411 Before You Plan for '08 Part II: Something Extra

Amber Riviere (411 Real Estate Place & Cenla Moves, LLC) — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 22:37:46 -0600

I was watching Tyra Banks the other night. (No, I didn't have anything better to do.) Steve Harvey was a guest on the show, and he started talking about a mentoring program he was working on with Disney. He said that the first thing he told the kids in the program was that they could either be ordinary or extraordinary and that the only difference between the two was one word - extra. To be extraordinary, they had to be willing to do extra. That seems easy enough, right, but how many of us really go the extra mile every single day?

The idea has stuck in my mind this week and has played over and over, kind of like a little theme. Here's what I mean.

I got a call from Bob Stewart the day after Christmas. He wanted to thank me for the card I had sent to the ActiveRain team for the holidays. At first I thought, "Surely he isn't calling everyone who sent a card." Turns out, only a handful of people had even sent cards. I hadn't thought my sending a card was that big of a deal, but the folks at AR thought so (enough to call at least). It was something extra, and Bob probably didn't think his phone call was that big of a deal, but I really appreciated it. It, too, was something extra.

I went to my local Subway a few days later. There was a new lady working there, sweet lady. Just as I was about to pull away from the window, she told me (very genuinely) to have a happy New Year, and it was real - and extra.

Then today, my sister and I had lunch together at Cracker Barrel. When the server brought us our food, she had given us both a small cup of black-eyed peas and ham (a traditional staple of a New Year's Day meal -- for good luck or something like that). We hadn't ordered the peas, but I'm guessing they gave them to everyone today, a nice touch and something extra.

You get my point. Many times I have said, "I think I'll skip sending Christmas cards this year. Who does that anymore anyway?" Many times I have decided not to hold a door open for someone or not to say hello or not to make a phone call to say thank you. I always justify my actions by saying something like, "I'm in a hurry today" or "They won't care anyway," but maybe they will. Maybe it will be the one small detail that makes me stand out in their minds. Maybe it will be the one small gesture that makes their day, or maybe it will be the one thing that makes a one-time customer a lifelong client.

As you sit down to create your plans for this brand new year, think of how you can sprinkle in the extras. Add a little something extra to every single day, and I'll bet you'll see big things happen in 2008.

Best wishes to you and yours for an extraordinary year,

Before You Plan for '08 Part I: The Magic Number

Amber Riviere (411 Real Estate Place & Cenla Moves, LLC) — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 22:16:03 -0600

I was reading a book a few weeks ago, and the author mentioned something that really stuck with me.

I've always heard that we should break down our goals into steps. Do you want one listing? You'll need to go on three listing appointments. Want three appointments? You'll need nine warm leads. Want nine warm leads? You get the idea.

We're supposed to name what we want and work back from there to see how much lead generation we need to do.

For whatever reason, I've never been able to hold that "formula for success" in my mind. I understand the idea, but warm leads turn cold, cold leads warm up, and promising lead generation tactics produce lackluster results. There are just too many variables to track. There's too much forecasting, and there are too many assumptions.

This guy was able to clarify it all in one simple point, one simple metric to track. Say that you want to make $100,000 this year. That means you must generate $400 every single working day. Did you generate $400 today or $2,000 this week? Did you generate $8,000 this month? If not, you're not going to meet your goals this quarter. Are you going to double-time it tomorrow or next month or next quarter?

Betsy (my accountability partner) and I were discussing this a few weeks ago, as we began planning for 2008. All of a sudden, all the hours I had spent doing low-payoff activities were glaring back at me, and all those moments of landing a new client, project, or contract stood out (and seemed much too rare).

As we discussed on the call that day, 2008 has to be about discipline and even greater accountability. If at the end of a week (or month or quarter) we're not hitting our "magic number," we need to be real with each other. We certainly aren't making money, so we're just goofing off and killing time. We might as well be sitting on the sofa, watching reruns of Melrose Place, and eating bonbons. Surely there's something more fun we could be doing, if we're not going to make any money anyway.

Think about this as you plan for the coming year. Do you want to make $50,000 this year? Well, then you'll need to generate $200 every working day. Can you do that? Be real with yourself. Break down your financial goal into that one magic daily number. Get an accountability partner, call each other weekly to check in, and remember that you're not helping each other by sugar-coating the truth. Be disciplined, and you might just have a banner year.

Good luck!

I'm Gonna Need More Cards

Amber Riviere (411 Real Estate Place & Cenla Moves, LLC) — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 21:18:25 -0600

I've been putting this task off for as long as possible, knowing it would be a challenge. I sat down with a big stack of index cards and began writing down all the folks who I wanted to send Christmas cards. I started with my family, then wrote down my oldest and dearest friends, and then came the real fun - making my Rainer list. I've hit a snag. I'm going to need more cards. Yet, if I buy more cards, I will likely exceed my entire Christmas gift-giving budget this year! My stack is just too high.

When I thought this task would be difficult, I was thinking in terms of flipping through ActiveRain and locating addresses. I thought, "I might have twenty or so Rainers. I can easily send to them all." Yeah, right. Try fifty, and that's after I weeded out the "she/he won't remember me" ones. My list could have easily exceeded one hundred.

So, for those of you who I thought would not remember me and would open the card and say, "Who the **** is Amber Riviere?" (excuse your language), I want to say:

Have a merry, merry Christmas and a happy New Year!
I would buy you all a present (if I could afford it).
I would send a card to every Rainer, if it wouldn't take me 'til next Christmas.
I hope Santa is good to you and that you have a white Christmas.
Seasons greetings, happy holidays, happy Hanukkah, happy Kwanzaa.
May your days be merry and bright.

All right, I'm out of greetings and song lyrics. Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night! (Oh wait, it's still too early for that one.)

Creating Passionate Bloggers

Amber Riviere (411 Real Estate Place & Cenla Moves, LLC) — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 22:17:55 -0600

I know, I know. I'm outcasted (new word), ditched, left out in the cold of the blogging world (not really, it's 70 degrees here). I haven't blogged in a month. Gasp. No! The filth coming out of my mouth (I mean keyboard)! Yes, it is true, and after all that talk of consistency. I should be ashamed of myself.

