I came across this interesting video with Gary Keller talking about the differences in the KW Lead Generation Model in the current economy. It's interesting how when the book originally came out the explain that the Lead Generation Model was "Marketing" based, and "Prospecting" enhanced...and now its the other way around..in other words..make a connection first..market yourself later.
What do you think?
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Brian Gardner with Studiopress.com has been one of the masters of WordPress Theme designs for quite a while now. His designs are know for having "clean code" which in itself creates the optimum environment for having great search engine "readability". He has once again created a new theme, only this time its specifically with the Agent or Broker in mind!
AgentPress.com just launched today, and even more exciting is that he has teamed up with the MyTechOpinion Team to help develop theme content.
Check Out the Demo to see for yourself! If you've been considering using Wordpress for your outside blog and need a clean, elegant design the AgentPress theme has amazing built-in features, is SEO optimized and allows you to combine a compelling platform to market your listings, your blog content all is one stunning package!
LOVE this blog from Clint on going mobile...and all the tools you need to get started. No need to be tied to your desk..and when you need to leverage some assistance..a real estate virtual assistant is ready to go!
With the real estate industry evolving at the rate that it is, many agents have adapted to include the ability to be as mobile as possible. Gone are the days of meeting at the office or heading back to the office in order to get anything done. In fact, a good number of agents don’t even have an office. Their office has 4 doors, not just one…and it sports 4 wheels and bucket seats.
There is a mindset that needs to be adapted in order to effectively go mobile. You have to be really self-motivated. And, you have to realize that when you leave your house, you are working. You must also be able to be in contact at all times. And, you must be able to access anything you need at any given point in time. With that in mind, there are several things that one must possess in order to master the art of mobility:
1. A good smart-phone – Don’t be cheap! Get a good smart phone…an Iphone or a Blackberry. And make sure you have a good data plan (I prefer the unlimited versions). More important than that, make sure you take the time to learn how to use it and put the tools available to you to your best advantage! There is no point in having it if you aren’t going to take the time to learn to use it.
2. A good laptop – This pretty much goes without saying, but…when you get a computer, get something that seems to be WAY more than what you will actually need. That way, you won’t have to get a new one in a year because the cheap P.O.S. you bought isn’t big or fast enough. Get the super-gigantic hard drive. Spend the extra money for a hefty RAM upgrade. Also, invest in an external hard drive for back-up. Laptops are not that rugged…and are prone to injury. They are also prone to be lifted by unscrupulous individuals, if given the chance. Losing all your data will suck far more than losing the laptop.
3. A flip camera (or digital video camera) – These will automatically make themselves a useful tool the first time you have to preview a home or make an online tour of a new listing. I would recommend you get both a video camera…and a still frame digital camera. Both have distinct advantages depending on the need.
4. Docusign – Or, some form of reliable electronic document signing and processing software. (If you don’t know what Docusign is, hit up @Docusign on twitter. Tell her @TheRealClint sent you.) This is an absolute requirement. This way, you can sign offers, amendments, contracts, etc, right on the computer and then email them wherever needed. This way, you don’t have to worry about printing documents, having to get the required signatures, making copies, etc. From a time management standpoint, this ability to eliminate these types of useless delays is a major advantage.
5. GPS – Clients can tend to be a bit uppity when you miss appointments because you got lost on the way there. And, nothing is more embarrassing then having them sitting in your car and not knowing how to get to the next home they want to view. Besides, you’re not a taxi. This isn’t a pleasure cruise. Get them where they want to be and do so in the quickest, safest way possible. Again, avoiding useless delays will be rewarded.
6. MiFi or USB mobile broadband card – Again, don’t be a cheapskate here…get the mifi if it is available in your area. You will not be sad that you did. If not, make sure you have some form of broadband air card. You will need access to the internet on a screen larger than 2in X 3in at some point in your mobile career…and having one of these will make it much easier than trying to pirate wifi signals in hotel parking lots or having to find a Starbuck’s.
