Anne Marie Malfi - Virtually Marketing & Assisting You

Another simple way to show your expertise and extend your reach and it’s right here on ActiveRain – are you doing it?

Tue, 24 Nov 2009 09:56:33 -0600

I like simple and easy ways to connect with consumers and they're all around us from blogging to social networking sites.

If you go to any one of my blogs or sites you will notice a consistent message that I try remind you of:

"If it's not evident to you by now, consumers are very knowledgeable and computer savvy and are using the Internet to not only search for homes but for real estate agents and real estate professionals who they feel are like minded and can lead them to the results they are looking for."

That being said, I wanted to direct you to a golden nugget of opportunity right here on ActiveRain that will give you another way to connect with the consumer and show your expertise.

Who knows your next client could be found simply by answering their question.

A key component to getting more listings and clients is all about connecting. Connecting means reaching your audience in ways that make you unique and different and encourages people to want to work with you. The Q & A section of ActiveRain could be the way you find your next client...or blog topic for that matter - why not write about what people are wanting to know.

On the Home screen of Activerain you will find this area on the right side:

Click on Q & A and it will take you to this screen:

Select your State:

And you will see lots of questions from consumers that will allow you to share your expertise with them and make a connection.

I encourage you to look through the questions and get a feel for what consumers are wanting to know. Jump in and answer a questions- lots of ActiveRainers are already participating in this great forum.

In my blog post to consumers I shared that:

"Help, advice and knowledge are a simple click away for you - what are you waiting for?"

My question to real estate professionals today is "what are you waiting for?" Consumers are posting questions and some of them go unanswered. Why not use this easy and effective way of extending your reach to consumers that could possibly:

Have their question answered
Put your name in their mind when it comes to having a need met (who might they reach back out to with a question or need the next time they have one?)
Gain a new reader to your blog
A new client
Or just simply knowing that you helped someone

Additionally, I think the Search area as well as the Questions area on ActiveRain can be quite helpful when you are researching topics and have questionsthat perhaps someone here on ActiveRain has answered because of their experience and expertise. Margaret Woda made a great point in her blog when she mentioned ActiveRain being our very own Google Search. I couldn't agree more - there's a wealth of information here for all of us!

Would love to know if you currently participate in the Q& A area on ActiveRain and if it's put you in contact with a new prospect/client?

At the very least I hope this post encouraged you to find ways to make that connection and share your knowledge and expertise with consumers.

******************************************************************

If it's not evident to you by now, consumers are very knowledgeable and computer savvy and are using the Internet to not only search for homes but for real estate agents and real estate professionals who they feel are like minded and can lead them to the results they are looking for.

As we all know, there are only 24 hours in a day to get it all done...are you focusing on the right stuff to grow your business and meet your client's needs? Contact us today to get started!

A tool to engage with your readers that will ensure you're meeting their needs...

Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:22:21 -0600

In a blog post that I did back October 2, 2008 I asked the question:

Think about the reasons you blog (what are yours?)

To build a trust between you and potential clients
To provide information and knowledge about your industry and area
To network with clients and real estate professionals

Producing quality content for your devoted readers and subscribers is providing an essential service that is one of the reasons you choose to blog. You're meeting their needs by discussing things that are important to them - things they want to know more about and hitting a cord that validates why they started reading and following your blog in the first place.

Perhaps you've had one of those days or weeks that you just weren't sure what you should blog about and share with your readers. In addition to helping cure your writer's block this tool can:

help you promote the fact that you blog
help you target specific areas and topics that your readers want to know more about.
Help you blog with a purpose ~ meeting your visitors needs

When I discovered the Skribit tool, I asked Brad Andersohnto help me investigate a bit further to figure out if it's something that could be used on an AR blog. Unfortunately due to the script code we can not use it in the conventional way but I did find a way that it can be implemented in your blog to promote interaction with your readers.

If you'll notice the sidebar of my blog, you will see this:

Note: You can also add it to your LINKS section on your sidebar.

Think of it as a Call to Action for your blog. Understand your readers and create that interaction with your readers - ENGAGE.

When you click on my sidebar it will take you to this screen:

What I also like about this tool is that you can get some great ideas for content whether someone is suggesting them via your blog by simply reviewing the Hot Suggested Topics further down on your dashboard. These topics are for anyone and all you do is claim the suggestion and blog. Talk about a great and easy cure for writer's block.

Chris Brogan wrote a great blog about how he generates great content for his blogs that is definitely worth reading. My point is that you have to ask yourself lots of questions and be clued into the questions all around you - whether they are presented to you in an email from a client, on a forum you participate on, on your blog or simply by reading other blogs.

Another great benefit of this tool is that it gives you the ability to link up as many relevant posts as you want and it's great for bloggers who are addressing similar topics in a series. In two words "Google Juice."

If you have other blog platforms that you use in addition to your AR Blog, feel free to discover how you can implement this tool within those blogs and either incorporate it the way I did here or utilize the widget if it allows script coding. Read more about Skribit here.

Remember when it comes to blogging keep these important things in mind:

Write with the reader in mind.
Are you providing advice that you yourself would take?
Tell a story, make people laugh, provide solutions to their problems
Share who you are - be honest, be yourself not who you think your reader wants you to be
Pictures help tell your story - pick good ones that help you express exactly what you mean and that will have your readers relating to the topic.

I look forward to your upcoming blog topics and engaging with you on topics that speak to me and allow you to share your expertise with me (and all of your readers.)

Whether you decide to use this specific tool or not, at the very least I hope this post was just a simple reminder of the importance of engaging your readers and fulfilling their needs.

So my question to you is quite simple:

Do you have a topic you would like to see discussed here? You know what to do...

Do you feel this is something that would help you engage more with your readers?

********************************************************************************************************

As we all know, there are only 24 hours in a day to get it all done...are you focusing on the right stuff to grow your business and meet your client's needs? Contact us today to get started!

BLOG content IDEAS that will inspire you and your readers...

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 09:03:58 -0600

When I think of a BLOG I associate it with the word IDEA.

Information - your blog content, an online journal of information, content that fulfills your subsribers and potential client's needs.

Dedication - to blogging, your real estate business, to clients, and to your subscribers.

Evolution - Real Estate and blogging are constantly evolving.

Association - being on a network like AR we are able to connect and associate with link minded professionals as well as extend our reach with social media sites with people we may have never met otherwise.

Isn't it funny how we seem to just stumble upon some of our best blogging ideas when we least expect to and from where we least expect them to come. Perhaps you found yourself in the store and overhead a conversation, or ran into an old friend or saw something that just made you think - this would be a great blog! Time and time again great ideas come to us as little unexpected gifts and they are created into blogs simply because we are open to them.

Sometimes you mind find yourself sitting down to write a blog post and wondering what you should write. Creating new content can at times be a daunting task.

Tips to ignite your creative spark & create some great content for your readers:

Get moving - physical activity - walking, exercising, just moving around gets us thinking. Sometimes our subconscious is just blocked. Try it and see what it can do for you.

Input - read a book, watch a show or movie, have a conversation with a friend - before you know it you'll be back at your computer constructing that great blog.

Review your previous blogs - sometimes you will realize you can expand on a point made in a previous blog that becomes a blog all on its own. Maybe a comment was left by a reader that is a blog just waiting to be created. Maybe you've stumbled across some of the blogs you've subscribed to and an idea comes from reading that post - perhaps another point of view or again from the comments left on that blog.

Step away - sometimes sitting there in front of the screen hoping an idea will come to us will actually work the opposite way. Step away, change your environment and get some new perspective (if it's late - some sleep) - repeat the above tasks and be open to your surroundings - your visit to the store, a drive in the car and even a conversation with your kids may be what sparks those creative juices and gives you your next great idea.

Google Alerts - Set up alerts for key phrases dealing with topics you want to discuss in your blog - marketing, real estate, your community. See this post from Jeremy Blanton on how to setup this alert and the great benefits that can be yours.

RSS Reader - Organize your favorite bloggers, both in and out of real estate, for more inspiration. That inspiration can come from the bloggers content or even comments left by other bloggers and readers. Sometimes a simple word in the content will be your inspiration.

Tip Lists - "Way you can..." or "Secrets to..." Think like writers of a magazine who use these types of articles to create interest in their articles.

Social Media Sites - Twitter, Facebook & LinkedIn - Watch the boards - see different topics that are being discussed, links shared, questions asked, and perhaps you'll come across a story or comment that you feel needs further discussion on your blog.

Services - What services do you offer and what's unique about how you provide those services. Real estate is different in each market and clients need different things - find a way to share what you can do in a less salesy but more informative way.

Answer a question - Answer questions that come from clients and colleagues.

In my next blog I will show you a great way to add a tool to your blog that will allow you to engage and interact with your readers to encourage questions and address them by answering them on your blog.

For now you can take questions given to you via email or various sites you belong to such as Trulia or Linked in, or in conversations you've had with clients and address them in your blog.

Comment on statistics - Maybe you've read an article that provided some statistics and here's your opportunity to address your thoughts, break it down into an easy to understand language that has meaning for consumers.

Reading a book? - why not do a review and share what you feel your readers can gain from reading this book.

Success Stories - We all have clients that we have worked with that had something great (or even not so great) happen - why not share their story. This kind of story can be a great example for providing advice on how to handle a similar situation for your colleagues and potential clients.

I hope this post has given you some IDEAS on how to use your blog, how you can get inspired and areas where you can focus your content to provide what your subscribers and potential clients need.

Where does your inspiration come from?

What were you doing when your last great blog idea came to you?

******************************************************************

Other posts on this topic for further reading/ideas:

Finding Blog Topics

Mistakes you might be making on your blog

*******************************************************************

As we all know, there are only 24 hours in a day to get it all done...are you focusing on the right stuff to grow your business and meet your client's needs? Contact us today to get started!

You’re doing it wrong if you’re using the “Baby come back” method of marketing to your past clients…here’s a better way

Thu, 05 Nov 2009 12:26:13 -0600

I think by now we've all seen this commercial:

The Swiffer commercial has a "regular" mop asking, ok, begging and trying to "woo" the customer to come back to them with flowers and song dedications on the radio, now that they've switched over to using the new and improved Swiffer mop.

The woman's reaction - "too little, too late Mr. Mop." It doesn't matter what you did before, and what you'll do now to try to get me back - I'm convinced I no longer need you.

I think the commercial is brilliant for the message Swiffer is trying to communicate to it's consumers - sometimes another product provides so much more and cares about it's consumers that there's nothing you can do to change that and keep them.

Sometimes messages like this are a little too late and give us the message we're not important to these companies.

The "baby come back" method of marketing is not the kind of marketing we want to be focused on when it comes to our consumers, especially with all the ways we have to stay in touch with them - it should never get to this point!

To market to this very important group - your sphere of influence - you don't need to purchase any special tools - you possess them already, but you have to be willing to use them.