I actually was ashamed, but then I visited Justin Smith's blog (you know, head coach at the Tomato). While flipping through his archives, I realized that he has had bouts of inconsistency, too. It doesn't matter why. The point is, he teaches agents how to be successful at web marketing, and even he has had times when he didn't blog for whatever reason. Does that make him a bad blogger? Not at all.

Another thing I noticed about Justin's blog is that he has focused on different audiences at different points. Sometimes his posts have been geared toward buyers and sellers, and other times they've been for agents. His posts have evolved and developed over time.

Now, I'm not picking on Justin or his blog at all. I think he's an excellent blogger and marketing coach. The fact is, I realized something about this whole blogging thing after visiting his site. It's all really an experience of growing and learning and becoming the bloggers we will ultimately be (but not really, because we will never "ultimately be"). I wouldn't think (Justin, please correct me if I'm wrong) that he began blogging nearly seven years ago (judging from his archives) with any idea that he'd be where he is today, and I bet even he doesn't know where he'll be (in the big blogging scheme of things) seven years from now. It's all a work in progress, a constant work in progress.

It's kind of like exercising. I want to do it (really I do), but most days it just doesn't happen. Other times, I'm able to convince myself, "Just put on your shoes. You don't have to go for the walk, but just put on the dang shoes, and see where it goes." Then, before I know it, I'm out the door. Blogging is the same way for me. Writing and blogging are important to me, but just because something is important doesn't mean I make it a top priority. A sad thing, but it's true.

Do I have plans to get back to blogging (and exercising) in 2008? You bet I do. Will I slip up and skip out from time to time? Sure I will, but it's the passion that's important. As long as I can hold onto that, I think it will turn out all right - eventually.

I'm not sure if this post will help you at all, but I thought I'd throw it out there in case you have ever felt like me - tired, confused, and uncertain about the whole "blogging thing." I wish I could give you a definite answer of how we'll figure this out. Maybe we should just call Justin. ;)

Let Them Have Cake

Amber Riviere (411 Real Estate Place & Cenla Moves, LLC) — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 13:18:48 -0600

When I first decided to go into business for myself, I had big plans in mind. My vision was to create something Donald Trump, Martha Stewart, Oprah Winfrey big. For me, at the time, that's what business was all about. It was million dollar deals and paychecks bigger than you could imagine. It was about power and influence and creating a legacy.

It's not to say that I won't eventually accomplish that. Who knows? My priorities have changed, but it was definitely a gradual shift in thinking. Sure, ramen noodles and peanut butter sandwiches have a way of grounding you, but it was something else, too.

When you're not making money (or what any teenager working at McDonald's would consider to be "real" money), something has to drag you out of bed each morning. Something has to make you go to your office, turn on your computer, and start a new day.

Someone living in the rational world, making a real paycheck asks you one day why you do what you do, and you reply (without blinking or missing a beat) that you love your work, that somehow and at some point, money took a backseat to the pure pleasure you get from showing up and doing your job each day, and that you hope (someday) you'll get paid a decent amount to do what you love.

Now, I take on projects that I know I'll enjoy first and that pay well...actually, I never take on any of those. :) I do have fun, though, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that one day I'll be able to have my cake and eat it, too. Maybe it won't matter so much, though. I've been told many times that I bring passion and energy to all that I do, and I hope people never have to stop telling me that. I can only imagine that it beats being told, "You bring a lot of money to the table. We value your pocketbook."

Right now, I hear so many people talking about the slow market, and yet agents still show up every day. It has to be more than the money keeping you here, and if that is the case, look forward to the day the tides turn, and you can again have your cake and eat it, too.

As for me, prizes mean nothing. My prize is my work.
- Katherine Hepburn

Ask the Experts

Amber Riviere (411 Real Estate Place & Cenla Moves, LLC) — Wed, 14 Nov 2007 10:33:54 -0600

All right, fellow Rainers, here's your chance to voice your opinion to buyers and sellers.

In the 411 Real Estate Place newsletter, we have a section called "Ask the Experts." For this month's issue, I thought I'd pose a question that's on every buyer's and seller's mind and let you (the professionals) share your thoughts.

Before I ask the question, let me say this.

Your response MAY be used in the issue, so if you don't want it to be published in the newsletter, do not comment.
If we use your response, we will post your name, company name, and a link back to your website, blog, or AR profile.
We may not be able to use every response, but we'll try.
I know I shouldn't have to say this, but please be respectful and professional. If you disagree with another person, feel free to make your case, but we will not post a comment that attacks another person. Argue the facts please.

All right, here's the question. Remember this is from a buyer's and seller's viewpoint, so answer as if you're speaking to a client.

"With all the gloom and doom news that we hear nowadays, is now the time to buy or sell a home?"

Quality Over Quantity: A Lesson in Blogging

Amber Riviere (411 Real Estate Place & Cenla Moves, LLC) — Tue, 13 Nov 2007 16:21:15 -0600

Over the past couple of days (as you may have already noticed), I haven't been posting. I've been thinking instead.

I've noticed a drop in quality on my blog. No, I don't check my stats daily, and I don't worry about points anymore (when I first joined AR, that was very important). I don't care about those things nearly as much as I once did, well not in the way I once did. I'll put it that way. I'll check my stats about once a month now, to see what's going over well and what's not, but otherwise I don't think about it very much. I do notice when I'm not writing at my best, however, and I can tell when there's a difference in comments - fewer or "lower quality." Faithful readers become like my mom (and probably all moms). "That was a great blog entry," they'll say, even though it was just terrible (or mediocre at best). They'll comment just to show their support, but not because they liked the post. That's what moms, I mean faithful readers, do.

On Sunday, I decided to step back for a day or two and reevaluate my blog here at AR. I thought I'd take a look at my stats and at the quality of my posts and make a decision about the direction of the blog.

Looking back, I noticed that my "lessons" series was way more active than the "daily 411" series. You remember some of those posts.

Lesson #2: Beware of Piranhas
Lesson #5: The Revenue Line
Lesson #7: Drive
Lesson #9: Get Organized with Firefox
Lesson #10: Avoid the Slippery Slope of Availability
Lesson #21: Keep Your Eyes on the Horizon

I'm sure some of that activity has to do with the time factor. Older posts have the luxury of being revisited by new readers. Yet, I couldn't help but notice something else. Here are the dates those posts were published.