7. A portable printer – Yes, a printer. That way, you can immediately print copies of documents and provide them to all parties in an extremely timely and efficient manner. Your clients will appreciate the added touch.
Remember, this isn’t just about mobility. This is about professionalism as well. Your reputation is on the line here. And, since you aren’t in an office, you had better be as good as possible because there isn’t any coffee pot to direct them to or free cookies to have them munch on while you get your proverbial "poop in a group". Don’t attempt to go totally mobile unless you plan on NOT falling victim to inadequate equipment and preventable delays. Both of which will cost you in the long run. If you are going to be mobile, you have to be able to handle any situation at that moment (as much as possible, anyway). And, these little technological marvels will make your life MUCH easier along the way.
As a blogger here on Active Rain it's obvious that we get excited over SEO, or free search engine optimization tips and tools that will make our lives easier. We put a lot of thought of thought into drafting and organizing posts that will help make our blogs easy to find by consumers using our keywords to search what interests them.
What if you could have a handy keyword tracking tool, right next to you, guiding you as you write a blog post? Well, now you can!
If you are a Firefox browser user, there is a new add-on called SEO Blogger that sits in your sidebar as you write, and optimizes your post by allowing you to pick your optimized keywords, and it will keep track of how many times you insert the words or phrases for you! (as you can see I've selected some keywords to use in this post, and it is keeping track of them for me;) You can use thissearch engine optimization software for your ActiveRain blogs and for your outside blogs and others like Wordpress. It's a great way to save time while blogging!!
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I wrote this back in 2007, and have gottena kick out of seeing how far we've come as a community.
I did leave AR for a while, wound down my blogging and have ventured more into Twitter and Facebook. But in doing so I realized that even though I love those tools, I'm not having quite as much fun as I do when I blog and read what others have to say...and here are the reasons why:
I know you're out there right now....
In fact as I type away there are 422 lurkers on Activerain right now. I wonder what you are thinking? Are you here as a consumer to learn more about real estate? Perhaps. But would be willing to bet that there are quite a few of you who are real estate professionals of some sort, checking us out. You've heard of Activerain, and read some posts. Our posts can be very informative, enlightening, creative, and downright CRAZY! Yes, we are a lively bunch aren't we? We are all different and have come here for different reasons, from all parts of the country and world. Why, What's up with that? I mean, it IS hard, and it takes so much investment. It's why we have joined Groups to study blogging!
I came here originally, to plug my business, and expose the idea of real estate virtual assistance to those I like to work with the most, real estate agents. But, what I got I didn't expect. I received alot more. So as you read this wondering if and when you should take the chance at this blogging thing, I say do it! And here are some reasons that you should consider, reasons that don't jump out at you at first:
1. Blogging Makes us Think
It forces us to organize out thoughts and ideas. It helps us to put meaning into our thoughts and "put it out there" to give it validity. I've received more inspiration in my business, my personal goals, and in life by the supportive comments and posts, and more importantly by the people who share them. Strangely though, I sometimes get more joy in learning about others, and what they think about.
2. Blogging Is a Way for people to Get to Know Our Goals, Skills and Dreams
In some ways, if these parts of us are not written, they can be forgotten. Blogging about my ideas and thoughts gives me a sense of accountability. Hey, I mean, its out there. What if someone is waiting for me to act on my ideas..? What if I'm inspired by someone else's skills, and that makes me better? I wouldn't want to miss out on that. I can always grow and learn.
3. You Are Visible, Not Invisible
Just look at how each post makes us more visible. Our great profile photos, smiling faces, and quality content can make a lasting impression. It also gives us a chance to change as we grow. We can compare ourselves to our peers, and seek to improve upon what is visible.
4. Your Voice, Uninterrupted
Yes, I have a personal life. I have a husband, darling children, a dog, and lovely home. But I have something else. A Voice. (no, not a crazy voice) A voice that isn't always expressed in everyday life, in my normal conversations. This is a chance to say something, uninterrupted. If we take the time to think through a thought, we can present it fully and entirely. There is magic in that.