By using your blog, social media sites, the phone, email and any way you can find to make a connection with your clients, you are given numerous opportunities to provide exceptional customer service - value - and a need for your clients that will have them very much aware of how you continue to be a resource of value for them beyond their day at the settlement table.

Think about a company whose product you used to use regularly - what made you stop using it and back away from this company? Did the company stop providing any of the following?

Customer Service

Value

Keeping in Touch

Listening more than Speaking

There are so many easy ways to make a prospect and customer feel important and the investment of time that you put into it will be well worth the rewards you will receive - another opportunity to work with this person and an opportunity to work with their sphere of influence.

Some key ways to invest in your relationships with previous clients (will also work with new prospects - start off on the right foot):

Provide targeted information (whether in a phone call, report, newsletter, or email) - fulfill your client's needs - give them what they want and need.
Marketing Updates - provide information on your client's listing before they even have a chance to ask. Why leave them wondering or questioning what you're doing to get them to SOLD.
Send a link to a client when you post some new information to your website - why keep what you're doing a secret? Perhaps include it in your next newsletter. Mention a question that recently came from a client and address it in that newsletter (be sure they get a copy.)
Invite them to your blog - show them what you're involved in - direct them to the blog about their listing, send a link to the local business you just mentioned, promote your community - your next client could very well discover you and your services with their next Google search.
Engage on social networks - make your profile visible in the searches. Invite clients to your page and engage with them. Think about it - do you really want them to stop communicating with you after their transaction is completed?

This is a great way to keep the communications going and a wonderful opportunity to be exposed to their sphere of influence that could most likely see the link or comment you provided your client and perhaps a referral or new client is within arms reach?

Think about it - Why would we ever want to stop communicating with a previous client who we invested time with to get to know them, spent many hours with seeing homes or spending time showing their home and got them the results they were looking for - wouldn't we want them to feel good about our relationship so much so that they would want to mention our services to others? Does our commitment to them stop after we sign the papers at the table?

Ever notice the great feedback you get in touch with someone simply because you acknowledged them with a note or a call? When we commit to stay in touch we are not only building on that relationship but increasing the chances of having relationships with all the people that person knows.

As previously stated in one of my blog posts:

"Simply offering "good" or "average" services to your clients is not going to get you noticed or talked about. Being honest, sincere, genuine will speak volumes to your clients. Every time you interact with a client think to yourself is this the best I can give? Would I feel special if I were the client?"

Think of a cat and some of the traits they have. They are creatures of routine and if you change their setting and eating times it throws them off so much so that they turn away from you.

Can't the same be said with our clients? If we change our habits of staying in touch with them they'll undoubtedly get upset and turn away from us as well.

Taking care of our prospects and customers from the very beginning and throughout the relationship is hard work but so worth the effort of having to turn to marketing them to get them back which in all likelihood will not happen - once they're gone they're not coming back.

Don't become a dispensable service that can be easily discarded because there's no more use for it or value in it.

I hope this post inspired you to make the commitment to your clients:

To stay in touch well after the transaction is complete and,
Encouraged you to find ways that you can commit to regularly and that will work for your clients to keep that relationship alive.

Feel free to share ways you continue to engage with your clients (whether past or current)

*********************************************************************************************

Some other blogs to help get you moving in the right direction of providing exceptional customers service and marketing expertise to your prospects and clients:

************************************************************************************************************

As we all know, there are only 24 hours in a day to get it all done...are you focusing on the right stuff to grow your business and meet your client's needs? Contact us today to get started!

A nice addition to your website to encourage visits and revisits from prospects, past clients and search engines

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 12:55:45 -0600

Often times websites are created and change very little or only certain pages change. There are many reasons for this:

We build it and forgot about it
We are driving visitors/traffic to our other sites (blogs and social media sites - important, yes, but if you have a website you want to make sure it's receiving traffic and directing traffic bank and forth to all your sites)
We simply don't have the time to update our sites

So here's your opportunity to regularly change the content on your website to encourage visitors (prospects and past clients) to visit again and again and again - you get the point.

As I mentioned in the title of this blog - you also want search engines visiting and revisiting your website and they will do that when you add fresh content to your site.

This can be accomplished by adding a "What's New" page to your website. Here you are focused on updating and directing your visitors to important new content on your site and fulfilling their need for information.

The benefit of adding a "What's New" page is that you are primarily updating one area of your website and since you are adding links to the pages you want to direct them to - those pages are automatically updated and generating traffic. Search engines love new content and if you are using keywords and optimizing this page you will benefit from having a page that is seen as being regularly updated and has the content that consumers are seeking.

While I don't encourage adding everything from the list - pick some key areas and see how they work - analyze your website visitor statistics and see where they're going. Keep at it until you have the right content driving traffic - repeat traffic to your site. Ideally you will want this "What's New" Page to be easily accessible from your Home page - appearing on your navigation bar so that it's easily found. The key is not just mentioning what's new - take them there by including links to take them to those pages directly.

Here are some examples of things you might want to include in your "What's New" page of your website:

New, Featured Listings & Open Houses - whether it's a widget or a featured listing

MLS Search - why have them go elsewhere? - provide right there on your website.

Hot real estate tip or link (a good opportunity to share some link love with some of your local business owners)

Updates on Your Company

Awards
Community Involvement - show how you're involved in your community - link to a blog or social media site in which you've mentioned what you're doing. Show it on your calendar of events.
New Staff - link to a blog that you've written about this new staff member
New Testimonial - Link it to your testimonial page

New Video - what a great way to show your prospects and clients new listings. Most video tools have the ability to embed them into blogs and websites. (who knows - they may even forward to someone that might be interested.)

Links to news articles about the real estate industry and your market - whether from your blog or a pdf file that they can print directly from your site. Another way to show your expertise and the value of working with you.

Calendar of Events and Community Events - a great way to show things going on in your community is to have a calendar that has dates highlighted to encourage them to explore and have them coming back to your site for this information. Be sure to highlight what events you're involved in and take them to the blogs you've written about your community, events and new businesses you have highlighted.

Newsletter Sign up another way to stay in front of your prospects and clients and show the value of your expertise and of working with you.

Your blog - Either feed your blog directly into your site or at least mention some of the most recent blogs you've done that you feel would be of interest to your visitors. Encourage them to subscribe to your blog via the rss feed so that they are getting regular communication and content from you each time you update your blog or simply encourage them by providing relevant content.

A call to action asking them if they want to be notified when updates are made to your site - encouraging them to revisit your website when you add something new - a reminder if you will to visit again.

Social Media Engagement - Encourage them to interact with you on social media sites that you participate on. Engaging with them in this fun way is a great way to build on your relationship and show them what you're involved in - maybe they'll see something in your stream and it will encourage them to ask you a question. Often customers may be thinking of something and won't reach out to you but if you put it out there they just might.

Visitors (prospects, past clients and search engines) may come to your site once, but to keep them coming back you need to have fresh and relevant content. You need to provide solutions to their questions. You need to provide information that means something to them - that fulfills their needs (WIIFM.)

How does your website stack up? Are you seeing repeat visitors and are there key pages/content that drives traffic to your site? Do you have a page like this that generates traffice?

What other suggestions for content to a "What's New" page would you include that would not only provide great content for your website visitors but also generate more traffic for your website?

**********************************************************************************************

As we all know, there are only 24 hours in a day to get it all done...are you focusing on the right stuff to grow your business and meet your client's needs? Contact us today to get started!

Using Your Blog to Enhance Relationships ~ How I do it...What I get from it...More importantly ~ What you can get from it...

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:00:23 -0500

This post was inspired by Bob Stewarts Blog Challenge when he asked the question "How do you use your blog to enhance your existing relationships with clients and prospects?" I have four examples that I want to share that I hope will encourage others to be an active member of this community.

I have used my blog posts (and what I consider to be another version of my websites) to generate interest in my marketing and virtual assistant services as well as provide ideas on how my prospects, readers and clients can extend their reach and provide great customer service to their prospects and clients.

First Example

One way is when I posted a Marketing Report blog. This post generated a lot of interest and increased my readership both on ActiveRain and via the feeds to Twitter and Facebook. Not only did I encourage agents to create and use this tool to reach their sphere of influence but I had many contact me to create a template for them to use that would highlight how they market their listings.

Even yesterday, a new member of ActiveRain who has subscribed and reading my posts contacted me about this very post.

The response that my clients and readers have received has been overwhelmingly positive from their clients. When I create blog posts like this I try to put myself into the shoes of a consumer - I was one in the last few years when I was buying and selling a home - and I know what I wanted, needed and what was of interest to me. I like sharing that information with agents to help and remind them of putting themselves into the consumers shoes - seeing what's important to them and allowing them to build a solid relationship with that client.

Another post that generated a lot of interest was this one entitled "Customers are internet savvy and checking up on your promises are you delivering? in which I highlighted some areas that you may or may not be promising to your clients for their listings on where they will appear that yield great results due to the amazing exposure they receive.

I invited the agents to see how they're doing and if there were areas that their listings will benefit from having this added exposure and to be sure to share it with clients. Many found the post/checklist useful to measure their pre-listing presentations and to build their marketing plans for the upcoming year.

Receiving comments like this:

"Anne Marie- There is certainly a lot to do! And you are right, many clients are checking up online to make sure that their Realtor is doing what they said they were going to do! It is important not to overpromise and under deliver! The beauty about your list here is that this list can be reversed into a beautiful listing presentation in terms of what one WILL do. It is a lot of work to do all of those things which is another reason many agents need to consider hiring an expert that can help!!! : )" ~ Chris Somers

"Awesome post Ann Marie. If everyone followed your advice there would be a lot more top notch Realtors:)" ~ Bill Gassett

Second Example

Another great compliment you can receive is having your post reblogged and that honor has been given to me many times by so many members of ActiveRain. One that surprised and delighted me was this one. Wow, I think I was walking on the air the rest of that day!

Third Example

Another way that I have discovered that my blog are helpful and enhance my relationships is by providing blog posts that agents and brokers have told my they have printed to use in their business plans, training classes and as a simple reminder of what is important to keep focused on when it comes to marketing and staying in touch with their clients. Again, just this week I was contacted by an agent to offer training for their office staff.

Comments I've received on blog posts that members felt they could use in their own agent training classes and as a daily reminder for themselves have included:

"What a great post. Lots and lots of great ideas. I am going to share these with some of my agent friends. Thanks so much for sharing. You just might want to do some coaching in addition to your Virtual Assistant practice" ~ Karen Anne Stone

"Great post - each activity improves our skills and generates leads. I have shared it with the rest of the staff and it was favorably received." ~ Ryan Shaughnessy

And its comments like this - positive feedback - knowing I am making a difference to my colleagues and yes, many of them are my actual clients - so they can in turn make a difference to their clients - is what it's all about for me.

