I'm excited to announce that I will be presenting at the upcoming Virtual Real Estate BarCamp on November 17. My presentation is called "The Best Free (And Nearly Free) Online Tools for Your Real Estate Business"
Now I've got a whole bunch of my favorites in my $1,000,000 Rolodex, but I'd like to ask your help in sharing with me what you think are the best of the best!
Go ahead! Leave me a comment with your favorite tools and software.
Mike works closely with real estate professionals and other businesses and teaches them efficient social media strategies to improve their business. If you've never heard Mike speak before, you'll want to listen to "brass tacks" interview.
If you have heard Mike before... then you know you are in for a treat! The preview call is for registered guests only of Social Media Do's and Don'ts.
The web is amuck with "SEO Experts" touting ways to manipulate the system to improve your search engine rankings. Thompson proves theres no trickery needed. The best way to consistently come out on top for important search terms is to provide good, timely, relevant content and become the trusted authority in your field.
Here's an incredible example of how powerful and quickly good blogging can get you top search engine results.
On July 28, 2009, Horizon Realty in Chicago caused a buzz in the social media world when they announced that they were suing one of their tenants for making a negative tweet to her 22 followers. [caption id="attachment_200" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Click to Enlarge"][/caption]
This caused an immediate backlash. Thousands of people blogged, tweeted and retweeted lethal attacks on Horizon ranging from the humorous to the rediculous.
Amazingly, the search term "Horizon Realty" skyrocketed from next to nothing to Number 66 on the Google Hot Trends... That's right 66 on all of Google!
PhoenixRealEstateGuy.com did what it does best. It reported on important relevant news that effected it's industry, as it happened.
And Google LOVED IT! [caption id="attachment_206" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Click to Enlarge"][/caption]
So much so, that Google rewarded PhoenixRealEstateGuy.com with the number 3 blog post return and high ranking on it's regular search.
Think about that.
In the course of a few hours an event happened that causes a search term to become one of the hottest on the web, and Jay Thompson, because of the trust and authority he had built up, was able to capture those eyeballs and bring them to his site.
How valuable is that?
News events happen all the time. You need to earn Google's trust over time by being a consistent and reputable reporter. When you do, Google will reward you for your efforts.
Congrats to you Jay, and thank you for being a leader in the social media movement.
Hey, let's have some fun, while we learn more about social media! Join me Friday, September 25, 2009 at the Williamson County Association of Realtors for my Free presentation:
"How Do These Crazy Little Tweets, Facebook Friends, & Blog Posts
Help Me Find More Clients,
Sell More Real Estate and
Make More Money?"
The world is abuzz with social media fever. Millions of people spend several hours each day “tweeting”, “texting”, “blogging” and posting pictures and videos. Is this a colossal waste of time… or is there really a strategy to harness the power of this marketing and communication paradigm shift?
I will demonstrates successful social media strategies, tailored to help your real estate business leverage the power of social media. This introductory discussion is suitable for all, regardless of your computer/technology prowess. You will leave this program with a step by step plan to improve your social media marketing. Best of all... it's FREE!
Please RSVP at http://bit.ly/graog
We're live right now on ESPN Austin. You can be a part of America's first radio show dedicated to helping homeowners make their homes more comfortable and more energy efficient.
Home Energy Solutions is committed to helping you learn about the latest technology to make your home more comfortable and energy efficient. We present the facts and debunk the myths. Best of all, we give you, the homeowner, a place to ask your questions and speak to the experts.
My grandfather is a rock. This man has seen so much in his 94 years. Years ago, I found a copy of the ship's passenger log bearing his signature, from when he came here in 1934. He was 19 years old and didn't like what was happening in Germany, so he had the foresight to come to America with very little money or family.
And he's seen it all since then. He's seen 18 US Presidents. He's seen the discovery of penicillin and countless medical breakthroughs. He's seen unbelievable advances in communication including the development of radio, television, movies, and now the cell phone, computer and the internet. He's seen the construction of a national highway system and transportation break-throughs that make his long journey by ship a short jaunt by airplane. And he's seen us build buildings that stretch to the sky.
But there's still one thing Grandpa Heinz has never seen... A Chicago Cubs championship.
Yes, Grandpa is a die-hard Cubs fan. He can tell you what Ryan Theriot had for breakfast. Or he'll complain about Lou Piniella going to Kevin Gregg again, after several blown saves. He'll let you know that Geovany Soto has a tough time hitting with men in scoring positions on Wednesday day games after a travel day.
Grandpa will even reminisce about past Cubs, like Jerry Morales making "hot dog" basket catches in center field, or Dave Kingman hitting the ball on the porch of the house "3 houses down Kenmore!"
It's been a rough few years for Grandpa, especially with the White Sox winning their championship and Boston ending their mild drought. And Grandpa is not too happy.
But I'm pretty good with it. Because, despite an amazing 14,800 odd games since their last championship (and grandpa has seen most of them), the Chicago Cubs have squandered another chance to break all the curses, and have assured themselves that 2009, like the previous 101 years, will not be their year.
And of course that means just one thing: I can thank the Chicago Cubs for keeping Grandpa around for another year!
Just go word from my brother, Paul. You will recall that he went on a JDRF bike ride in VT to raise money to find a cure for Juvenile Diabetes.
Well, Paul made it! He completed the trekdespite having to ride through rain, cold weather and high winds. He even got some more donations the past few days and ended up collecting over $6,000!