Lesson #1: 01/24/2007
Lesson #2: 01/25/2007 (1-day gap)
Lesson #3: 01/31/2007 (6-day gap)
Lesson #4: 02/06/2007 (6-day gap)
Lesson #5: 02/13/2007 (7-day gap)
Lesson #6: 02/18/2007 (5-day gap)

You get the idea. There were usually anywhere from five to seven days between posts, and there were very few "filler posts" (you know, off topic posts - memes, rants, or whatever).

Now, I'm not saying that I think I should (or you should) post only once per week. What's obvious to me, though, is that I was much more concerned over quality back then. No, I take that back. I was just writing back then, doing the thing that I like to do, putting my thoughts down on paper (or Google Docs) and then sharing them with my readers. I was not "pulling" for content. I was just living my life and letting the content come to me. I took time to observe and appreciate the things around me, without worrying about a quota or a "daily post" or a deadline. The clock was never ticking back then, and I think I did some of my best work as a result.

It's fine that the clock ticks. Deadlines, routine, consistency - that's all fine, but there needs to be more room. Without some room, there's no inspiration, no time to think. That's not healthy for a blog. It's shelf life decreases. In other words, it becomes stale much more quickly.

I'm also trying to keep in mind the fact that we all have our own "thing," for lack of a better word. From what I see (based on comments and emails I receive), most of my readers are here for a few types of posts:

Inspiring/Motivational posts,
Organizational/Productivity posts,
Blogging posts,
Book posts, and
"Give back" posts.

That's "my thing," at least for this blog.

Taking all that into account, here's what I'm thinking (and remember this is just a trial run in the never-ending "Blog Experiment").

I'm dropping the daily posts (awww). Wait a minute now. I'm hoping to make higher quality posts instead.
I'm getting back to "my thing" and posting about those topics which likely brought you here in the first place.
I'm starting a "side blog" to share little nuggets of information more frequently, so I may not make a "real" post every day, but I'll likely add to the side blog several times a day. (Note: Under the side blog, you'll see a chat box where you can post your comments to the side blog posts. Also, please be patient with me as I tweak the set up and get it working as it should be.)

I hope you'll like the changes and that you'll bear with me as I continue with the "Blog Experiment." Let's see how it goes.

Say Hello Saturday: New Rainer Welcome Wagon (Round 3)

Amber Riviere (411 Real Estate Place & Cenla Moves, LLC) — Sat, 10 Nov 2007 10:02:31 -0600

Say hello to a few of this week's new Rainers.

Anthony Saunchez
Fontana, CA

Ryan Miracle
Delaware, OH

Linda Hoy
Quakertown, PA

Julia St. Marie
Las Vegas, NV

CJ DelVecchio
Ithaca, NY

Aaron & Mindy Mills
Brea, CA

Don't forget to stop by and meet them when you have some time, and be sure to tell them I said hello.

Friday Free for All: 100+ Favorite Movies of All Time

Amber Riviere (411 Real Estate Place & Cenla Moves, LLC) — Fri, 09 Nov 2007 11:27:26 -0600

For my last two Friday posts, I've shared some of my favorite music. I'm planning a quiet weekend at home and was thinking of some good movies to watch. I thought I'd share some of my favorites of those, too.

Action Movies

Rocky (the series)
Die Hard
Commando (That's just funny.)
Top Gun
The Rock
The Bourne Identity
The Bourne Supremacy
Training Day
Tombstone
Black Hawk Down

Dramas

Goodfellas
John Q
Philadelphia
E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial
Boys N the Hood
Chicago
Driving Miss Daisy
The Patriot
Steel Magnolias
Forrest Gump
Hotel Rwanda
The Green Mile
Stand By Me
Big Fish
Finding Neverland
Apollo 13
A Time to Kill
A Few Good Men
Gladiator
It's a Wonderful Life
Rain Man
Spy Game
The Shawshank Redemption

Make-Me-Think-for-Three-Days Movies

American Beauty
American History X
Crash
The Pursuit of Happyness (intentional misspelling)

Romance/Love Stories

When Harry Met Sally
Bounce
Titanic
Sleepless in Seattle
You've Got Mail
50 First Dates
Pretty Woman
Bed of Roses
13 Going on 30
When a Man Loves a Woman
Shakespeare in Love

Cartoon/PG/Kids (I do love a good kids' movie now and then.)

Robin Hood
Beauty and the Beast
Toy Story
Alice in Wonderland
Mary Poppins
Jungle Book
Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
Pinocchio
The Wizard of Oz
Aladdin
Dumbo
Fun and Fancy Free
Harry Potter (the series)

Guilty Pleasures (I'll watch these every time I see them on TV, even though I have most of them on video/DVD.)

Can't Buy Me Love
Baby Boom
Weekend at Bernie's
Three Men and a Baby
Three Men and a Little Lady
The Breakfast Club
Beverly Hills Cop (the series)
Legally Blonde (the series)
Barbershop
Lethal Weapon (the series)
Sixteen Candles
Overboard
Home Alone
The Goonies
Pretty in Pink

Favorite Comedies

National Lampoon's Vacation
Major Payne
Planes, Trains, and Automobiles
Dumb and Dumber
Meet the Parents
Rush Hour (the series)
Mrs. Doubtfire
The Toy
Uncle Buck
Grumpy Old Men
Hitch
Son-in-Law
Ferris Beuler's Day Off
Big Daddy
Elf
Bringing Down the House
Father of the Bride
Overboard
My Cousin Vinny
Friday
My Big Fat Greek Wedding
Coming to America
Trading Places

So, what did I miss?

Thursday in the Neighborhood: Looking for Content

Amber Riviere (411 Real Estate Place & Cenla Moves, LLC) — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 09:21:48 -0600

It's that time again. The editors at 411 Real Estate Place are looking for high-quality content for this month's issue of the newsletter. To give you an idea of what we're after, here's a run down of last month's content.