Fourth Example

The last way I use my blog posts is as a link in my responses back to inquiries about my services. Whenever someone inquires about my services I not only provide them with a phone call to discuss their needs but I highlight some of the services I provide that may benefit them by sending them an informational piece that lists those services along with the link to my AR blog. I want them to see firsthand the content I provide, the advice I preach, the tips I share and how the readers and subscribers to my blog respond to me. Often the comments left are testimonials to how my advice shared can be applied to their business and often they will return back to tell me about their success.

It is no secret that AR is a powerful tool and it certainly is the most powerful one I utilize to grow my business. It has provided me with clients, friendships and colleagues that refer business to me and that I can refer business to.

Every site I register on I find a way to either link or feed my AR blogs into it to not only promote my services but ActiveRain because I feel that if this network can bring me this kind of exposure and business there are others that can benefit from joining the network. It's a paying it forward mentality that I believe in and possess as I know all too well that many of us here do.

On August 23, 2008 I made the smartest decision for my business and so invite you today to discover the great success you can have by joining and being an "active" member of the Rain.

A special thank you to all the members here that interact with me, read my posts, contribute by commenting and add such value to my posts. You are one of the best parts of my day!

****************************************************************************************

As we all know, there are only 24 hours in a day to get it all done...are you focusing on the right stuff to grow your business and meet your client's needs? Contact us today to get started!

Making a Difference - Extending your Help to Someone with a Simple Gesture

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 07:07:03 -0500

This community is full of people who are always looking to make a difference to the people who hire us to provide real estate services, in our communities or to those special people in our lives.

This idea was shared with my 11 year old daughter (Sarah) from a teacher in her school. My daughter has been actively looking for ways to get involved with more community service and this is one way she felt she could make a difference in someone's life.

If you're looking for another way to extend your help, especially this winter ~ another way you can make a difference to someone in your community, we hope you'll join us in making a difference!.

A simple gesture can make a difference, and you'll see how at the end of this short video.

*********************************************************************************************

As we all know, there are only 24 hours in a day to get it all done...are you focusing on the right stuff to grow your business and meet your client's needs? Contact us today to get started!

My Advice to Consumers Reading ActiveRain Blogs – The Real Estate Industry has Lots of Positives

Mon, 26 Oct 2009 07:35:06 -0500

My Advice to Consumers Reading ActiveRain Blogs - The Real Estate Industry has Lots of Positives

I think it's safe to say we've all been hurt before - whether in a relationship, business, and just from experiences we've had. The memories that can come back to us when we relive those experiences can be quite painful and often leave us feeling cautious about trusting anyone. I know on many of my blog posts people have shared some of the negative feelings that they have experienced and are aware of when it comes to the real estate industry and how agents and real estate professionals are perceived.

My advice today is directed to consumers - people reading AR blogs, possibly in search of an agent who can represent them in what will be one the most important and life altering decisions of their life - selling or buying a home. Home represents many different things to people and can be a sacred and safe place for many. It's the place we feel safe and we draw strength from, a place where memories are created and a place we think of when we think family.

Are you a consumer that has a "trust no one" mentality when it comes to the real estate industry?

One faithful day last August while doing a Google search I stumbled across ActiveRain and discovered a whole new world of experience, knowledge, friendship, community and yes, trust. Yes, to my great surprise my experience here has been a community that is meant to help people - the general public/consumers looking for real estate services and guidance and colleagues looking to share information about increasing their knowledge and improving their businesses.

Like me, you have stumbled upon a community that is eager and so willing to assist you. I know from personal experience - not only from my online and offline communications but my interactions of working firsthand with so many great professionals from the AR network that you will be in good hands. I can't specifically name an agent that will work well on your behalf but what I can say is that there are so many great agents and real estate professionals to choose from on this network so why leave it up to chance and choosing someone you know very little about.

My advice is simple:

Read the blogs and get to know the agent, broker, stager, etc - you will see and feel what they're about.
Investigate further - visit their website and get a feel for their strengths. Look for the kind of presence they have on the internet - do you get a sense that they will provide that level of service and marketing that you are hoping to receive?
Review their testimonials and hear from people who have worked with them and experienced firsthand the services they've provided
Reach out and interact with professionals from the network - subscribe to their blog via the RSS feed and take some time to discover through your interactions if they are the right agent or real estate professional to work with.

Give yourself some time and then take that leap of trust knowing that these re professionals are dedicated to getting you the results you are looking for - they are bound by a code of ethics and their own code of wanting to do the right thing for their customers.

They dedicate a lot of time and effort to bringing you information about your community, the real estate industry and have put themselves out here in very personal ways for you to have the opportunity to get to know them. You owe it to yourself to take advantage of that.

I know in my heart you will find the right agent or professional here on this network - there are just so many that I would personally choose myself to represent me.

I wish you great success in choosing your agent or the real estate professional you are looking for and hope that you will drop me a note to share your success - knowing I have been where you are - a consumer looking for an agent to represent me.

I simply trust that you will have a great experience and you will discover for yourself that there are some great professionals in the real estate industry and positive experiences to be had that undoubtedly you will want to share with your friends and family.

Consumers:

Help, advice and knowledge are a simple click away for you - what are you waiting for?

Agents and RE Professionals:

Some of you have left comments about the negative feelings and perspective of the public when it comes to the RE industry - what are you doing to show there are positive aspects?

***************************************************************************************

As we all know, there are only 24 hours in a day to get it all done...are you focusing on the right stuff to grow your business and meet your client's needs? Contact us today to get started!

How to Develop your blogging style with 7 easy to follow tips for new and seasoned bloggers

Fri, 23 Oct 2009 09:35:25 -0500

This post is to provide and encourage anyone new to blogging or someone returning to blogging after being away for a while with some easy to follow tips on how to get started blogging (again), build relationships and interact with your readers. Yes, be an "active" member of this network.

Make no mistake, it will not happen overnight - it will take time and patience and will take you focusing on these areas below to develop your blog and ultimately your readership.

I have been fortunate in my time here on Active Rain to interact with some amazing bloggers and amazingly enough I have even received compliments on my blogging style and information I share on my blog posts and yes, questions from members on how I developed my blogging.

I am no expert, because believe me - it took time and patience to develop that style and find my blogging voice. Just look at my first post - what was I thinking? I learned over time to change the focus on my blog - to share more and great things will come my way. So I thought I could share some of my methods for developing my blogging in the hopes that it will help you.

Here are some of my key tips for becoming a successful blogger:

Your best tool ~ a notebook and pen. I know it sounds simple but it really does work. This is not to say you can't use other tools like Google docs or word or whatever tool that works for you to pen your blogs but the point is use what works for you and a notebook and pen is what works for me. I have a small notepad on my nightstand, in my purse and on my desk for jotting down quotes, ideas, words and topics that eventually end up being a blog post. Just read some of the titles on the blog board - it could be a reference to a commercial, a common phrase and the fun part is how you can make it relate to real estate and your topic. Here's an example of how I used "exercise" to relate to real estate marketing.

Blog - Write a great headline. Deliver great content that fulfills a need for your readers. Highlight the important information whether it's a bullet list, white space, colored or larger text. Make your post visually pleasing with photos and videos to break up the wall of words and to help you further tell your story and further your point. See Debe Maxwell's Post on how to add pictures to your blog. Engage your readers to share their thoughts, comments and experiences.

Proofread - Sometimes it helps to let your blog post marinate like a good steak. Read it again - does it make sense? Is your message clear? Are your links working? Are your pictures described? Are there typos? How is the formatting? For some great tips on formatting your blog visit the FAQ section here on AR - the information and knowledge shared is astounding!

Linking - A great way to increase traffic to your blog by search engines and readers is to provide great links that provide the reader with more information on the topic you are talking about. It could be a previous post you've written on the subject, an article that you read, suggesting further reading on the subject or highlighting a blogger that you admire. Links help you further the points you're trying to make in your blog post. See how I just linked to Debe Maxwell's post above on how to add pictures.

Comment Back - The point of writing a blog post is interaction. It's not putting out a blog and then moving onto the next one without comments back to your readers. In my opinion eventually they may stop visiting. I encourage you to write a short comment back or at the very least visit your commenter's blog and leave a comment on their blog. It's all about building a relationship and when you are relating to your readers you are building those relationships, your knowledge and people will want to regularly follow your blog anticipating what you'll write about next.

Visit your Visitors - To further the point above, I recommend looking at your recent blog or your subscribers list and choose a few people from that list and visit their blog. You may very well discover a topic - a golden nugget if you will - of information and again it's furthering your relationship with this person/blogger and is in fact part of the reason we all choose to be a part of this AR community - to interact and engage.

Network - You have a great opportunity to not only post your blogs on Active Rain but to share the content of your blog across many networks. I know I have received many new readers simply by feeding my blog to Twitter and Facebook from both members of Active Rain but also consumers who have come across my posts by providing them with a direct link to my content. These networks are a great tool to extend your reach and engage with people who are interested in the topics you are writing about. Are we connected yet? What are you waiting for - lets share our knowledge and experience.

Bonus Tip: Over time you can go back to your previous posts and see which ones were the most read and received the most comments. What did these posts address? What made them work? Comments are a great indicator that you hit a cord with your readers.

Other Areas to Look at:

Perhaps your next blog is just waiting there for you in the comments section or your previous blogs in which someone asked a question and you can address it in your next blog post - what a great opportunity to share your knowledge and a link back to that person.

You can even revisit your previous blogs and come up with a new series or rewrite the blog to include a new experience or new knowledge you've gained since you first wrote that post.

You've had the power all along - it's within you and my hope is that this post along with the comments left will inspire you to find your blogging voice - we all can't wait to hear it!

The possibilities are endless. Don't fret if you feel you have nothing to write about. Visit your old blogs, visit your subscribers, read, comment, be active on social media networks and be an observer of life around you - grab that notebook and pen and start writing. I look forward to your next blog.

A question for seasoned members/bloggers:

Do you have any ideas and suggestions for bloggers on where they can focus their blogging efforts that has worked for you?

****************************************************************************************

As we all know, there are only 24 hours in a day to get it all done...are you focusing on the right stuff to grow your business and meet your client's needs? Contact us today to get started!

A key word that should be on the mind of every real estate professional and part of their "every day" and "every interaction"…

Fri, 09 Oct 2009 16:15:11 -0500

A key word that should be on the mind of every real estate professional and part of their "every day" and "every interaction"...

No, I'm not talking about new listings, commissions, recognition - all great things - that will certainly come with focusing on this one key word - FREQUENCY.

The definition of Frequency is:

1. the fact of occurring often or repeatedly; frequent occurrence

2. the number of times any action, occurrence, event is repeated

How does this relate to real estate or any business for that matter? Here are my suggestions for areas of your business that you should be frequently engaged in and touching every day to ensure you're meeting your client's needs and growing your business. (Feel free to add to the list if you feel I missed something.)