5. Shameless Self-Promotion
Yep, I said it! Want some honest to goodness promotion? Blog with quality content and convert it to audience attention! With audience attention, comes COMMENTS. If we're lucky enough, those comments will make us think. The comments we receive can also show us how our voices can be interpreted in different ways. That can change you, or give you internal validation once again, and can even set thoughts into motion. Some commenters are even destined to be friends for life, I guarantee it.
6. Create Your Legacy
Talking is forgotten. It floats away. Blogging is forever, or at least until tomorrow. Readers will know us long after we can say anything about it. Search engines can help that happen.
So stop what your doing, think about what you want to say, put those thoughts together, and start blogging! We have comments waiting for you! And so much more...
Join the conversation on our Facebook Fan Page! We'd love to see you there!
When potential clients are getting ready to relocate they start a search usually well in advance, and decide on a community before a home. Kevin and Monica have a brilliant way to create a community that comes alive online. They would be my first choice when it comes choosing an agent or referring one!
8 Ways To Use Photos To Promote Your Business - and best of all, most of them are FREE or LOW COST!
I didn't start out as a photographer, and I still wouldn't consider my photos "professional quality" although I see marked improvement each day. Since I've been in real estate, and especially since I started blogging, I have found that I really enjoy taking pictures of my community, events, and of course, of our listings. And, over the past two years, I have accumulated quite a collection of local photos on my computer which have been extremely useful for our marketing.
I take my camera everywhere I go and even have a small digital camera that I carry in my purse so I'm always ready when the "right shot" presents itself. Our whole family enjoys photography so it's become a great family activity.
Here's some of the ways we use photos in promoting our business:
1.) Help Sell Your Listings - The most obvious of course, is to help sell our listings. Most buyers are starting their search on the Internet and they want to see photos and virtual tours of your listings - the more the better. They say a good photo is worth a thousand words, and that is definitely the case in real estate. One thing that made a big difference for us was investing in a wide-angle lens which helps photograph small spaces.
2.) Improve Your Blog Posts - Blog posts are more interesting to readers when they have appropriate photos. Developing your own collection of photos will help improve your blog and can save you money if you don't have to buy stock photos or clip art.
I subscribe to Gerry Khatchikian from Red Lodge, MT on ActiveRain, he is able to use his photography skills to create a lot of interest in his area and his blog! He even has some photo quizzes that are fun. Check out Gerry's blog for some great examples of using photos for blogging.
3.) Get Into Video - You can create a local video with your digital still photos in a matter of minutes. We like Real Estate Shows but there are other great sites out there that will help turn your photos into a short video. We also use a Flip video camera for some videos but still like to use digital stills. Once you create a local video, Real Estate Shows will upload it directly to your You Tube account, or you can save the video to your computer and create CD's or upload to other websites or blog posts.
4.) Create a Photo Blog of your local area and post a new photo on a regular interval. We started the photo blog I Love Missoulaa few months ago and have seen a huge increase in traffic to the site, which also links to our real estate site. If you tag your photos and use key-word rich titles, it will help optimize your search engine results.
We allow people in the community to submit their photos to us by email for possible use on the website. We are starting to get community photos and always give the sender credit, thanking them on the site.
5.) Post to Facebook - it's easy to create a photo album on your Facebook profile, so how about creating one of your local area? We have a photo album on Missoula, Missoula Nightlife, and Montana Living.
Another creative way to use your photos on Facebook is to create a Fan Page for your local area. You can post local photos and videos to your Fan Page OR submit a link to a great photo on your photo blog or regular blog. Fan Pages are easy to set up, and the best part - they're FREE!
