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General guidelines

  • Write one chapter on your topic, 3-4000 words.
  • Submit by December 15th in a Word document. Send to Roger’s email.
  • Write your answers to TOPIC area questions and submit by Dec 20th. Please answer all questions in your assigned topic, but feel free to weigh in on any of the other topics. Answers should be no more than one paragraph. 
  • Write your answers to the Roundtable Questions and submit by Dec 20th. 

Suggested approach to your content

People generally hate textbooks, but love stories. Say what you want to say, but the more you can use stories, the more people will listen. 

If you’re having some brain block, here’s a formula that has worked well for me over the years, whether it’s preparing a talk or writing something:

  1. Drop the bait with some compelling story or attention-getting statement.
  2. Set the hook by convincing them why they need to hear what you’re about to say. 
  3. Reel them in using warmth, humor, and advance responses to objections. 
  4. Land them in your boat with a compelling call to action.
    1. Make it a small step or commitment.
    2. Undersell, then over-deliver.

Another approach that has served me well when it comes to teaching for retention:

  • Tell them what you’re going to tell them.
  • Tell them.
  • Tell them what you told them. 

A few words about condensing your knowledge into one chapter:

You know books-full about your topic. You will never get all of that into one chapter. So you have the daunting task of picking and choosing your most relevant and foundational information, your most compelling stories, and package that up with all the charm and charisma that has gotten you where you are. 

It’s much more difficult to prepare to speak for 15 minutes versus one hour. So here are a few other thoughts that guide me when having to do a shorter-form presentation. 

  1. What are all of the really important things I need to get across? (make a list)
  2. Now, which 10-15% of those are absolutely essential?
  3. Pick half of your items in number 2 and write. 

I know you can do this. It’s why I asked you to participate. 

Tips for better writing

There are dozens of websites out there – just google “tips for better writing.” 

So I’m just including a couple of the more obvious ones here.

  • Use active voice rather than passive – almost always. Example: “I drove to the store and bought groceries.” is Active. “I was taken to the store and received groceries” is passive. Active is when the noun (subject) is doing something. Passive is when something is being done to or for the noun. 
  • Invest in a grammar checker. Word has a decent one built in. Go through your entire document looking at grammar and spelling suggestions BEFORE you send it in please. 
  • Write it, re-read it. Then let it sit for 24-48 hours. Pick it up and read it again. 

The Roundtable of random Questions

I’ve started using these questions on my show as a way of humanizing my guest a bit and providing a bit of insight into the ways successful people think. 

When you have finished your chapter, take a few minutes to answer each of these questions and send to me in a separate Word document. 

You can add as much or as little commentary as you want. Be advised, we will edit your answers. Brevity is a good thing here.

  1. How does the general economy affect your business?
  2. When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?
  3. If you could have dinner with any person from history, who would it be?
  4. What role does creativity play in your business? 
  5. What are the business or economic trends you watch most closely?
  6. There is a lot of talk about “pursuing your passion” in our circles. Talk about the impact personal passion has on your life and business.
  7. In your personal goal-setting and planning, how far ahead do you usually look?
  8. If someone walked into your life and asked, “I want to do what you do – what are three things I need to do to get started?”
  9. Understanding it is impossible to accommodate every person’s lifestyle and spending habits with this answer, what would you say in the minimum amount of money a person needs in order to retire?
  10. If you were choosing someone who is alive today to model your business after, who would it be?
  11. What’s your morning routine?
  12. What does it mean to be truly wealthy?
  13. What are 2-3 pieces of technology (apps or whatever) that you love and use every day. (We all use phones, spreadsheets, etc. This is about specific real estate investing tech.)
  14. What should I do when I make my first $500k (after taxes)? After I hit my first million?
  15. What is one piece of advice for the newly wealthy that the non-wealthy don’t know?

Topic Questions

What you see below is a list of questions for each writer in their area of specialty. If you have suggestions for additional questions, let me know. 

 

Topic Questions: Flipping Houses

  1. Where do I get started looking for properties?
  2. How do I figure out the cost of repairs?
  3. What should I pay for a property?
  4. Best advice for finding and managing good contractors:

Topic Questions: Single Family Rentals

  1. How do I figure out what the property will rent for?
  2. What is your best tip for self managing the rental?
  3. What should I look for in a management company?
  4. Best advice for finding and managing good contractors:

Topic Questions: wholesaling

  1. What is a reasonable fee for me to charge?
  2. What is the best way to find sellers?
  3. Where do I get good paperwork?
  4. If I do creative deal structures, how do I wholesale them?

Topic Questions: turn key rentals

  1. How do I choose a market?
  2. Should I plan on buying several in one area or NOT having my eggs all in one basket.
  3. How do I find the resources I need from a long distance?
  4. Best advice for finding and managing good contractors:

Topic Questions: Multi-Family

  1. How much money will it take to get into this?
  2. Where is the best place to find my first deal?
  3. The only thing I’m bringing to the table is the deal and the various participants. What should I expect to be paid?
  4. Top 2 or 3 tips on building a syndication:

Topic Questions: Short-Term Rentals

  1. How can I tell if an area is a good place to have short-term rentals?
  2. How can I know in advance what my occupancy rate will be?
  3. How do I set the nightly charges?
  4. Tips for finding local management:

Topic Questions: commercial investing (all asset classes)

  1. What experience do I need in order to do this?
  2. How much cash should I have in order to get started?
  3. How do I find opportunities?
  4. How do I find property management?

Topic Questions: land

  1. How do I find prospective sellers?
  2. What is the best type of land to buy when getting started?
  3. How much money will it take?
  4. What insurance coverage should I have?

Topic Questions: Notes

  1. What are the differences in what I should pay for performing versus non-performing notes?
  2. What is the benefit of buying a non-performing note?
  3. What are the advantages of buying performing notes?
  4. How much cash will it take to get started in this?

Topic Questions: tax liens

  1. What’s the best way to learn the local rules for the sale of these?
  2. What’s the difference between a tax lien and a tax deed?
  3. How can I find out what is being sold in my area?
  4. How much money will it take to start?

Topic Questions: Mobile HOmes

  1. How are mobile home repair costs different from regular construction?
  2. How do I figure out those repair costs?
  3. When is a mobile home considered “real estate”?
  4. How do sellers arrive at a sales price for a mobile home park? 
  5. Would I rather own the lot or the home on the lot?

Topic Questions: creative deal structures

  1. How do I decide which deal structure to use? Is it trial and error or is there some formula to guide me?
  2. How will my acquisition method impact my disposition method?
  3. How much cash do I need to have available to pursue these types of deals?
  4. What’s the best way to learn all of the available options?

Topic Questions: real estate agent

  1. What’s the best way to get the training to become an agent?
  2. Where can I find additional training to develop leads?
  3. Do I want to be a listing or selling agent?
  4. Top tips in choosing a broker:

Topic Questions: Money Lending

  1. If I want to loan my own money, how much should I have on hand?
  2. How do I meet prospective borrowers?
  3. How do I vet prospective borrowers?
  4. How do I become a hard money broker, loaning other people’s money?