Frequent blog posts

Yes, we've all heard that posting frequently will keep refreshing your site for those search engines but often we find ourselves trying to carve out time to post and interact on our blogs and on the blogs we've subscribed to, which can be quite the juggling act when business is busy. Certainly the most important aspect of this point is to find out what "regular" schedule you can keep to. Some things you can do to become more regular/frequent with your blogging:

Start jotting down ideas for future blogs
Interact and read other blogs and posts on social media sites (your next idea could simply be right there in front of you.
Develop a team approach to your blog with inviting others to write as a guest blogger or invite members from your office/team to contribute so that the frequency of your blog posts show the search engines that you have fresh content (and yes, there are rewards for that) and it shows your client and prospects that you are engaged in your online and offline communities.

Frequent visits, comments and interactions with your fellow real estate professionals

Again, this is another area we can all fall short in when times are hectic but there are so many wonderful benefits to participating on colleague's blogs. Here are a few that come to mind:

Building a relationship with that blogger
Perhaps a future referral of business
Knowledge obtained by reading someone else's post and comments left on that blog
Just like above, the search engines also love our comments and often they will be picked up.

Frequent participation on Social Media Networks

If you're actively participating on the many social networks available, you are bound to pick up on something new each day - whether it's a news story you missed, knowledge and experience gained from another colleague or interactions that involve humor (a great mood elevator) and simply relating to others within your online communities. There's also so many great tools available on these sites to keep track of posts that are of interest to us, marketing tools that are available and working for our colleagues that we could utilize, and ways to promote our listings and services. Do a search here on ActiveRain and discover for yourself how frequent participation on social media networks have benefitted some of your colleagues - perhaps it's something that could work for you?

Frequent Contact with clients & prospects - phone calls, in person, emails, newsletters, listing updates

Your clients hired you and they do expect to hear from you - ask them from the very beginning how often they want to hear from you and how they want to hear from you. What's important to them is one of the most important things you can find out from the get go since no two clients are the same.

Frequent refreshing of listings

Don't just simply post your listings and forget about them. Often there are price reductions, new pictures taken if the home was listed in the winter and now it's spring or you may feel that you're not getting the traffic you hoped and the posting may need some tweaking.

Frequent Updates to your website & Frequent checks of your statistics

Many people will say they have a website but when's the last time you visited your website. I often encourage clients to visit their website from the outside looking in and not simply on the backend. Often you will notice something doesn't look right and needs some adjusting. Be sure to update your listings - again with price reductions and new photos - it could make all the difference with getting that listing sold.

Frequent tweaking of your Marketing Plan

We all eager in the beginning of the year and even the middle part of the year to establish marketing plan - when's the last time you looked at yours? Are you accomplishing everything you set out to? Did you start using a new tool, gave it some time and discovered that perhaps it's not the most effective? Now's the time to figure those things out so that you are using your time and efforts wisely.

Frequency of your contact information on your marketing materials, blog, website, social media sites - you want to be found and contacted right?

Make sure your clients, colleagues and prospects can easily find out how to contact you. Your blog, website, social media sites and marketing materials should contain this information - people don't want to have to research how to find you - give it to them freely. Make sure your business cards and materials you're leaving at your listings also have all the information necessary for people to reach you and this includes your email and a phone number in which they can actually talk to a live person.

Frequency of Keywords - in your blog on your website - key in boosting your SEO.

There are so many great tools available to us to zero in on those keywords for our website and blogs.

Find out what they are and use them not only on the title page of your website but throughout the content of the page (search engines love this) and your prospects will too because you'll be providing exactly what they're looking for when they typed in those keywords in their search.

This also goes for your blog - create a title and content that speaks and delivers on what you're discussing, create relevant links and keywords that describe what you're blog post is about.

Just like a radio station operates on a certain frequency, you must also be tuned in to the list above to get the maximum benefits for your business growth and for your clients who are entrusting you with a what many consider very important aspects of their lives - their money and their home.

Do you have another area of "frequency" to share that is a great example of maximizing your efforts and getting great results?

*******************************************************************************************

As we all know, there are only 24 hours in a day to get it all done...are you focusing on the right stuff to grow your business and meet your client's needs? Contact us today to get started!

Respect ~ What does it look like and sound like to your clients? See if you have the same perspective...

Wed, 07 Oct 2009 15:18:19 -0500

Respect - what does it look like and sound like?

Have you ever really thought about this question? What answers would you give? Do you think you do a great job with respecting your clients and colleagues - more importantly do they?

I didn't come up with these questions about what does respect look like and sound like on my own. I recently answered these questions for homework that was given to me by my daughter's principal. That's right at age 40 I found myself doing homework - guess you never stop learning and always have opportunities to learn no matter how old you are.

I think this exercise (homework) gave me many benefits

A wonderful opportunity to share with my daughter my perspective on what respect is - how it looks and sounds
Reminded me of how I can be more aware of how I come across to others
How I can be an example to her in how I respect her, our family and those that we encounter in our every day lives.

Here are are some of the answers to those questions that we came up with as a family:

Sounds Like: Looks Like:

It got me thinking about respect and how it relates to how we conduct ourselves in our businesses.

We all know we should respect others - we're taught this as children and many of us must adhere to industry code of ethics but often we lose sight of just how respect looks and sounds like and we can find ourselves not respecting someone without even realizing it. Sometimes the things we say can simply rattle someone to their core even if that was not our intention.

This quote sums it up nicely:

"I'm not concerned with your liking or disliking me...All I ask is that you respect me as a human being." Jackie Robinson

So what descriptions come to your mind when you think about respect?

Here's my list for ways we can show respect to all our clients (feel free to add to the list)

Responsibility

Respond promptly to all inquiries and requests and meet deadlines

Educate

Educate, advise and guide our clients

Sensitivity

Schedule and keep appointments or make necessary arrangements to change
Be aware of cultural differences
Remember that our clients are asking you to handle a very important and often sensitive area of their lives.

Professional

In our appearance and our communications
In our promises we make to our clients - make them and keep them (know what you're capable of delivering - see my previous post for more areas to explore on this topic)

Ethics

Follow the Code of Ethics of the NAR

Communicate

Communicate in a timely and thoughtful manner and do it often

Treatment of Others

Treat our clients and colleagues the same way we expect to be treated (in person and online)
Care about them and show it in all your interactions

Respect is...Listening, caring about other's feelings, keeping an open mind, agreeing and knowing it's ok to disagree, seeking to understand, being honest, direct, and lifting a person up.

As you can see respect comes in many forms and at the very least I hope this post gets you thinking about how your words and actions come across to those you interact with each and every day and will be a reminder that these things have an affect on your clients and colleagues (and your business) and will allow you to model for others exactly how you want to be treated.

Being aware of how we respect our clients and our colleagues can make all the difference in our business - the reputationof it AND the growth of it.

I will leave you with this final quote:

"Our inner strengths, experiences, and truths cannot be lost, destroyed or taken away. Every person has an inborn worth and can contribute to the human community. We all can treat one another with dignity and respect, provide opportunities to grow toward our fullest lives and help one another discover and develop our unique gifts. We each deserve this and we all can extend it to others." Author Unknown

Have some thoughts to share on the topic of Respect? Feel free to add your thoughts and perspective on how it relates to your business and life.

*********************************************************************************************

As we all know, there are only 24 hours in a day to get it all done...are you focusing on the right stuff to grow your business and meet your client's needs? Contact us today to get started!

Customers are internet savvy and checking up on your promises – are you delivering?

Mon, 28 Sep 2009 13:53:09 -0500

I speak to you as not only someone that assists clients with their marketing efforts but as someone that was once a consumer - buying and selling my home and I'm going to tell it to you straight...

"your customers are checking to see if those things you promised in your prelisting appointment are actually happening."

I invite you to take out your marketing plan that you share in your pre-listing appointments and review it line by line to see if the things you are promising your clients are actually being done. Will their home be listed on your website? Is it? Will they be a featured listing on Trulia or Zillow - are they? You get my point right?

Here are some areas that you may or may not be promising to your clients for their listings on where they will appear that yield great results due to the amazing exposure they receive.

See how you're doing. If there are areas that your listings will benefit from having this added exposure make it happen and share it with your client. Go back often and look in detail at your tracking results that will allow you to share with your clients how much exposure their listing is receiving. You are tracking the results of these efforts aren't you? Feel free to post as a checklist against your PreListing Markeitng Plan to ensure you're meeting your client's needs.

Here's your checklist:

Website

Does the listing appear on the site? Does it accurately reflect all the details of the listing and is the price correct? How are the pictures?

Blogging

We all know and hopefully you've seen the power of ActiveRain blogs in helping to reach clients, promote our services and be a part of a community that helps us grow our business. Are you highlighting your listing on your blog and posting it to your local community? I currently work with agents who receive amazing feedback and gain new clients every day simple by bloggingnot only about real estate related issues and their community but about their blogs. (Check out Jeremy Blanton's great post about how to present your listings.)

Social Media Networks

Facebook- are you posting links and sending them to your clients who are on facebook. What a great way to promote your listings to other Realtors® and to show your client that you are actively talking about their listing.

Twitter - Tweetlister is a great tool for presenting your listings and provides tracking results.

Trulia & Zillow

Your listings are usually provided by a feed or you can enter them in yourself. You can enhance your listing and provide your clients with reports either on their listing or for homes similar to theirs. I like to periodically check my client's listings to ensure they not only fed correctly but often I will add more photos to increase the likelihood that they will be viewed more. Are you also involved in the forums and questiosn and answers section of these sites? Another great opportunity to extend your reach and show your value as a Realtor®.

Real Estate Shows and Flyers

Not only can they stand on their own but you can embed them into your blogs and on social media networks. What client wouldn't love to see their listing presented in this very special way? Did I mention that this tool has great tracking capabilities too?

Craigslist

Perhaps you have a market that would do really well from posting here. There are many options from posting straight text to embedding flyers to html that can present your listings in not only a unique but visually pleasing way.

Postlets

Creates a single page site for your listing and syndicates to several sites.

Realbird

Creates a single property site along with widgets, ability to embed the flyer and syndicates to several sites. Also tracks views and visitor stats.

Classified Flyers

Easy to create, targeted single property sites and flyers syndicated to real estate directors and search engines.

Property Flyers

Do you have an attractive flyer that presents all the details of your listing? Is it up to date with new photos and pricing? Do you have all the ways of contacting you on this flyer - website, social media and phone?)

Advertising (newspaper, home magazines)

This form of advertising works well for many and I'm a big proponent of balancing on line and off line marketing efforts. While many of abandoned this form of marketing often times client's still view this as a viable method of marketing. Did you promise to run ads? Are you? Think about what will work for your listings and in your market and do it if it's something you've promised.

Open Houses

Are you conducting them as promised? Are you tracking visitors and following upwith the visitors - clients and Realtors® for feedback and are you providing that feedback to your client?