Buying a Home:
3-Step Ladder to Home Ownership by Noah Rosenblatt

Selling a Home:
The Truth About Home Values by Jonathan Dalton

Preparing for Your Sale:
Buy First or Sell First? by Jeff Dowler

Money and Financing:
There Is Hope After Foreclosure by Mark Flanders

Relocation:
Moving Company Scams and How to Avoid Them by Victoria Stankard

Home Ownership:
Fall Home Tips (Pascack Valley in the Fall - Home Tips to Follow) by Lisa Hammerstein

Community:
Why Volunteer? by Jessica Bell

The Funny Pages:
The Preschool Test by Ines Hegedus-Garcia

Ask the Experts:
Life After Foreclosure - A Reader Request by Mark Flanders

Here are the available sections for November's issue.

Buying a Home
Selling a Home (FILLED)
Money and Finance (FILLED)
Preparing for Your Sale (FILLED)
Relocation
Home Ownership
Community
The Funny Pages
Ask the Experts

If you have an article that you think might make a nice contribution to the newsletter, please post a link to it in the comments below. Here are some important things to know before posting.

You must agree to the article submission guidelines.
Articles must be "generic," meaning that they apply to most real estate markets. This newsletter will be sent to the mailing lists of agents from around the country. If your article can be "made generic," then feel free to post it, and if we use it, we'll work together to "make it generic."
Posting doesn't guarantee inclusion. If your article isn't selected, please consider submitting others in the future by joining the 411 group here.
If selected, your article will be included in this month's issue, which goes out on November 21.
You can learn all about the 411 Real Estate Place email newsletter here.

I hope you'll consider playing, and if you're a real estate columnist in the making and would like to submit more articles for possible inclusion in future issues of the newsletter, be sure to join the 411 group here at AR.

Wednesday Bookworm: Heaven on Earth

Amber Riviere (411 Real Estate Place & Cenla Moves, LLC) — Wed, 07 Nov 2007 15:37:56 -0600

Heaven on Earth
by Danny Seo

I just started this book a week or so ago, and it was a pretty quick read.

If you're a person who always says things like, "I wish I had more time to give back," then this book is for you. It is literally filled with "fifteen minute mini miracles," as the author calls them.

The ideas seem so obvious after you read them, and yet I've managed to overlook them all this time. That's about to change, though. Without revealing too much, I'll mention that this book was the basis for much to come in the next year, but more about that later. For now, read this book. If you have kids, get them to read it. You could easily finish it over a weekend (all right, a week). It really is an easy read, so it won't take you long at all. You'll be glad you did.

It makes you see how easy it is to change the world, fifteen minutes at a time.

Doin' the Mess Around

Amber Riviere (411 Real Estate Place & Cenla Moves, LLC) — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 20:05:17 -0600

(With all the talk about music these days, these songs are getting stuck in my head.)

Today was a train wreck, productivity-wise. It started out well, but somehow everything managed to get off track. I spoke with Betsy earlier this evening, and she said her afternoon had gotten away from her, too, which is why she tries to do as much as she can in the mornings. That reminded me of the tip in Julie Morgenstern's book, Never Check Email in the Morning. She says, "Earn your salary by 10 AM." I've used a lot of her organizational and time management tips in the past, but this one I have to take to heart. Starting tomorrow, that's the plan. It's a little reaching for me, so I'll make it noon.

For some reason, it's hard to keep everything on track for an entire day. With phone calls, email alerts, and all the other distractions, it's really easy to lose focus. "I'll just check my email" turns into "I'll just check out this site so-and-so mentioned, which reminds me that I wanted to check out that blog." Before you know it, 5 PM rolls around. Sure, my work gets done - by 10 PM. It's just crazy to work around the clock (and it's unnecessary).

Think about it. When we are planning a long weekend out of the office, we can get tons of work done in what would have taken days otherwise. Because we have that deadline looming over our heads, we're more productive than a worker bee and more efficient than Wal-Mart (you ever see how those warehouses operate?). Yet, give me "all the time in the world," and I'll take it. I'll let the phone calls and emails sneak in. I'll tackle the minor tasks instead of the "biggies." I'll do it, and I'll still be in the office after 8 PM, like I am now.

I'm not saying this challenge will stick, but it's worth a try. Tomorrow, I'm shooting to finish as much of the "big stuff" as possible BEFORE noon. After that, I don't care how many calls come in or how many email alerts I receive. My whole afternoon can go to Hades in a hand basket, but it won't matter. The bulk of my work will be done, and I can "mess around" for the rest of the day if I want.

That's the plan. Let's see how it works.

Spotlight on the Giraffe Heroes Project

Amber Riviere (411 Real Estate Place & Cenla Moves, LLC) — Sun, 04 Nov 2007 08:32:28 -0600

On a Give Back Sunday, I thought I'd tell you about a nonprofit organization I heard about recently, called the Giraffe Heroes Project.

"Giraffe Heroes are people who stick their necks out for the common good. The nonprofit Giraffe Heroes Project tells their stories on podiums, in materials for schools and in the media."

- From the Giraffe Heroes Project Website

Nominate a Giraffe Hero you know.
Learn about other Giraffe Heroes.
Visit the Giraffe Heroes Project Website.

Say Hello Saturday: New Rainer Welcome Wagon (Pt. 2)

Amber Riviere (411 Real Estate Place & Cenla Moves, LLC) — Sat, 03 Nov 2007 11:17:55 -0500

Here are a few of this week's new Rainers (my "weekly six"). Stop by and meet them, when you have some time, and be sure to tell them I said hello.

Debbie Summers
Lake Mary, FL

Richard Zaretsky
West Palm Beach, FL

Steve Jacobs
Lincoln, CA

Jennifer Horton
Novato, CA

Luis Martinez
Perth Amboy, NJ

Deb Carney
Pepperell, MA

Friday Fun: What's on Your Playlist? (Part 2)

Amber Riviere (411 Real Estate Place & Cenla Moves, LLC) — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 15:02:12 -0500

Somehow I think I missed several of my favorites in the categories I posted last Friday. I was listening to music last night, while getting ready to go to a football game, and heard a couple of songs that got overlooked somehow. I may have to revisit this series to make sure I don't forget anything important. I wouldn't want to leave off some essential "Old School Hip-Hop" or something. That would be terrible.

For now, I'll continue with my current list. Where was I? Pop/Rock. Wait, let's cry first with the slow stuff, and then I'll end it on an upbeat note for a Friday. I can't be depressed going into the weekend.