I want to thank everybody for your well-wishes and support. I know he saw all the comments here and on my blog, facebook and twitter pages.
My brother Paul leaves today for the JDRF Ride to Cure Diabetes. He is going to ride his bike 105 miles in VT. He's been preparing for a year and a half and has raised over $5000!
I love you, Paul, and we're all very proud of you!
My friend Armand Morin is the master of the video squeeze page. I made this video to show everybody how Armand uses powerful persuasive techniques and very valuable content on his "Become an Authority" video squeeze page.
Watch this video, and then visit the actual video squeeze page.
This technique can be used in any business.
Whether you're a realtor, a lawyer, a builder, remodeler, or any type of professional, I'd love to hear your comments below, about how you would use this technique to promote your business.
Share it with your friends!
Some of the guesses in the comments there were funny to me, and some of them actually gave me some new ideas that I might need to pursue on some level. I just wanted to experiment to see if I could generate a bit of advance buzz before I wrote this post. Interestingly, we had some friends over to our house last night, and one of them asked me what this announcement would be, because she had seen my post on Facebook. That is the power of social media!
So, without further ado:
We are writing a book! The best part: YOU can help
My friend Steve Rosenbaum and I have been in touch with a New York publisher who is interested in the book already. In fact, Steve had a previous book contract with the same company.
How much additional business could you generate if you could truthfully tell clients that you are a published author in your industry? In my humble opinion, this equals INSTANT credibility!
What is the topic?
We are putting together a collection of success stories about using blogging and social media tools in the real estate industry. This includes mortgages, too! If you have a unique marketing idea or an anecdote that illustrates how ActiveRain, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube, or any other internet tool has been a game-changer for you, please submit it! This type of opportunity doesn't come around that often, at least in my opinion.
If you would like to participate, you would have an opportunity to be published in a book that should appear on the shelves at Barnes & Noble, Borders, and on the virtual shelves of Amazon.
We will probably need 12-15 chapters or thereabouts, and there is a panel in charge of selecting which content makes it into the book we submit.
"But Jason, I am not really a great writer."
If the topic/idea is solid, don't worry too much about the writing quality. We have a couple of professional editors who can polish things up if needed. We are primarily looking for examples of how social networking has helped your business. If you have already written about this in the past, we would just need you to flesh out the story beyond the confines of a blog post in order to make it a reasonably-sized chapter.
There is no risk here. If your story doesn't make it into the book, it will probably be used as part of a website that we are currently developing. Either way, it's a chance for you to get national exposure as a marketing genius. :)
I should mention that there is no guarantee that this will be published, but I feel good about our odds, since the publisher has already expressed interest. If accepted by the publisher, the book would likely be on the shelves within about 6 months' time. Who knows? This might become the seminal book on the topic, or it could lead to bigger and better things. If there is one thing I have learned from my time blogging, it is to seize opportunities when they arise.
"Alright already. How do I submit my chapter for consideration?"
I'm so glad you asked. That's the easy part. Just email it to me at jason@austintexashomes.com. After I gather the stories, I will submit them to our panel (yes, I am part of the panel, but there are other people, too). If your story/idea is selected for inclusion in the book OR the website, you will be required to sign a basic release so that we can use it.
Based on our conversations with the publisher, each chapter should run about 3500-5000 words in length. We will probably end up with 12-15 chapters total. So, if you are interested, that should give you a good guideline to shoot for. Again, don't get too tied up with the length - if we need to increase or decrease the size of the chapter, we can do that with you later.
I would like to have all of the chapters in hand by the end of this month if possible, so please try to get me your stuff by August 31st. If you have an outstanding idea or success story to share, I would consider waiting if you contact me. Otherwise, please do your best to honor the deadline, and I will do my best to get you published.
If you have ANY questions at all, please feel free to call or email me. My cell phone number is 512-796-7653 and my email again is jason@austintexashomes.com. I hope to hear from you soon!
"What are the top 5 mistakes most people make on twitter for business?
Whether you are an independant salesman, professional real estate agent, or a small business owner, I can teach you how to set up a social media system that ties in all the major sites so that you can attract laser-targeted followers in just a few minutes per week.
Avoid the costly and time consuming mistakes everybody else makes. As a proven social media mentor, for organizations large and small, I get business owners running in no time, so that you can begin seeing immediate results. Drop me an email at steve [at] steverosenbaum [dot] tv and ask me your 3 biggest questions about master social network marketing for your business."
Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
I'm excited to announce that I will be presenting at the upcoming Virtual Real Estate BarCamp on November 17. My presentation is called "The Best Free (And Nearly Free) Online Tools for Your Real Estate Business"
Social Media "Expert" (He loves it when I call him that!) Mike Mueller talks about the 
My grandfather is a rock. This man has seen so much in his 94 years. Years ago, I found a copy of the ship's passenger log bearing his signature, from when he came here in 1934. He was 19 years old and didn't like what was happening in Germany, so he had the foresight to come to America with very little money or family.
Grandpa will even reminisce about past Cubs, like Jerry Morales making "hot dog" basket catches in center field, or Dave Kingman hitting the ball on the porch of the house "3 houses down Kenmore!"
Rosenbaum and I have been in touch with a New York publisher who is interested in the book already. In fact, Steve had a previous book contract with the same company. 
;)
;)