Marketing Activity Results

I previously posted an example of what and how you can share feedback with your clients. Clients want to know this information and it will give you a great opportunity to provide feedback on showings and share feedback on possible updates needed or price changes.

Email Campaigns

Are you alerting customers from your database and fellow Realtors® and colleagues of your listing? Don't miss out on this important aspect of marketing your listing and services - perhaps it will be seen by someone looking behind the scenes right now or by someone who can mention to someone they know. Your reach has just been extended.

Regular Contact/Follow-up

Make those phone calls, respond to leads and inquires, and participate on blogs, social media networks and forums. Write a hand written note, send an email campaign. Take a client for coffee or check in with them on their recent home improvements. My point is have regular and consistent interactions with your clients and prospects. If you remember them, they will remember you.

Did I miss any? More importantly - did you?

Sometimes I think we are so intent on recreating new ways to run our business that we forget the simple things we have already established that will work if we work them correctly or at all. Don't recreate the wheel unless you have to and focus your efforts on getting the results you're clients need and depend on.

I invite you to dig in deep to your pre-listing materials to ensure you are promising things that you can actually deliver on and use this as an opportunity to fine tune your services and offerings. This will go a long way with your clients who are depending on you to deliver the results you promised to them and will most likely grow your business in the way of referrals by these very happy clients.

How did your Pre-Listing Marketing Plan measure up?

Do you have an experience with your clients reviewing your marketing efforts that you want to share?

***************************************************************************************

Some previous posts to help you with your marketing efforts:

http://activerain.com/blogsview/715158/creating-a-connection-with-your-marketing

http://activerain.com/blogsview/693888/Do-you-know-where

http://activerain.com/blogsview/1015159/Marketing-is-a-lot-like-exercisingtone-and-see-results

***************************************************************************************

As we all know, there are only 24 hours in a day to get it all done...are you focusing on the right stuff to grow your business and meet your client's needs? Contact us today to get started!

What is the purpose of your business and some simple ways to grow your business

Fri, 04 Sep 2009 06:44:51 -0500

What is the purpose of a business - your business?

Some think it's to make a profit (a good thing, yes) but that's not the only or best way to look at it in my opinion. The true purpose is to create and keep your customers - the profits are the natural result of creating and keeping those customers happy. To experience success in your business, the emphasis should be - has to be on creating experiences with you and your company and keeping that customer. (Otherwise you have no clients and certainly less opportunity for profit - makes sense doesn't it?)

Like many of you, I am an entrepreneur and I am responsible for my own marketing, finances, administrative tasks, operations and customer service. There's no option to press 1 for operations, 2 for accounting - it's all me. I often wonder when I'm experiencing a really busy period in my business "how will I get it all done?" How will I satisfy my current clients and at the same time continue to grow my business? Do you wonder the same? There's always work to be done for our client's and as we all know there are tasks we need to do for our own business - website updates, blogging to be done, not to mention staying in touch and not falling off the radar screen with our social media networking.

It's simple when you think about it:

Have a plan each day/week for what you need to accomplish

Put your customers first (follow-up and produce results they can see)

Partner and rely on associates and organizations to achieve these goals

Being a service based company; I am hired by my clients because of my expertise in marketing and virtual support. My client's main objective, priority, need and care is that I will actually deliver what they hired me to do. I think this is true for all of you too - you're clients have hired you to provide them with valuable services and they are expecting a lot from you - are you delivering?

It all comes down to managing our client's experience with our company that involves providing them with results, integrity, honesty and knowledge.

Have the mindset: "Your business is my business."

My advice is quite simple ~ Be a service provider that:

Readily shares knowledge and expertise with your clients in person and throughout all your online interactions.

Show them they can trust you and count on you.

Stay in contact, be available and follow-up with them regularly.

Actually show them that you want their business, transactions and experience with you to be successful and rewarding.

Exceed their expectations. Don't have the "It's none of your business" attitude when dealing with clients and colleagues. Business isn't personal unless you make it personal. Just think of how great your interactions will be and how great the experience will be for the client when you make it personal. (for an example of this visit this post.)

By providing them with the services they require and doing it in a way that exceeds their expectations you are in fact growing your business. Your clients will just naturally see the benefits of working with you and you will see it in the form of testimonials, feedback, future business and referrals.

We all know the value of referrals - we all want them and by approaching our business and services we offer in these ways who will your clients be inclined to mention when someone mentions needing the services you provide? Your business is now receiving the best form of marketing - your clients spreading the word about your services and all you had to do was run your business the way you always intended - with honesty, integrity and good ole fashioned great service.

As I always say - run your business as if you were on the receiving end of the service - would you hire you?

By following this simple approach to your business, you can make your current clients happy and at the same time grow your business in the way of word of mouth marketing (current client referrals, mentions on social networking sites and blogs, colleague referrals, etc.) which in my opinion is the most solid way of growing your business.

Feel free to share:

How do you get it all done?

What has your experience been with receiving word of mouth marketing and client referrals?

What has helped you grow your business the most? (Blogging, social media, referrals, add yours)

*****************************************************************************************************

As we all know, there are only 24 hours in a day to get it all done...are you focusing on the right stuff to grow your business and meet your client's needs? Contact us today to get started!

When it comes to marketing you need to set the table and invite your clients to enjoy the fruits of your labor

Wed, 02 Sep 2009 09:25:43 -0500

I consider myself a very creative person and that creativity is often inspired by many people and experiences. I am always trying to find new ways to channel that creativity.

One way I share my creativity is in the kitchen. I have a true passion for cooking - creating eye and taste-bud pleasing meals for my family and friends. There's nothing quite like hearing their words of gratitude and sheer pleasure as they enjoy the fruits of my labor - leaving them with the feeling they want more has to be one the greatest rewards for me.

Often I find myself going through my pantry and cabinets to find ingredients that will create a new and family favorite dish - this is especially true when I'm due to visit the supermarket but just haven't made it there for the week. Often it comes down to taking a risk - trying something new - exploring and hoping that the ingredients I put together will work.

Can't the same be said when it comes to our marketing efforts? Isn't it about taking risks and chances - trying something new - exploring new tools and avenues and hoping that all our efforts and time will bring us results?

Some people may not be able to do this (but they can if they change they're thinking.)

They may need to follow a specific recipe (plan)
If they don't have all the ingredients (knowledge on what to do/try and the ability to know when it's working and not working)
They will either not make the dish (quit with their efforts)

They will run to the store for the exact ingredients (create a new plan/go back to the drawing board.)

It really comes down to deciding if you're going to keep doing what you've always done (getting the undesirable results that you don't want) or if you're going to change things "the ingredients" up and see what happens. This does not mean to abandon the things that are working and do everything new but to look closely at your business and marketing and see what "ingredients" need to be changed. You might just like what you've created but you won't know until you channel that creativity.

I challenge you today to approach your marketing efforts with this same creativity. Find new ways to either create or spice up your marketing efforts that leave your clients with a very satisfied feeling and the feeling of wanting more.

It's never too late to start tapping into your creativity whether it's in the kitchen or in your business and you certainly don't need to be doing it without help from others. Look around you - at your colleagues, look at what you did in the past that worked, what needs tweaking, get a new book, look around ActiveRain for some inspiration, ideas and support - it's everywhere you look.

Think of your marketing efforts as a way to engage your clients.

Invite them to interact with you on your blog and social media sites.
Share your knowledge with them, what you're doing not only for their listing but what you're involved in within your local community.

Think of it as a pot luck dinner party where everyone brings an item - invite your clients to be a part of your marketing efforts and advertising. Generate some excitement about what you're doing and people will naturally been drawn to it and will want to be involved.

I encourage you today to gather your ingredients, get creative, set the table and invite your client's for a really great meal that will leave them not only wanting more but talking about it for a very long time.

Where does your creativity come from and how has it inspired you with your marketing and business?

**************************************************************************************

As we all know, there are only 24 hours in a day to get it all done...are you focusing on the right stuff to grow your business and meet your client's needs? Contact us today to get started!

As a consumer, I would want a company or individual who performs as if they were a "Disney" employee. Are you that kind?

Fri, 21 Aug 2009 08:38:17 -0500

Disney knows that the attitude their employees portray has a direct impact on the success of their business. If you've ever visited Disney, I think it would be hard to find someone that is not happy and pleasant to deal with - they simply don't hire people that can't commit to being that way. Imagine being known as an individual or company that has this very attitude.

I do think the same can be said for the real estate industry or any company for that matter if they possess and hold these qualities and attributes near and dear to their hearts as part of their every day way of doing business.

Since this post can apply to the real estate industry, the many roles we all hold and any business for that matter I am referring to all roles as "Servicing Agent"(real estate agent, broker, marketer, stager, mortgage broker, insert your role because it applies to all business.)

Innovative

A servicing agent that has "new" and "forward" thinking. Not afraid to try new ways of doing things and looking at things. This is not to say that the typical, tried-and-true methods should not be used, but it does mean that if those things are not working that you should try to mix things up and try to do some things differently or simply add them to what you're doing for even greater results. Perhaps you have a unique listing or even a client that suggests something you've never done. Think about the way you did real estate or your business even just a few years ago - were you blogging and involved in social media networking and could you ever have imagined that those things would bring you what they have and to where you are today? It's all about letting go and trying some new things - you won't know the results unless you try. My servicing agent of choice would be someone that invests in their business because it's a benefit to me - the consumer.

Community Focused

There's nothing better than coming across a servicing agent that you recognize from your community. Whether you've seen them in your supermarket, at a community event, or you simply know of them because you see their signs, business cards or know someone that has worked with them. While technology has increased our chances of reaching our community in an even greater way (blogging and social media sites) allowing us to share stories and news about our local communities and being seen as a "local" expert, there's nothing like being "in" and "out" in your community that will truly have a great impact on reaching your targeted audience. Having the balance of participating in your online and local community is a sure way to increase your chances as being a Realtor® of choice by many.

Quality Driven

Client looking to sell or purchase a home or make a large investment with your company are looking for a servicing agent that gets them the results they are looking for but they also want a servicing agent that is responsive, pays attention, is reliable and accountable. A servicing agent who focuses on what they promise and does it beyond my expectations, whether it's a simple follow-up call, posting my listing where they said they would, and updating me all along the way - that's who I want representing me. They also don't make excuses for not getting something done. Why? Because they associate themselves with and partner with people that have the expertise to get it done in a way that they would if they were actually doing the task themselves. They are meeting my needs.

Storytellers

Every real estate professional, company and entrepreneur has a story don't they? And nowadays there are so many ways to share those stories especially online. Truly being involved with your clients, getting to know them and dealing with the many scenarios that occur in ever day life provides much opportunity to share your knowledge, expertise and your personality - sharing how you helped someone resolve a situation or having a particular bit of knowledge about an area or aspect of real estate and your business- is again another way that you can relate to a consumer, build a trust and hopefully make a lasting connection.