Slow (Ray Charles - one of my favorite artists, gets his own category) -

You Don't Know Me
Take These Chains from My Heart
I Can't Stop Loving You
It's Crying Time
Lonely Avenue

Slow (The Fellas) -

Make a Change - Michael Jackson
Rocket Man - Elton John
Shape of My Heart - Sting (love him)
Have a Little Faith in Me - John Hiatt
The Way It Is - Bruce Hornsby
Said I Loved You, But I Lied - Michael Bolton (by George Tallabas)

Slow (Alternative) -

Meant to Live - Switchfoot
Dare You to Move - Switchfoot
How's It Going to Be - Third Eye Blind
I'll Look After You - The Fray
Tell Her - Del Amitri

Slow (The Ladies) -

Waiting in Vain - Annie Lennox (love her)
Fast Car - Tracy Chapman
Breathe (2AM) - Anna Nalick

Pop (Old School/80's) -

Karma Chameleon - Boy George
Dancing with Myself - Billy Idol
Need You Tonight - INXS (for Julie Neerings)
I Didn't Mean to Turn You On - Robert Palmer (love him, so anything works)
I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles) - The Proclaimers
Don't Worry, Be Happy - Bobby McFerrin
You May Be Right - Billy Joel (anything goes)
Material Girl - Madonna (anything goes)

Pop/Rock (90's) -

Little Miss Can't Be Wrong - Spin Doctors
I Will Wait - Hootie and the Blowfish (love anything by them)
Hanging Around - Counting Crows (love anything by them)
Roll to Me - Del Amitri
Criminal - Fiona Apple

Pop/Rock (2000's/Today's) -

SexyBack - Justin Timberlake (love anything of his really)
Butterfly - Crazy Town
Mr. Brightside - The Killers (anything goes)
Bring Me to Life - Evanescence (anything goes)
Maneater - Nelly Furtado

Pop/Hip-Hop (The Ladies - 2000's/Today's) -

Try Again - Aaliyah (anything goes)
Ain't No Other Man - Christina Aguilera
Candyman - Christina Aguilera
Milkshake - Kelis
Music Make You Lose Control - Missy Elliott

Pop (Prince and Michael Jackson - get their own category) -

You Got the Look - Prince
Baby, I'm a Star - Prince
Bad - MJ
Billy Jean - MJ
P.Y.T. - MJ
Don't Stop Til You Get Enough - MJ (absolute favorite)

Crazy Mood Music -

I Like to Move It - Reel 2 Real (There's no way you can listen to that and not laugh.)

Alternative -

Battleflag - Pigeonhed
Come Down - Bush
Down - 311
Last Resort - Papa Roach
Lose Yourself - Eminem
Santeria - Sublime
Song 2 - Blur (woo hoo)

Soul -

Chain of Fools - Aretha
Respect - Aretha
I Got a Woman - Ray Charles
Signed, Sealed, Delivered - Stevie Wonder
Uptight, Everything Is All Right - Stevie Wonder
Try a Little Tenderness - Otis Redding
Papa Was a Rollin Stone - The Temptations

A Thursday in the Neighborhood: Meet the Editors

Amber Riviere (411 Real Estate Place & Cenla Moves, LLC) — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 10:23:35 -0500

We have an exceptional group of editors at 411 Real Estate Place. They did an amazing job, and on very short notice, for October's issue (see a sample here).

With us only in the second month, we're still treading unfamiliar territory. Sure, we know good real estate content when we see it, but we're still working to find the best way to collaborate and share ideas for upcoming issues. Through it all, they have been very patient and kind. They are bearing with me, as we work through these initial trials and errors, all while managing their own lives and businesses. I just wanted to take a "day in the neighborhood" to introduce them to you (although I think you'll recognize a face or two) and thank them for all that they do.

Betsy Talbot, my partner in crime
She's the owner of DelegateNow, as well as the co-founder of our newest adventure together, RomyCaldwell.com.
She's our resident "small business guru" and a managing editor at 411 Real Estate Place.

Mark Flanders, our enthusiastic leader
He's a loan officer with Olympic Northwest Mortgage and a writer at the Soundbiteblog.
He's our resident "mortgage and finance guy," as well as an associate editor.

Chrissy Harrison, our backer
She's an agent with ERA Tradewind Real Estate, an editor, and an avid 411 supporter!
She's helping to spread the word about this project through her personal testimonial.

Jeff Dowler, our team player
He's an agent with RE/MAX Associates, as well as an associate editor at 411.
He brings so many wonderful resources and connections to this project.

Rich Jacobson, the nicest guy on the block (all right, maybe next to Mark and Jeff, it's a toss up!)
He's an agent with Windermere Real Estate/West Sound and a writer at the Soundbiteblog.
He's "the character" in the neighborhood, and I think everyone enjoys giving him a hard time. Hey, it has to be someone, right? It might as well be Rich! ;)

Ines Hegedus-Garcia, our newest (and most welcomed) edition
She's a real estate agent with Coldwell Banker, as well as editor and resident architect at 411.
I know Ines will make a wonderful contribution to this team and can't wait to work with her on November's issue!

One thing that this project has made me realize is the real value these guys bring to every thing that they do, whether it's this network, their blogs, or their business relationships. They each bring a tremendous amount to the table. They are all amazing writers, which is one of the many reasons I approached them for this project, even though that has also proven to be a real challenge for me. I want to pick THEIR articles all the time! When I come across a mortgage article, for instance, I immediately think, "Well, I liked Mark's explanation of this much better." This is going to be tough! It's not about "playing favorites," at least not in the traditional sense of the word, and yet that's exactly what it is. These guys ARE my favorites. That's why I asked them to play. I have watched each and every one of them over the past year or so and have come to respect and appreciate them all very much. These are not short-lived relationships, ones that you quickly get over. These are not the members from the associates list that you think, "Who is that again?" You remember these faces. You call them by first name, and everyone on this network knows exactly who you mean. New Rainers, take note. These are the folks to watch.

Thanks, guys, for all that you do and will do to make 411 Real Estate Place all that it is and will be. I hope to have you on this team for a long time to come.

P.S.

This post is part of my ongoing series, The Daily 411.

Halloween Treats for Rainers

Amber Riviere (411 Real Estate Place & Cenla Moves, LLC) — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 12:00:25 -0500

Here are a couple of Halloween treats for ActiveRainers!