Here's one of our Facebook Fan Pages - we have over 4500 fans in a short amount of time:
6.) Set up a Flickr Account - Flickr does an amazing job with search engines, and is a great way to showcase your photos. One important note however is to make sure you understand Flickr's Terms of Service - before you create an account - or you may end up disappointed. Flickr does not like the use of its site for commercial purposes. Make sure to read Matt's post, and understand what is and is not allowed on Flickr:
On Flickr, you are able to Geo Tag your photos so they will be even more likely to show up on Google when someone searches for that area or location. Groups are also helpful to join for networking and to gain exposure for your photos.
We have contacted local photographers on Flickr and asked for their permission to include one of their photos on our Photo Blog with a link back to them and have had success. Many times, people are flatttered by the request and it also helps to build community for your photo blog.
7.) Upload Photos of Local Businesses & Food to rating sites such as Yelp.com. We use this as an opportunity to try new restaurants and just take a few quick snapshots on our visit. You can rate your experience at the restaurant or business and upload your photos to help people in the community get a feel for the location.
The photos can also make a great blog post down the road - I love photos that I can multi-purpose! We've turned this into a bit of a game and use it as an excuse to order a great dessert occasionally or a special drink.
8.) Twitpic your photos or post them to Posterous - People love to look at photos and I'm still amazed at how many people click on photos when I send them across Twitter. Kevin uses Twitpic but I use a Posterous site that I set up - Missoula Real Estate.
Posterous tracks how many people view your photos and allows you to set it up so you can email a photo from your phone or computer to the site. Posterous can then automatically post your photo to your Posterous Blog, Twitter, Facebook and Flickr accounts - I told you, I LOVE TO MULTI-PURPOSE MY PICTURES! :) Posterous is a great way to automate posting to some of your sites.
It's fun to be creative in your marketing with the use of photos, and there are so many possibilities!
How do you use photos to promote your business? I'd love to hear what others are doing as well!
****************
Kevin and Monica Ray are Missoula Real Estate sales and marketing professionals for Access Realty in beautiful Western Montana. We provide services in, but not limited to: Missoula, Superior, Alberton, Saint Regis, Lolo, Clinton, Turah, Potomac, Florence, Corvallis, and Hamilton.
For more information on Missoula Real Estate or surrounding areas, they can be reached at 406-207-1185 or online at www.AccessRealty.net.
I love color. I'm also in the middle of changing up my branding and stumbled across this great little nugget. Although my colors have been chosen, now I at least know WHY I chose them..for how they made me feel. What do your colors say about you? Is this attracting your target market?
Join the conversation on our Facebook Fan Page! We'd love to see you there!
I think Broker Bryant and I were on the same "Virtual" kick today. I couldn't let this one get by..because he get's it!! The Virtual Real Estate Office business model is here, andf those that embrace it will continue to evolve with the technology!
Hi folks. Earlier this week Fernando Herboso wrote a post titled “The Future of Real Estate….I experienced yesterday”. If you haven’t already please take a few minutes to read his post. I’ll wait…………. OK....are you done?
Fernando's post is talking about having a real estate closing where the only time he met the Seller was at closing. The transaction was done mostly via email.
I was surprised in the comments of Fernando’s post how many agents thought this was risky or that it wouldn’t work. This has had me thinking for days now.
It’s made me realize how cutting edge my business model really is. My company Tutas Towne Realty is a virtual real estate business. What this means is I do not have an “office” and about 90% of my business is handled over the Internet. Selling and buying real estate with folks we have never met or spoken to.
In the last 30 days we had 10 closings. 9 Buyer sides and 1 listing side. Of the 9 Buyer sides we had actual "face to face" contact with ONE Buyer. I did meet the Seller although I hadn’t seen him in several months.
Out of the 8 Buyers, we didn’t meet face to face, we only spoke to ONE of them. All other communications were done by email only. Including the closings.
We showed ZERO properties before the offers were accepted. All offers were presented on properties we had not seen. They were foreclosures, short sales and some were regular listings.