Decency

Have the decency to be honest even when you're sharing difficult information is essential. Having the decency to follow-up and stay in touch with the person that hired you and trusts you with one of their biggest assets and decisions of their life. Be the kind of Realtor® or business associate you would want handling your transaction/business if you were on the other side. Always keep in mind...Kindness goes a long way and always comes back to you when you give it out.

Optimistic

You certainly need to be optimistic in business especially with the market today. And frankly, who doesn't want to be around an optimistic person? I for one am drawn to optimists. Optimism inspires confidence. Think about it, who wants an agent that has a seller thinking their home will never sell - perhaps it will be difficult but there are ways to communicate the challenges and still be optimistic. You are walking people through difficult times and must do all you can to remain positive while at the same time being an honest and trusted advisor. Optimism is also important to have when times are slow in your market and business and having it will help you get through the tough times. Your optimistic attitude will be remembered and spoken about when it comes to your sphere of influence providing you with referrals and that's something that we certainly want to have happen to continue growing our business.

A big part of the Disney experience is that cast members are encouraged to always go the extra mile for the guests and do unexpected nice things for them. To me this is just common sense, and something that is necessary to make that connection with a consumer/prospect that will eventually be a customer.

If you meet the above requirements - You're Hired! (And I think your prospects would agree with me)

So how did you rate? Do you possess these attributes to be able to work for Disney? What do you feel it your greatest attribute (on or off this list) that is bringing you great results in your business?

Photo Credit ~ Cinderella's Castle: Uploaded by Paul Mannix on Flickr

*********************************************************************************

As we all know, there are only 24 hours in a day to get it all done...are you focusing on the right stuff to grow your business and meet your client's needs? Contact us today to get started!

Should we act like a "child" when it comes to our marketing and selling efforts?

Fri, 14 Aug 2009 16:13:12 -0500

My answer is no, sorta. I think children have some amazing traits and "positive selling skills" that we can all use when it comes to marketing and selling to our clients, but it's how we use them that will make us successful.

Lets take a moment and think about a Child and how they approach life...

C ome at you with lots and lots of questions - remember the terrible two's?

H ave FUN in all they do

I nquisitive and Imaginative (not restricted by others)

L ove to learn

D o not accept no as an answer (persistent)

Have you ever gone to the store with a child? If you have you'll know what I'm talking about when I say they are "masters" in getting what they want, when they want it and not taking "no" for an answer. They are relentless, persistent and will use all their charm to convince you to buy them what they want. They are natural born sellers.

I think we can learn a lot (what to do and not do) from these traits when it comes to our marketing efforts. Some of the key traits they possess are that they are:

Persistent

Enthusiastic

Focused

Certainly you will want to be persistent with your followup and marketing efforts - have a plan, call when you say you will, commit to doing your marketing activities every day - but you also want to be sure you're not seen by your prospects and clients as that pushy salesperson who keeps calling them and not taking "no" for an answer (they are simply not interested.) We all know how much we don't like being on the other end of that scenario. Being persistent in some cases does not = sales. If however, the person has shown some interest in your services or products, by all means be persistent, enthusiastic and focused on providing them what they need.

When kids are told "no" what happens? They cry, whine and throw a fit. This will not work well in business. More often than not, we will hear "no" more then we want or hoped for, but we must remember - we are building relationships. It will take time, effort and many interactions with a person before a relationship is built. It's in our best interest to develop these relationships slowly, show our value and perhaps, we won't end up working with this particular client but they could be a great source of referrals.

Having been in sales, I know sales people love to talk. It's a part of our makeup and we often love to be the one to talk about something first. This is great if our prospects and clients are open to hearing about what we are talking about. While it's great to share how you will work with and for this prospect (followup, marketing efforts, etc.) make sure you make enough time to actually listen to your prospect and clients. Listening is an essential part of this process to ensure everyone is on the same page and you're able to meet your clients needs and expectations.

Children will often talk and talk until they feel the other person understands them. This is where listening, on your part, is so important. Often we will learn so much if we are focused on listening to what our prospects are saying and not saying to uncover issues and to ensure that everyone understands and is understood. Be curious and inquisitive. Have questions for your clients but don't go at them like you're a toddler in their terrible two's stage.

So go ahead and be a CHILD when it comes to your selling and marketing efforts with these things in mind:

C ome to your prospects and clients with questions, but also come with open ears.

H ave FUN in your role and show that "fun" side of you to your prospects and clients

I nquisitive to your client's needs and Imaginative with your marketing efforts

L ove to learn and love to share your knowledge with your prospects and clients - show them you're an expert.

D o not alienate your prospects and clients by being so persistent you turn them off

Do you have any other "child-like traits" you feel would be important as a real estate professional to possess to be successful?

******************************************************************************************

As we all know, there are only 24 hours in a day to get it all done...are you focusing on the right stuff to grow your business and meet your client's needs? Contact us today to get started!

Real Estate Professionals handle a very important aspect of people’s lives…Do you have the PASSION to do the job right?

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 09:46:14 -0500

I've read a few blogs this week in which people have expressed they were leaving real estate or their business many due to the tough economic times. Sadly, their need to leave and move onto something else had nothing to do with not having a true passion for their business, which is why I'm sure it was a difficult decision to come to.

I think back when my parents (and their age group) were just starting their careers, they found themselves not necessarily doing something they loved but doing a job out of necessity to provide for their families. I think, that back then, they often thought that's what they had to do - it was their only option. Maybe I'm wrong, but I don't think many people are working in a job or career these days that they don't like. If they are - well I'm quite surprised to say the least. How can you be productive and how can you dedicate yourself to something you don't truly love and enjoy?

So many of us have unique talents, gifts, interests and experiences to share. This got me thinking about 3 entrepreneurs that I know. They have found something they truly love and have dedicated themselves with true passion that drives all of their dreams to be a success. I have spent time watching them dedicate their energy and time to learning new things, being a part of a group, listening, performing, all of this despite the long hours and the mental and physical stamina required of them to get the results they desired and that is required of them.

These entrepreneurs also happen to be my daughters (Sarah 11, Maria 12, & Megan 16.) They have found something they love to do~ performing (singing, dancing and acting) in a theatre group that requires these apprentices to work hard, work long hours and exceed the director's expectations with each and every rehearsal and performance. Believe me when I tell you, these rehearsals are like a job - they are required to follow a contract, be there every day, perform at high levels (doesn't matter if they're tired) and simply give it everything they've got and more - every day.

There's nothing quite like watching your children be so dedicated to something that they love with all their heart and soul. This program and the desire to be in the theatre has become a part of them. Always looking to improve their skills and abilities - whether memorizing lines, studying up on the background of a theatre production, learning new and difficult dance moves - it simply doesn't matter how tired they are, what they have going on that day or the next - they give it their ALL because they love it! This post is not to boast about my children - they know what I think about what they do. It is however, to get us all thinking about how we approach our "work."

Can we say that we do the same? Do we get out of bed and look forward to what we're going to do that day? Do we approach our "work" ~ what we do for a living, (especially if we love what we do) with this same sort of passion?

I recently starting working with a real estate team from ActiveRain and my local community and what I discovered about them is that they have this similar passion. Their approach is this - no matter where their listing property is located, no matter what the price - they treat each and every client and property as if they were worth a million dollars. Now how awesome and refreshing is that? I think this is a great philosophy and approach to have and I know I for one would love to work with an agent or team that had that mindset and passion for representing me. Don't you think that many of your clients and prospects feel that same way?

For me, I am doing what I love. I look forward to waking up every day - fulfilling my many roles of being a mom, wife, daughter and sister and marketing assistant. I truly love assisting my clients with their marketing efforts and helping make an impact on their business. This passion for helping them reach their goals and meet with success is what fuels me every day. Funny isn't it that they call doing what you love to do "work" - just doesn't seem like the right word to describe it - for me - it's not work at all - it's passion.

So tell me what fuels your passion?

What is it that you love about what you do for "work?"

As we all know, there are only 24 hours in a day to get it all done...are you focusing on the right stuff to grow your business and meet your client's needs? Contact us today to get started!

Memories of my childhood home...it was perfect (to me) and I simply can't do it justice with the writing of this post

Tue, 04 Aug 2009 23:58:10 -0500

Before my blog post starts I want to apologize - I pride myself on posting blogs that are visually appealing and help the story but for some reason I'm having lots of issues with uploading photos into AR. Despite that I wanted to post this blog because it's been a crazy day and it seemed like such a waste for it so simply sit in draft mode - I hope you enjoy learning a little bit more about me and my childhood memories - I'm sure many of you will be able to relate.

I was so fortunate to grow up where I did and when I did. I grew up in Dorchester, MA and my childhood home was 48 Hillsdale Street - I even remember my phone number 617-298-4884 - it was located on the wall just inside the dining room off the kitchen and it was yellow. Above is a fairly recent picture link of my childhood home (little blue one to the right) - looks a whole lot different - smaller - than I remember but it was/is perfect to me - it's where some wonderful memories were born.

I loved how simple and pure my childhood was. My parents moved into this home when I was just 2 years old and I lived there until I graduated from High School and went off to college. I grew up the oldest of 4 kids (2 brothers and a sister) and we were considered to be one of the smallest families in the neighborhood with one family having 13 kids and another having 11. Suffice to say, there was always activity (kickball, waffle ball, red rover, kick the can games being played) on our little dead end street - tons of kids to play with and families that loved gathering outside on warm summer nights or out shoveling each other out from some of those terrible Boston Snow storms - in particular The Blizzard of 1978.

My parents were both proud of their home (3 bedrooms and 1 ½ baths) that while now seems extremely small for the six of us, was perfect for us then. My father in particular took great pride in his home by tending to his landscaping - out every weekend planting, cutting the grass, and trimming the bushes. My mom was a stay at home mom until I was in high school and it was always great coming home to have her greet us as we ran in the door from school only to change out of our school uniforms into our "play" clothes to run right back out the door. She never got a chance to ask us about our day - but there would be time later as we always sat down as a family for dinner (the golden rule was "come home when the street lights come on."

Some of the things I remember about my neighborhood:

Annual neighborhood cookouts at the local park in which all families made food and we had tons of games (3 legged races and balloon tosses) as well as a softball tournament.
We (all the kids from the neighborhood) walked to and from school together (about 1 ½ miles) - had to be there 8am. One of our neighbors had a German Sheppard named "Rex" and without fail every day he would walk with us to school and when we came out of school - there he was.
Our one neighbor, who didn't have any children of their own, always found a way to entertain us kids. Mr. Naus was a teacher at the Berkeley School of Music and played trumpet with Gladys Knight and the Pips and was always playing music for us in his garage and encouraging us to play music and we even put on some talent shows. They also held the annual Halloween Haunted House and let me tell you - they scared every single one of us and every year topped the year before with creepy and scary scenes and music.