411 Real Estate Place e-Newsletters for Agents

Staying in touch with customers and clients can be a challenge, and finding an effective and affordable solution is even more difficult. Now, with 411 Real Estate Place, it's never been easier to maintain contact and establish lasting relationships with your clients. This monthly email newsletter goes out automatically, no heavy-lifting required! Agents simply submit their images, contact information, and mailing list, and the editors and staff of 411 Real Estate Place take care of the rest. Prices start at just $39 per month, and for all the Web Women Giving Circle supporters out there, 100% of proceeds from character illustrations go to benefit the CARE organization! Read a testimonial from one happy Rainer.

Special Halloween Treat!!
Rainers get 10% off your service, for the life of your contract, through midnight tonight (applies to set up fee, too)!

Ghostwriting Service for Agents, too!

Are you having trouble keeping up with your blog posts? Have you been wishing someone could just write it for you? Finally, there is a solution. For her Halloween debut, I'd like you to meet Romy Caldwell, your new best friend and ghostwriter! You'll never have to struggle with writer's block again. Simply let Romy know what you have in mind for your blog's focus and direction, tell her what topics you'd like to post, and she'll handle all the writing for you.

Special Halloween Treat!!
Rainers get 10% off your service through midnight tonight!

Wednesday Bookworm: What's in Your Feed Reader?

Amber Riviere (411 Real Estate Place & Cenla Moves, LLC) — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 09:32:24 -0500

Since I don't really have a book to share today (I'm a little behind in my reading, and I'm only a chapter or two into my newest book), I thought I'd share what's in my feed reader.

There are tons of great blogs out there, and I love sitting down with a good blog roll (okay, not a book) and a cup of coffee to catch up on the latest insights from my favorite writers. It's like my new magazine fix. (I used to love sitting down with a good magazine, but now I only read a few of them a month.) Blogs have quickly taken their place.

Here's what's in my reader.

Got anything new I could add to my daily fix?

P.S.

This post is part of my ongoing series, The Daily 411.

Creating Graphics Using GIMP

Amber Riviere (411 Real Estate Place & Cenla Moves, LLC) — Tue, 30 Oct 2007 14:50:37 -0500

My Tuesday conversation will be brief. :) I'm up to my eyeballs in work this week, but I want to be sure to keep up my Daily 411 posts.

This weekend, Julie Neerings asked me how I created my sidebar graphics. I decided to put together a brief "e-Course" on the topic for another project I'm working on.

I thought I'd share it, for those of you wanting to get a little creative with your blogs and websites. Here you go. Please let me know if you have any trouble with the link.

By the way, this is a sneak peek of what's to come in tomorrow's post. Be sure to stay tuned!

Consistency

Amber Riviere (411 Real Estate Place & Cenla Moves, LLC) — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 22:15:28 -0500

I try to blog before noon each day. In fact, I try to get all the "biggies" done by that time so that I have room for the unknowns (incoming calls, visitors, and small fires that always manage to crop up). Today, I did not manage to stick to that rule. It's after 10 PM, and I'm just getting around to my daily blog entry, but thankfully, it has shed some light on an important piece to my "money machine."

In a sense, the word "machine" is a little deceptive. It implies that something is "automatic" and that it works on its own. While this is true probably 80% of the time, a person is still needed to start it, maintain it, and even operate it. That's where consistency comes into play.

My money machine is going to be designed so that I'm able to "walk away from it," but that doesn't mean I can neglect it or turn my back on it. One of my responsibilities as operator of this machine is to do certain tasks without fail - consistently. As I mentioned earlier, some of those tasks include starting the money machine (showing up every day), maintaining the money machine (constantly refining my systems and documenting the steps involved in running the machine), and operating the money machine (promoting my business consistently).

Posting a daily blog is just one small piece of the promotion puzzle, but it's important, so long as I do it consistently. If I maintain my blog as I do the machine, it WILL send me business, and it will foster the relationships I have established with my readers.

I'm not going to go into too much detail about this. It is, after all, 10 PM. I have to get out of here, if I hope to "start the machine" on time tomorrow. :) I just thought that I'd post this as a gentle reminder to us all that blogging (and any other lead generation strategy, for that matter) works, if we do it consistently. That means that when it's 10 PM or a busy, busy day (like mine was today) or raining or [fill in your excuse], we do it anyway.

So...

I came, I saw, I conquered, I blogged. Happy (and consistent) blogging to you, and good night.

P.S.

This post is part of my ongoing series, The Daily 411.

Give Back Sunday: Characters That CARE

Amber Riviere (411 Real Estate Place & Cenla Moves, LLC) — Sun, 28 Oct 2007 10:52:23 -0500

Last year, I had the privilege of taking part in the CARE MORE Giving Circle Challenge, a project created by CARE and More Magazine to raise $1M for the CARE organization. Our group, the Web Women Giving Circle, which includes such leading figures in the real estate industry as Joeann Fossland, Frances Flynn Thorsen, and Bernice Ross, aimed to raise $100,000 for the project. We raised right at a quarter of that goal by the end of last year and ultimately won the nationally challenge. (Side note: Many of our group members were able to travel to Peru this past spring to participate first hand in the volunteer efforts there. You can learn all about their trip here.) While the actual competition is over, we are still dedicated to raising $100,000 for CARE.

As one small way of contributing to our goal, I have decided to donate 100% of profits from character illustrations purchased through 411 Real Estate Place to CARE through the Web Women Giving Circle, until we reach our target of $100,000.

The email newsletter of 411 Real Estate Place has a "cartoon" feel to it. (See a sample issue here.) Agents who use the service can elect to use character illustrations in place of their regular photos. They can also use their characters on their own websites and marketing materials to help reinforce their brands.

Here are sample character illustrations from the site. That's "cartoon me" (you've seen me around lately) and "cartoon Betsy."

To learn more about character illustrations, please click here, or visit the 411 Real Estate Place website to learn all about the service. If you've been thinking of getting a character illustration for use in your marketing materials, now is the time! You can add an element of fun to your brand, while giving back to a wonderful cause.

P.S.

This post is part of my ongoing series, The Daily 411.

