Also — for archivists, curators, librarians, IIMC members, and a few ISA members – Both of my IIMC programs were accepted for professional development credit by NAGARA: The `National Association of Government Archives and Records Administrators.’ Check with your professional society to learn how to apply for credit.

Looking for more business? Check out: http://www.SuccessfulAppraising.com

Keep growing and moving forward!

Brian

One of the most important quotes for his clients to ponder is: “Before I buy from you, I have to un-buy from everyone else.”

Clients spend money on many different things. In order for them to spend money on you and your services, they must find new money, or no longer spend money on another service, product or luxury.

They must sever a financial relationship with someone else in order to do business with you.

Creating a strong relationship, building rapport, showing your value, and credentializing yourself provides prospects with reasons to un-buy from their existing vendors.

If you don’t give your prospects a reason to spend money with you, the main criteria for their buying decision will be based on price. As we all know, when a client’s decision criteria are based on price alone, the best appraisers will not get the job.

Get the full story at: http://www.BestAppraiserProfits.com

Something for appraisers to think about as well.

Clients spend money on many different things. In order for them to spend money on you and your services, they must find new money, or no longer spend money on another service, product, or luxury.

They must sever a financial relationship with someone else in order to do business with you.

Creating a strong relationship, building rapport, showing your value, and credentializing yourself provides prospects with reasons to un-buy from their existing vendors.

If you don’t give your appraisal prospects a reason to spend money with you, the main criteria for their buying decision will be based on price. As we all know, when a client’s decision criteria are based on price alone, the best appraisers will not get the job.

Get the hottest marketing tips, selling secrets, and appraisal marketing systems at: http://www.BestAppraiserProfits.com

When we do not document all of our hours and time
on an invoice, we fail to show our client how
much time, energy, and expertise we put into
their appraisal report and/or consultation.

Document ALL your billable hours on your invoice –
If you choose to discount the bill or ‘give back’
hours, you can certainly do that, if you wish.

Make sure they know what you did for them.

TIP: Looking to requalify or recertify your appraisal
designation? You will need to show documented proof
of your appraisal hours worked.

Tracking all your time on an invoice will provide
you with this important data.

Happy Appraising!!

Best regaeds
Brian

Being a celebrity appraiser is incredibly easy. You don’t need to be on the Antiques Roadshow. You don’t need a million dollar budget. You don’t even need to be seen in public.

You can be a local or national appraisal celebrity with one easy step: Tell people you are an appraisal celebrity. That’s all there is too it. Let people know you are an expert in an appraisal specialty. Make sure your press releases credentialize yourself. You’ve got training, expertise, and experience. Once people know that you’re an appraiser, you’re famous.

You can be famous in any market you wish. Pick the market and let them know who you are. Speak at the Rotary or the ladies garden club. Make a presentation at the library. Run a class at your community college.

Publish a pamphlet on “How to Appraiser Your Own Stuff” and give it away at local antique shows, speaking engagements and on your website.

Plan to be a speaker at your next appraisal conference.

Get on the radio. We’ve offered all our subscribers the opportunity to be a guest expert on our show. Now we’re on a Public Radio station and our reach and our audience is even greater. Call us and get on the show – or get on again. Our producer’s hotline is: (877) 4-1-VALUE.

Better yet, Contact your local radio stations and be a guest on-air appraiser. Tell them why you’re a celebrity and why people will want to hear what you have to say. Explain how you’ll get the phones to ring and how you will share your expertise with local radio listeners.

If you don’t take advantage of your celebrity status, you’ll probably get by — but why just get by when you can soar. Do something today to make yourself famous.

Recently his restaurant Alma was listed as one of the “Top Seven Spots for Outdoor Dining in US.” Alma is listed with six other spectacular restaurants including the Bellagio in Las Vegas, and the Pacific ’O Lahaina, Maui, Hawaii.

Obviously, that in itself is an amazing accomplishment. But what is even more important is Anthony’s ability to leverage his accomplishment. And that’s the lesson for appraisers.

The write up in the MSN City Guide includes some spectacular quotes from Anthony that will convince anyone to make a special trip to Brooklyn, just to enjoy a dining experience at Alma.

Here are a few quotes from Anthony in the article:

“People from New York spend a lot of time in confined spaces and structures made of glass, brick and steel. Space between tables, and room to move liberates them.”

“Seated on the roof, you can feel the breeze all around you.”

When asked what sets him apart from other outdoor restaurants he replied: “We just have more sky to offer.” (not many New York restaurants are located on the roof).

So here’s the point: Do you really think he made these quotes up ‘on the spot’ when the reporter called? Certainly not. He has a list as long as his arm of quotes, sound bites and quips, ready to go when the next opportunity arises.

Anthony and I serve as Members of the Board of Directors of Project U.S.E., an organization which was created by our friend Phil Costello, in the 1960’s

During dinner, prior to our most recent Board meeting, Anthony told story after story about events and the regulars that visit Alma. Every one of these entertaining stories could have been condensed into a wonderful and effective quote or sound bite.

Tip: Create your sound bites and quotes before you get the chance to promote your business. Anticipate that call from a reporter and be ready with a quip that will enhance the effectiveness of every publicity opportunity.

Additional point: Eating at a restaurant is more about the dining experience, not eating the food.

Example: Have you ever eaten at Hard Rock Cafe? People don’t go there for the food. They visit to see the memorabilia, hear the music and to brag to their friends they went there.