You know what else I remember?

Having a black and white TV with the ears and having to stand there and change the channels for my dad.

Seeing my mom hang clothes out on the clothing line and remembering that smell of sheets that were dried outside.

Never thinking we didn't have enough room in our house because we all wanted to be with one another.

My bright, and when I say bright I mean bright neon pink walls in my bedroom.

Knocking on the bathroom door or standing in line waiting for my turn for what seemed like hours.

Home cooked meals (only 2 options - take it or leave it.)

The smell of my dad as he came downstairs all dressed up in his suit (meant he was either going to a wedding or a funeral) with the smell of Old Spice - I still love that smell and always think of those exact moments whenever I get a whiff of that cologne.

The hot summer nights and hoping that the air conditioner located in the hallway would eventually blow enough air down towards my bedroom to cool us off.

I could go on and on but instead I will say this - my parents provided me (and my siblings) with such an amazing childhood - in a great neighborhood and most importantly in a great home filled with love, encouragement, and security. I think back to the time when I was growing up and I often wonder will my daughter have similar great memories of her childhood. Perhaps some - I don't think it could possibly be the same - the time was different. Kids now have cell phones, you have to schedule play dates and when you do they don't even go outside to play??? She will however have some things that are the same: family dinners every night, open conversations, encouragement, love, and security.

Thank you mom and dad and thank you 48 Hillsdale for providing me with lasting memories and creating traditions for me to carry on.

As we all know, there are only 24 hours in a day to get it all done...are you focusing on the right stuff to grow your business and meet your client's needs? Contact us today to get started!

What word would you use to describe Social Media Networking ? Numbers? Strategy? Marathon? Connection? (Insert your word)

Fri, 31 Jul 2009 11:31:04 -0500

When it comes to Social Media you have your Followers (Twitter), your Fans or Friends (Facebook), your Connections (LinkedIn) or your Subscribers (Activerain or other blogging network.) With all the many ways we have available to interact with people, I started thinking about

what are my goals when it comes to social media networking?

In the last week or so I've read many posts about either why someone has made the decision to not use other forms of social media networking or has fully embraced this medium with great results.

I believe it comes down to a personal choice for each of us.

While Twitter may feel comfortable and really work for one of us, Facebook may be a better choice for another and then again we may only want to use blogging as our method of engaging with consumers and the general public.

This post is not to address which social media networking tool you use or why you should use any particular tool but it is meant to open a discussion, or at least get you thinking about WHY you are in fact setting up accounts, profiles, fan pages, etc. - is it simply because everyone else is - because we were told it will help our business, because we want to have the most followers/subscribers, etc. or because we truly want to engage with people beyond our local communities?

Whenever I visit Twitter I see these two messages:

I found (insert url tool) to gain 400 followers and you can too

People you should be following: @ammalfi, etc, etc.

I'm not disputing that these messages will help you gain new followers but I am wondering why someone would be interested in simply adding new followers just for the sake of saying I now have 10,000 followers. I do get it - you simply can't interact with everyone you are following or that is following you, but do you find that people are following you and not interacting with you?

What do these numbers really mean?

I recently looked at my list of followers and asked myself - why are they following me? Do they like the posts I put on Activerain? Am I providing them with some sort of value or did they simply follow me because they saw me come up on a list of good people to follow and I would simply just increase their number of followers?

In my opinion, there is very little value in having tons of followers who simply follow you but don't engage with you. For those of you who have not engaged with social media - I will also say that you don't need to be super popular to make social media work for you.

The fact is - I don't have millions of followers, but what I do have is:

people (both colleagues and consumers) visiting and interacting with me on my posts.
I have picked up new readers and it's helped me engage with people I might not have otherwise met.
Received an email from someone who discovered one of my blog posts by seeing it appear on Twitter and telling me how much they enjoyed my post and that they are a new subscriber.

This by far, means more to me than simply having someone follow me that I will only see appear in my followers list and that I will never have an online communication with.

For me at least, social media is not a numbers game or a marathon race...

It's not about how many followers, friends, or subscribers I have - it's about the connection I make - the value I contribute.

It's about conversations, learning, connecting, sharing with people - not numbers.

If you feel you have this similar goal, I invite you to "connect" and "interact" with me on any of the social media networks (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and My Blog) and know I look forward to our interactions.

How about you? What are your goals when it comes to social media? or What are you getting from being involved?

(It's ok if yours are different - all are free to comment whether you feel the same or not)

As we all know, there are only 24 hours in a day to get it all done...are you focusing on the right stuff to grow your business and meet your client's needs? Contact us today to get started!

One of the reasons we are here...The Helper's High

Mon, 27 Jul 2009 17:11:09 -0500

From the time we were young we were often taught and developed an innate sense of wanting to help others. Maybe we helped a friend who fell down on the playground by offering them a hand and as we got older we found ourselves doing good deeds for people we didn't even know but obviously needed our help whether through volunteering, mentoring or just offering them some helpful advice.

In this day and age, when the typical message is "Look out for number one" I believe that most people that I have encountered here on ActiveRain have a different mantra that can best be described as
"I've walked in your shoes" "I know your pain" and "I want to share and help."

Have you ever noticed that by putting yourself in someone else's shoes that you often feel inclined to offer them your understanding, support, encouragement and advice because you can relate to what they're feeling and going through. Isn't that what we all do here and what being part of a network and social media is all about? Caring about others is simple human nature and allowing that connection to exist can be quite rewarding and can contribute great things to you personally and professionally.

Psychologists have long studied the effects of people helping others, stating those that helped others released endorphins when they gave and ultimately lived longer and healthier lives. This is known as the "Helpers High."

Whatever your role, I believe participating on a network such as ActiveRain, we all have the ability to possess the "Helper's High". Our careers in real estate in which we offer help to consumers and colleagues via our online interactions, we are focused on building trust, meeting our client's needs, educating, sharing and developing that human connection. It's all about freely giving without any guarantee that we'll get anything back.

Since joining this network last August and having the opportunity to interact with so many of you via our blogs/comments and even work with many of you as my client it has convinced me that "giving" is receiving. I don't have enough fingers and toes to count all the times I have had someone share a piece of knowledge, advice or just a simple word of support, encouragement and thanks. These simple acts of kindness are what encourages me every day to do my very best, to give of myself and my knowledge via my blog with the hopes of interacting and engaging with so many talented people that so easily share themselves and their knowledge with me and everyone on this network. My giving = receiving on so many levels. How about you - have you experienced the same?

If you are new to this network or new to blogging, I encourage you, no wait, I implore you to get involved - share your comments, thoughts, and ideas and you too will feel the effects of the "Helper's High" along with connecting with some amazing people - potential clients and colleagues - that will surely take your business and your interactions to new levels and certainly contribute to a happier and healthier you.

What is it about this network or your role in real estate that provides you with that "Helper's High"?

As we all know, there are only 24 hours in a day to get it all done...are you focusing on the right stuff to grow your business and meet your client's needs? Contact us today to get started!

We all have it, we keep it for a long time and we don’t even need it...

Fri, 24 Jul 2009 07:35:43 -0500

What could I possibly be talking about?

There are many words you could use to describe it - clutter, junk, odds and ends, disorder, chaos, confusion, and mess.

Perhaps you experience the same - there is just never enough time to sort through the many rooms in our homes to remove the clutter that we all accumulate.

Last weekend we tackled the garage - the place (besides the basement) that we seem to dump the items that we don't know what to do with them -and usually they stay there until we finally decide we have not used them or even touched them since we placed them there and they finally end up on our curb or are driven to a donation center.

The empowerment you feel when you throw out stuff you don't need...freedom!

Once we start tackling these "clean up and out" projects it always inspires me to keep going and this weekend I ended up at the drawer in my kitchen. You know the one that has ALL the miscellaneous things in it that you are holding onto for some reason. Have you looked in that drawer in your home lately? Go take a look right now; I'll wait here for you.

Ok, so what did you find? Perhaps an all dried up stick of glue, a pen that no longer works, receipts for miscellaneous stuff (mind you not one for a major purchase you made) - funny isn't it that we find the need to hold onto these things. Why do we do that? Are they providing us with some sense of comfort or is it that we just can't, won't or are afraid to make a decision about what to do with those items? Will we need them again?

These items have no real purpose anymore except to take up space and create clutter in our lives. So how can throwing out these items not to mention our old makeup, keys from our apartment when we were 20, outdated prescriptions, and all those items that just serve no purpose any longer help us declutter our minds?

Letting go of things that no longer contribute to your daily life can be quite freeing and will help you feel more in control which will certainly spill out into all the areas of your life.

I think the same thing applies to how we work and relate to our clients. If we're so bogged down with all we have to do and trying to fit so much into our day, the clutter if you will, we give that vibe and appearance to those we work with and interact with. We can find ourselves stuck, perhaps in our approach - being stuck in one way of thinking vs. being open to other possibilities or we can just simply let important things go undone because of all the chaos we are trying to operate in.

This is not to suggest we go storming through our homes and lives and throw out everything (some things simply just have too much sentimental value or memories attached to them) or create living and working environments that are perfectly tidy (that's not any fun.)

It's about letting things go that we no longer need, that no longer serve their purpose, so that we have our hands free to grab onto all that awaits us.

For fun sake - feel free to share what's in your "junk" drawer (bet many of you can come up with some funny, interesting and even bizarre stuff.)

As we all know, there are only 24 hours in a day to get it all done...are you focusing on the right stuff to grow your business and meet your client's needs? Contact us today to get started!

What’s your Call-to-Action doing for you and your clients?

Tue, 21 Jul 2009 20:58:50 -0500

I'm sure you've heard this phrase before:

"You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink."

Your websites, blogs and email campaigns are tools you use every day to encourage potential clients to engage with you. It's true, you can't make them call you but you certainly have every opportunity to engage with them and encourage them to make contact with you by providing great, relevant content and having calls to action that will help you build trust, credibility and shows you care about what they need.

In addition to great content, your call to action is one of the most important components on your email campaign.

Calls to Action should answer the following questions:

What you want your recipients to do (Examples: buy something, make an appointment, visit your website or blog, fill out contact information or a form, get more information)
Why they should click on your call to action (WIIFM)

To get the results that you desire, while at the same time appealing to your readers, make sure your calls to action are:

Visible - For best results your calls to action should be throughout your email (beginning, middle and end.) With all the emails people receive each day, many are simply skimming the email quickly to see if there's anything of value to them to make them want to continue reading and taking action.

Clear - Don't crowd your email with so many calls to action, graphics and words that it's so busy and visually unappealing. KISS ( Simple: keywords and phrases, bullet points and short paragraphs work best.) Be sure to write in the present as a passive voice weakens your message.

Compelling - You want your calls to action to encourage them to take action. Some key phrases to consider "Buy now", "Read more", "Call today", etc.