Say Hello Saturday: New Rainer Welcome Wagon

Amber Riviere (411 Real Estate Place & Cenla Moves, LLC) — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 12:29:18 -0500

I decided to use today's "Say Hello Saturday" post to welcome some new members to ActiveRain. If you have some time this weekend, mosey on over to their blogs and say hello. Maybe even subscribe to their blogs so that you'll remember to keep in touch with them every now and then.

Here are just a few of the 1,000 or so Rainers who have joined this week.

Pat Shankle
Home Staging Professional
Georgia Home Staging
Marietta, GA

Anthony & Jennifer Schimmel
Real Estate Agents
Keller Williams Real Estate
Bethlehem, PA

Constina M. Baylor
Real Estate Agent
Royalty Realty
Oxnard, CA

Bubba Moore
Real Estate Agent
H2O Homes and Land
Hilton Head Island, SC

Jayme W. Gooding
Real Estate Agent
Charlesworth Realty Group
Lilburn, GA

Jennifer Herron
Real Estate Agent
Howard Hanna Smythe Cramer
North Olmsted, OH

Be sure to make some time to welcome these nice folks to ActiveRain, and please tell them I said hello.

P.S.

This post is part of my ongoing series, The Daily 411.

Friday Fun: What's on Your Playlist?

Amber Riviere (411 Real Estate Place & Cenla Moves, LLC) — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 16:57:31 -0500

Jason Crouch inspired this post. He and I hijacked one of his posts and started talking about our "best of Billy Joel" lists, which included:

She's Got a Way About Her,
Piano Man,
My Life,
You May Be Right (my personal favorite),
We Didn't Start the Fire, and
Vienna (another of my favorites).

Some of my best (or most favorite) conversations have been about music. It really gives people a way to connect and find common ground, whether you're old friends or strangers. In his "Radio Ga Ga" post, Jason said that you can tell a lot about a person from his/her iPod selections, and I agree, although I might be hard to peg with my playlist. ;) It has a little bit of everything.

Jason said he was going to do a new music post and encouraged me to do the same, so here you go. This is my current list of favorites.

I have to head out for a while, but let me know if you have any others to add to the list.

Oh, and I only got through half of my music collection and only pulled my absolute favorites from each genre. We'll have to get to pop and slow songs next Friday!

We'll start things off slow. Here's my favorite Country music mix. All the lists are in no particular order.

The Ladies (Slow)

80's Ladies - K.T. Oslin
I'll Always Come Back - K.T. Oslin
Shiver - Jamie O'Neal
Somewhere in the Vicinity of the Heart - Alison Krause and Shenandoah
Break Down Here - Julie Roberts
Helplessly, Hopelessly - Jessica Andrews
I Love You - Faith Hill
Here You Come Again - Dolly Pardon
I Probably Wouldn't Be This Way - LeAnn Rimes

The Fellas (Slow)

I Wonder, Do You Think of Me - Keith Whitley
I Lost It - Kenny Chesney
Nobody in His Right Mind Would've Left Her - George Strait
Settle for a Slowdown - Dierks Bentley
It's Just a Matter of Time - Randy Travis

The Ladies (Upbeat)

When I Think About Angels - Jamie O'Neal (or is it Sara Evans?)
Born to Fly - Sara Evans (a real favorite)
Little Goodbyes - SheDaisy
Ready to Run - Dixie Chicks
I Will (Be Your Everything) - SheDaisy

The Fellas (Upbeat)

Living in Fast Forward - Kenny Chesney
It's Five O'Clock Somewhere - Alan Jackson
I Wanna Love Somebody Like You - Keith Urban
Fast as You - Dwight Yoakum
Life is a Highway - Rascal Flatts

Now to the easy stuff...

Jazz and The Crooners

Young at Heart - Frank Sinatra
I've Got You Under My Skin - Frank Sinatra
What a Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong
A Kiss to Build a Dream On - Louis Armstrong
Wink and a Smile - Harry Connick, Jr.

Jazz and Soul

Pennies from Heaven - Billie Holiday
Somewhere Over the Rainbow - Aretha's version (Isn't that right?)
Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay - Otis Redding
Bridge Over Troubled Water - Aretha Franklin
and absolutely anything Ray Charles (Ain't That Love, Busted, Georgia, You Are My Sunshine, etc.)

Easy Listening

F-Stop Blues - Jack Johnson
Upside Down - Jack Johnson
Why Georgia - John Mayer
Vienna - Billy Joel
Home - Michael Buble
Easy (Like Sunday Morning) - The Commodores
Shape of My Heart - Sting
Clarity - John Mayer
Crazy Love - Van Morrison
I'll Be There - Sade

Now let's pick things up. ;)

Hip Hop and R&B

Stutter - Joe, featuring Mystikal
Beautiful - Snoop Dogg
Tell Me - Diddy and Christina Aguilera
Yeah - Usher
We Fly High - Jim Jones

My bird, Sebas ("see-bass"), LOVES any of the following.

Old School Hip Hop and Funk

Bust a Move - Young MC
Funky Cold Madina - Tone Loc (Did I spell that right?)
The Rain - Oran "Juice" Jones
Ditty - Paperboy (Is that right?)
Get Down Tonight - KC and The Sunshine Band

These are probably my real favorites, and Sebas really loves them, too.

Funk (Oldies)

25 Miles - Edwin Starr
Ain't Too Proud to Beg - The Temptations
Gimme Some Lovin' - Spencer Davis Group
Gotta Give It Up - Marvin Gaye
I Got That Feelin' - James Brown
Love Roller Coaster - Ohio Players
Money (That's What I Want) - Barrett Strong
Out of Sight - James Brown
Papa Gotta Brand New Bag - James Brown
Shotgun - Junior Walker and The All Stars

All right, I have to run out now. I hope I didn't misspell anything or make any typos. I really don't have time to proof today (I know, bad me). ;) I'll post the second half next Friday. For now, tell me what's on your list in these categories.

P.S.

This post is part of my ongoing series, The Daily 411.

ActiveRain Pay It Forward Challenge

Amber Riviere (411 Real Estate Place & Cenla Moves, LLC) — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 11:22:43 -0500

For The Daily 411, Thursday is supposed to be spent in the neighborhood, but I decided to do something a little different today.