Bonus Tip:
Make certain all your appraisal services are more about the positive experience of the service rather than the performance of the appraisal. People want to tell you their stories. They want to be pampered and taken care of. They want you to like their them and their stuff. So stop serving “appraisal food” and start creating an “appraisal experience.”

Brian

Our most affluent clients are having their collections re-appraised to stay protected.

As I’ve noted many times, high net worth clients are investing in hard assets.

Will Gompertz, Arts editor at BBC News states:
“The reason for the record-breaking auction price achieved by The Scream is a simple case of market economics in an age of global capitalism: demand for Grade A art far outstrips supply.

In a world of jittery stock markets and double-dip recessions, top-end artworks have become a reliable and highly desirable investment for the world’s super-rich.

There are five factors at play in dictating an artwork’s value: rarity, reputation of the artist, confidence in the market, condition of the artwork, and competition for the piece.
It is this last factor that has powered the continued rise in prices. A few years ago Sotheby’s would have had bidders from three or four countries, now it’s 20 or 30: that’s globalisation for you.”

Leverage this trend and you will generate more appraisal engagements.

The topic was Business Teamwork and Collaboration — Thought I would share with you four key points of my presentation.

The key to business success is collaboration — It is not to fight for a larger piece of the pie – It is to work collaboratively to make the pie bigger. Successful business communities work together to increase the size of the market, instead taking market share from each other. The only sustainable strategy is to grow the entire market, not just your share of it.

Four points: Goal – Roles – Practice – Action

Goals: Positive movement to economic success and sustainability starts by identifying the goal. Determine what market you wish to grow. Identify who will be part of the change.

Roles: Once you know who is on the team, determine what each business will do contribute to the successful achievement of the goal.

Practice: Success does not come without practice. Test your plan. Test it again. Modify the plan and reassign roles if needed. Design the perfect plan. As Vince Lombardi said: “Practice does not make perfect – Perfect practice makes perfect.”

Action: In our office we have a five-foot cutout of a Dilbert character that reminds us: “Nothing happens until somebody sells something.” Once your plan is in place (and agreed upon) and each business knows its role, then it is time to act. Go for it – and stay at until your team reaches its goal.

This brilliant point is exactly what we do as appraisers. We truly are ‘service professionals.’ We do tackle big problems. These are not our problems, but are the problems of our prospects and clients. Clients and prospects have many problems that we can solve, all of which may be related to value, identification, authentication, finances, or curiosity.

Their ‘problem’ might be establishing estate tax liability, or how to protect a valuable asset with insurance, or splitting up their valuables fairly and evenly, or helping out their local hospital with a donation of their art collection. For each of the problems (gee — do they sound a little like purposes??), they need a solution. As a professional appraiser, you can tackle their problem and solve it for them — and in turn, create a ‘revenue opportunity’ for you and your company.

In order to create the ‘revenue opportunities’ for your appraisal business, you must first identify the most common problems your clients and prospects face.

If you’ve been following my proven systems to providing appraisal services, in our Appraiser Success Newsletter, then you know that his ‘Appraisal Depot’ approach provides clients and prospects with a variety of solutions to their problems. The products in your ‘appraisal depot’ must be designed to solve the problems of your clients.

The key to creating more ‘revenue opportunities’ for your business is to identify the ‘problems’ your clients face.

You must be very specific. Make a list of your target market and then identify their ‘problems’ or perceived problems.

The best way to find out what ‘problems’ your clients face is to ask. Here are six ways to ask:

1) Call them, visit them, or ask them while they are in your office or shop. Make sure you provide them with a follow-up gift to thank them for their time and input. Offer a small gift, a copy of your book, or tickets to an art show or local event.

2) Create a written survey. Make certain you have a special gift for those who complete it and return it to you.

3) Create a ‘client appreciation breakfast’ – set it up at a restaurant or diner. Send written invitations and explain that you value your client’s opinion.

4) Set up the standard six-step marketing campaign ‘what’s your problem’ contest to gather data and then offer the results to all those who participated.

5) Write a newsletter and tell your subscribers how you solved one of your client’s problems with one of your services.

6) Better yet, let the client whose problem you solved write the article. – Now you have a “performance testimonial” that will cause more clients to share their problems.

The most common response I hear about ‘asking’ is: “If we ‘ask,’ we will sound ignorant.” Actually, the result is just the opposite. Asking your clients what they need, or want, shows them that you are wise enough to seek advice. It also shows you appreciate their opinions.

So get started today. Use one of the ways described to find out what ‘problems’ your clients face. Then and only then will you know what products and services to offer.

Brian Kathenes is the Managing Partner of National Appraisal Consultants, a firm specializing in appraisal practice business development.

Brian is the past Chairman of the ISA Ethics Committee, and was an expert witness on: Richard Nixon vs. The USA — The Watergate Papers Case. Brian has been the keynote speaker at the Library of Congress, and the science fiction & technology appraiser for Discovery Channel’s POP NATION: America’s Coolest Stuff. He is the co-author of Betcha Didn’t Know That – 101 Antique and Collectibles Trivia Tips.

Brian offers a free report, 10 Easy Ways to Boost Your Appraisal Sales & Increase Your Client Base in Less Than 30 Days, at http://www.AppraiserSuccess.com

He has appraised the Batmobile, the Back to the Future Car, and memorabilia from the movie Titanic. He has appraised items that have been on the Moon and appraised (and played) Elvis’ guitar. He’s an Eagle Scout, so you know he’ll always tell you the truth.

Brian Kathenes and Leon Castner have created the Ultimate Appraisal Marketing System – learn more at: http://www.ProfitableAppraising.com