Some persuasive words to consider using in your email campaigns:

You, your, discover, free, easy, introducing, gain, new, advice, no obligation, call today, results, proven, benefits, effective, save, value, now, win, right, why, guaranteed.

Rewarding - You've heard of WIIFM - what's in it for your readers to click on your call to action? If they click here what will they receive? Stick to incentives that make sense and offer value to your readers. Perhaps you've teamed up with another service provider, such as a stager, who can help you by offering your clients a consultation or maybe you have giveaways or are having a raffle. Get creative and tap into what your readers want and are interested in by conducting polls and asking them for feedback in another email campaign.

Direct - Your calls-to-action should link directly to your website or blog or should provide a phone number where they can contact you. This is a perfect opportunity to invite your readers to your blog to further engage with them and find out topics that they are interested in for future email campaigns.

As I stated in my previous post, remember it's important to have specific email mailing lists setup so that your calls to action appeal to those specific contacts. Emails to current and previous clients can be a bit more direct and an email to a potential client might need to start off softer. An example of a softer approach might be having a call to action that encourages them to visit your website or blog or "learn more."

Now that you have ideas for putting together your next campaign with calls to action what should you do next?

Review your reports to see the click throughs (A click through rate refers to the percentage of recipients that click on a URL that you provide in your email) and determine which calls to action worked best for each group. Yes, it takes time and you won't get perfect results the first, second or third time you send your campaigns.

It will be a work in progress but this becomes your formula for success and will ensure more of your emails are not only read but that you are receiving the results you set out to achieve.

Since I like sharing, here are some creative examples of calls to action that you might consider using in your next campaign:

Watch this video on how to declutter your home.
See how we helped this seller get the results they were looking for
Listen to our client's testimonial of our services
Download our guide to getting your home ready to place on the market

What are some of your creative calls to action that have yielded you great results?

As we all know, there are only 24 hours in a day to get it all done...are you focusing on the right stuff to grow your business and meet your client's needs? Contact us today to get started!

Sometimes you need to step back in order to move forward...

Mon, 20 Jul 2009 12:52:59 -0500

In the past couple of weeks I have received some great emails and calls from many of my Activerain friends family members wondering where I was and what I was doing. Some even suggested posting an alert since I'd gone missing.

Hello everyone. Sorry I went missing for awhile (hope I'm forgiven?) but I needed to take several steps back from my regular posting to focus my attention on many things from family to business.

Sometimes you come to a point when everything is happening all at once. That certainly has been true for me on a personal level with many family events occurring in the last few weeks, my father's surgery and recovery and just the fact that it's summer and kids are home from school. Thank you to all of you who have reached out to me directly to check on me and also for your thoughtful prayers and inquiries on my dad who is doing fairly well since his surgery.

In addition to focusing my attention on family, I have also used this time off as an opportunity to take a closer look at my business and make what I consider to be some positive changes in my business model and services I offer my clients.

I think sometimes we all get to a point in which we feel like all we're doing is spinning our wheels instead of having the feeling that we're moving forward and achieving the goals we've set for ourselves. If you're anything like me, you enjoy having specific tasks assigned to each day and putting check marks or crossing off those items from your list to feel a sense of accomplishment. But sometimes all that focus on moving from one task to another squelches your creative mind.

Sometimes it comes down to taking a much needed break. Pulling back from your usual routine can provide many sources and avenues to explore and open up your creativity.

Stepping back from your typical routine allows you to think and observe. It gives you another outlet to channel the real you ~ a person that perhaps you've forgotten about for awhile. This much needed time has left me with this realization that I needed to step back to reconnect with myself in order to move forward so that I'm able to provide in all areas of my life - to my family, my clients and the many great and loyal friends and followers of my blog that I have here on Activerain.

Yes, the gift of time has given me ~ me.

Hello me ~ nice to see you ~ I've missed you.

What have you done lately to reconnect with yourself? (taken a step back, tried something new, vacation?)

As we all know, there are only 24 hours in a day to get it all done...are you focusing on the right stuff to grow your business and meet your client's needs? Contact us today to get started!

Communication: 5 simple ways to get your emails read and gain a new client. It's all about connecting.

Tue, 16 Jun 2009 15:29:25 -0500

If your inbox looks anything like mine, crowded with emails from all sorts of websites, clients, groups and networks, all vying for your attention, how do you possibly decide which ones to read and where do you find the time to sort through them all. The same goes for your clients and prospects.

You may be thinking, my email campaigns have such great and relevant content that will compel your contacts to open and read your emails, but if your contacts don't open them then your email campaigns are not achieving the goal you want and need.

So what are some of the ways you can increase your chances of your emails being opened, read and possibly receiving contact from these clients and prospects?

Here are 5 to think about:

1. Setup specific mailings lists

Do you currently just have one database list with all your contacts in it? I don't necessarily think having one giant list is the way to go - we have multiple audiences and the "one size fits all" might not be working for them or you if you really think about it. Setup groups so that you are targeting your members specific interests. The more you tap into their interests - the higher your open rates will be. Here's an example of different groups you can set up:

Prospects
Former clients
First Time Home buyers
Sellers vs. Buyers
REO
Agents
And so on...

Having smaller, more targeted groups and emails that speak to your contacts increases the likelihood that your emails will be opened. If your currently have one giant list - why not start a little at a time refining these lists and see the great results you will get with a more targeted group and email campaign.

When you get an email about something you are truly interested in and that is relevant to you, you are more likely to open it.

2. Gain interest with your subject line

We all know that blog titles are what initially may encourage someone to click on our posts to further explore the topic we are covering so the same goes for your email campaigns.

It's especially helpful to show the contact that there's a benefit to reading your email - WIIFM (what's in it for me.) This is also why you don't want to be sending all your emails to all your contacts - target your content to specific groups. For example, if you have an email that is full of great content about refinancing you wouldn't necessarily send it to someone that is a First time home buyer would you? If it's not relevant to them - they will not be compelled to open it and find out more. Everyone is busy and you need to share content specific to your contacts that will convey to them that they will be missing out if they don't open your email.

When thinking of titles consider these tips:

Keep it simple and short
Pull from the content of your email
WIIFM - state what they will gets "3 tips for remodeling"
Ask a question to your readers that will prompt them to open
Speak to your reader by using "you" in the title (You can save....)

3. Determining the best times to send your emails

Is there one great time or day to send your emails? You'll never determine the "best" day or time but you can get closer to having the results you want. One way to do this is to review your last campaign.

Look and see how many were opened

When were they opened (morning, afternoon, evening?)
In your next mailing send to half your list in the morning and then to the other half in the evening - which got you better open rates?
Determine if more of these emails in your database are work vs. personal email addresses. Work email addresses will ensure that more of your emails will be opened during the day vs. those with personal email addresses are probably going to be opened more in the evening.

Note: Again it's important that you have already worked on finetuning those lists by creating specific groups for each of your email campaigns or your results will not accurately reflect why emails are not being opened.

4. Does your email look like it came from you?

I know if I don't recognize a name on an email, I simply won't open it. In this day and age when so many viruses are attached and embedded in emails with links, who would want to open something from someone they don't recognize. Increase your open rates by having a recognizable email address and "from" name so your contacts know they are receiving an email from you. This could mean having your full name and company name,or something specific that your contacts will recognize so they know it's ok to open the email.

5. Determining how often to send and what to send

There are 3 reasons in my mind for why emails are not opened

I get too many to open
Content is not relevant to me
I don't receive the emails I want regularly so I lose interest

One thing you can do is either ask your contacts how often they want to hear from you - weekly, monthly or based on a specific topic. You can do this when they initially sign up or you receive their contact information or by simply sending them a survey to gather that information. Think of it as another great opportunity to connect with a potential client - getting to know them and their needs is what will make them more receptive to you and your services.

Think about the content you are sending. Do you only send one email that has ALL the information you want to convey to all contacts? Instead why not have separate emails for your newsletter, topics you cover, open houses, new listings, and so on. This will help you determine which of your emails your contacts are responding to more and will allow you to make the necessary adjustments so that your campaigns are working for you and your contacts.

Serious email marketing requires a strategy. Not having one is a waste of everyone's time. If you want to have your email campaigns taken seriously and you want to stand out in someone's inbox, then you will need to commit to testing, measuring and refining your campaigns so you are getting the results you are hoping for.

Stay Tuned: In future blog posts I will further explore with you calls to action, links, and key words to use in your campaigns to ensure you have greater success - I hope you'll stop by to share your experiences and possibly learn new ways of improving your email campaigns.

Do you know the answer to this question:

Do you currently have an email campaign strategy and how's it working for you (and your potential clients)?

As we all know, there are only 24 hours in a day to get it all done...are you focusing on the right stuff to grow your business and meet your client's needs? Contact us today to get started!

Do you embrace or run from unpredictability?

Mon, 15 Jun 2009 10:27:55 -0500

Holding some dice in your hand, thinking about the numbers you want to get, throw them out and see what numbers come up. Did the numbers you were thinking of come up?

Life is unpredictable and just like we can't always predict the exact numbers that will come up when we throw the dice; we can't predict what will happen each day and who we will meet.

We are always setting goals and making plans for ourselves whether in our work lives or personally. I'm actually someone that loves lists - they help keep me focused and ensure that I use my time wisely so that all people and aspects of my life get the attention they need. I also feel a great sense of purpose and direction because I have a clear vision of where I want to go and what I need to do to get there.

So what happens when those darn outside forces change my plans? It could be something as simple as having a client not call you when you have the time available or going to the food store thinking you're going to run in and pick up something really quick only to have one register open and a really long line in front of you.

It could also be something positive that happens - being in a rush and getting into conversation with someone unexpectedly that creates a wonderful opportunity that we might not have otherwise experienced that pushes us and requires us to be flexible and change our priorities.

It comes down to accepting what is happening to you and letting go of your original expectation that will help you deal with the twists and turns in life.

Sometimes we get stuck on how things should go, holding onto those ideas and expectations so tightly that we don't allow ourselves to accept anything that comes our way. Perhaps these twists and turns can take us to an even better place and provide situations and people into our day that we might not have otherwise experienced.

Life is unpredictable and these twists are what keep us alive and awake to all sorts of new and exciting possibilities and surprises.

Next time something unpredictable happens I hope you'll find yourself stopping yourself from trying to change it, appreciating that moment and opening your mind to a new opportunity, a new friend, new business and new twists and turns.

How do you handle these twists and turns in your day/life?

Are you someone that goes with the flow or do you find yourself trying to hold on tightly to your plans to control the outcome you had expected?

Don't miss out on life by holding onto your expectations so tightly ~ loosen your grip and see all the wonderful possibilities that are given to you each day.

As we all know, there are only 24 hours in a day to get it all done...are you focusing on the right stuff to grow your business and meet your client's needs? Contact us today to get started!