***

"Give me a lever and a place to stand, and I will move the world."
- Archimedes

THE BACKGROUND:

Over the past few weeks, I've had the opportunity to talk to several Rainers by phone, and I've also chatted with quite a few folks by email. I've figured out two things from all these conversations. First, ActiveRain members are a very supportive group. They really want to help the other members of this network, because they consider the other members to be friends. Second, there are many members within this network who are in the need of different things. Here are just some of the needs I've heard around the Rain over the past week. Rainers need help with:

Adding graphics to a blog,
Getting started blogging (new Rainers),
Getting started at AR (new Rainers),
Posting to Localism,
Jump starting non-profit projects,
Spreading the word about something, and even
Praying for a friend.

These are just the needs that I've heard about in the Rain and just over the last week. I'm sure so many more go unmentioned. I think it's hard to admit being in need of something. It shows vulnerability, and I think we sometimes feel too proud to ask for help and instead try to solve our problems alone. I guess we have to knock, though, if we want someone to answer the door, right?

I have found that Rainers want to help others, but many times, we just aren't aware of a need. Other times, we worry that we have nothing to contribute. "Oh, who do I know? How can I help?" Right now, I can't imagine I have any connections or talents that could help another person, but maybe I could help in smaller ways. I could definitely show new Rainers around, and I might be able to help with blogs and websites. There has to be something I can do. In fact, I could help with every one of the items I listed earlier.

So...

THE CHALLENGE:

We are almost 55,000 members strong. It seems very likely that someone in the Rain has the ability to help someone else here who has a need. This is a network, and networks are about connecting people with other people who have what they need or who who know other people who do, right?

What if we create an "ActiveRain Pay It Forward Challenge"? (You've watched the movie, right?) We could all aim to help at least three other Rainers meet their needs. Then, maybe it will eventually come full circle, and we'll achieve what we need, too.

What's the worst that could happen, nothing? Well, nothing will happen without taking action either, so we're no worse off.

THE NEEDS LIST:

Here's what is needed so far. (I'm starting, but I hope the list will grow quickly.)

*** Spreading the word about 411 Real Estate Place ***
I just launched an email newsletter service for agents, called 411 Real Estate Place. I need some help spreading the word about it. On top of that, I could also use your articles (blog entries) for future issues of the newsletter. I'm looking for topics that fall into any of these categories - buying a home, selling a home, money and financing, preparing for a sale, relocation, community, home ownership, or even funny real estate stories. If you'd like to contribute, please join the 411 group here at AR to begin posting your articles. You can learn all about it at the group's home page or on the website, or please call or email me anytime, if you have questions.

*** Spreading the word about the AR Pay It Forward Challenge ***
If you would like to help spread the word about this challenge, please post about it on your blog, or consider adding the challenge graphic to your blog sidebar and linking back to this post. (Note: I'll include instructions on how to do this in the comment section below.)

*** Help with the CARE/More Challenge to support the CARE organization ***
The Web Women Giving Circle, which includes the likes of Joeann Fossland, Frances Flynn Thorsen, Bernice Ross, and many other wonderful ladies, is aiming to raise $100,000 for the CARE organization. They have already raised over 25% of that goal, and now they need your help to complete their mission. To learn how you can get involved, please see Joeann's comment below.

*** Welcome new Rainers ***
Julie Neerings suggested that we challenge Rainers to reach out and welcome 6 new Rainers a week. (See the full comment below.)

NOW YOU:

Is there anything that you need?
It doesn't matter how big or small, how simple or complex. You never know. Someone might be able to help. Post it in the comments below, or email it to me. I'll add it to the list. If someone helps you, please let me know so that I can update the list.

Is there anything that you can help with on the list?
If you think you can help with a need on the list, please post a reply below or contact the person directly. Keep us posted on the progress so that I can mark things off the list as they're completed.

TAKE A RISK:

I have thought a lot about this post since it crossed my mind yesterday, and I considered not posting it many times in the past twenty-four hours. I run the risk of a lot of things, like offending someone somehow (it can be done with even the best intended posts), failing (I do that a lot anyway), or even succeeding and having this thing snowball (there are people here who will help, right?).

"Only those who risk going too far can possibly find out how far they can go."
- T.S. Eliot

So, here goes. I'll risk it.

Wednesday Bookworm: Textbooks

Amber Riviere (411 Real Estate Place & Cenla Moves, LLC) — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 10:09:12 -0500

Last week, someone sent me a college textbook called Entrepreneurship, thinking I might like to have it as a reference. I finished the other book I was reading on Sunday, so I decided to read a chapter or two of this one. (It's a pretty large book, so I expected it to take me a while to get through it.)

I read all the sections that applied to me (or interested me) at this point, and I know the remainder of the book will come in handy in the future. It will definitely be a great reference book. It's filled with useful information for anyone who owns a business or who is thinking of starting one.

I looked this particular book up on Amazon just a second ago, and the paperback version can be purchased for $17 (new, I think), and used versions start as low as $5.

I was thinking that, if you're like me, you probably look to popular business books for advice and information on the different topics related to your business, but never think of looking for materials being used in today's college classrooms. Here's what came up in my textbook search at Barnes & Noble for the keyword "marketing." Sure, it looks like students are reading some of the popular books, too. You'll find some Seth Godin in there and some Malcolm Gladwell, but you'll also find books that might not come up in a standard business search through Amazon or B&N. Here are a few (the prices may change, but this is what I found).

Steal These Ideas!: Marketing Secrets That Will Make You a Star (used for under $8 at Amazon)
Internet Riches: The Simple Money-making Secrets of Online Millionaires (used for under $3 at Amazon)
Benchmarking: The Search for Industry Best Practices That Lead to Superior Performance (used for under $30 at Amazon)
Essential Managers: Effective Public Relations (used for under $1 at Amazon)
Juicing the Orange: How to Turn Creativity into a Powerful Business Advantage (used for under $16 at Amazon)

If you're looking to do some serious learning and don't mind spending a few bucks, it looks like you can get nearly any of the most popular textbooks at Amazon for under $100. I bet if you wait a few months, though, those prices will go down.

I've read a lot of books on entrepreneurship, and many of them have a tendency to skim the surface of certain topics. This textbook goes into much greater detail, which I like. Plus, the side bars and references throughout the book are very helpful.

Just a thought,

P.S.

This post is part of my ongoing series, The Daily 411.