3:30 - 4:30 p.m.
Thursday, January 21, 9:00 - 10:00 a.m.

Click here to learn more about the sessions listed above and to register for this important industry event.

Nov. 6th: People Prefer It. Businesses Depend On It. What’s Next For Print Media?

Research shows that the majority of U.S. adults think that printed media is easier to read than the digital equivalent. Interestingly, most adults reported that they feel more comfortable when they have something on paper than when it’s on screen, suggesting that we make an instinctive... Read More.
Cited from Ad Ops Online, Nov. 6, 2009

What is this three-part survey? This survey effectively measures values, personal skills and sales ability. With years of research and validity, these assessments are time-tested and proven to provide solutions for today’s business challenges with selection, satisfaction and development of a company’s biggest asset – people.

Why should my sales team, or potential team members, take this survey? Using validated and powerful assessment tools, we can match the best person for each available sales/management position…a person who will have a passion to succeed in the culture of your company. Assessments will also put you in control of the hiring and selection process as you will now have crucial information, prior to making any employment or promotion decisions.

What will the results tell me?
Part I identifies the values of individuals, teams and organizations, reduces conflicts, increases talent retention, improves efficiency and productivity, and energizes any group working together toward common goals. The benefits include reduced turnover, enormous cost savings and increased satisfaction of stakeholders.
Part II spots winners with a reliable selection method, evaluates the performance of both new and existing salespeople, maximizes the sales team's effectiveness, coaches the sales team for maximum results, hires the salesperson that fits the company needs, brings a salesperson out of a sales slump and back on a winning track, reduces employee turnover and new training costs, boosts your sales-the ultimate business objective.
Part III will tell you whether your sales personnel can sell, if they understand the sales process and if they are treating each sales situation the way top salespeople do.