The customers ALL got the properties they wanted and are extremely happy. We didn’t waste their time and they didn’t waste ours.
So you’re probably wondering how we do this. It’s simple. We market for experienced and qualified Buyers that are mostly out of the country. They are familiar with the area and they trust us to guide them in their purchase. We are brutally honest with them and we have systems in place to protect them.
We do “see” all properties before contracts are finalized. It could be me. It could be one of my agents. It could be one of our inspectors. But whoever it is we make sure to do a complete photo and video shoot that we then send to the Buyer.
We utilize Scribd.com to “send out” Short Sale Listing Packages.
I have numerous web sites set up to capture business. All potential customer/clients know how we work and have the option of not working with us.
So quit fighting the future and embrace it. If you think all Buyers and Sellers must see you “face to face” to do business then get over yourself. They really just want to buy and sell real estate. AND….they want it to be easy.
Yes, It's that time again..the time where I jump on my blog in excitement, when my little fingers can't type fast enough to get the word out, about a cool new tool!
As areal estate virtual assistant, not only am a booking my own consultations and appointments, I am often asked to manage a clients as well. Booking showings, phone calls, coaching sessions and marketing webinars and teleclasses is just few of the reasons why scheduling has become a very important tool for today's business owner and their team.
In the world of fast driving technology in real estate I have become one of the many who is seeking better tools for working virtually and for being a mobile professional. As we step outside our old office and into our home office/car office being productive and efficient is key. The more online tools that I can access and embed for my use the better:) Such as it is with Appointy.com. This makes scheduling appointments fun and VIRAL!!
SO WHAT MAKES APPOINTY SPECIAL? Check out the scenario below:
Ana searches for a real estate agent. She finds a local expert (YOU) and books an appointment instantly.
All of her 150 friends in the Appointy network and on other social networking sites like Facebook, Myspace, Hi5, Orkut, Friendster etc would get an update that she is going to meet her expert (YOU) on Sunday.
Eric, Ana’s friend decides to join Ana and books an appointment with the same expert (YOU) for another time. Again, Eric’s entire friend list got an update that he is going to meet the expert (YOU), by spreading word-of-mouth publicity virally. If you have 10 clients with 10 friends each, you already have 100 clients in your area. Appointy.com helps you get those 10 clients by registering you in our search engine from where first clients will reach you. Be prepared to scale your business exponentially! With the FREE account you get these features. (With paid versions there is added features)
A community of people will help your business grow exponentially. (New ways to grow your business)
An easy to use 24x7x365 online booking system (Your clients would enjoy taking appointments with you)
Daily, weekly and monthly availability in just one click (Ajax powered very clean Interface)
Unlimited Staff, Service & Bookings
Customer Relationship Management Tool (Export your data anytime in excel format)
INTEGRATE ON YOUR WEBSITE
Automatic Verification of client to stop false bookings*
Send text messages (SMS) or automated call alerts to clients (Appointment reminders to reduce client no-show, notes, offers, etc.)
Set your business hours based on the fact that each staff can perform service at different times of the day
Send courtesy "Thank You" message to your clients and accept ratings / feedback to improve your services.*
Multiple service booking at the same time
Allow your clients to select their preferred staff
Personalize your calendar by uploading your logo, business information, and interactive Google map of your location
Automatic appointment assignment to the most free resource. (If staff selected)
Set Service Dependency
Reschedule Appointments
I just think that these types of tools are the ones that will set up real estate offices and brokers of the future, putting the power of Social Media and online web tools together to build from ANYWHERE! It may not be for everyone, but its one type of service to get excited about.
(Disclaimer: Oh, and P.S. I do not get paid for any endorsements..! Please read all features and demos on the website for the most accurate info, thanks:)
I am very excited to be hosting this class to spread the word about this great network, the WEALTH of real estate knowledge, the new and beneficial features, and how making real, personal connections with new friends will create a dynamic aspect to your business.
Learn all about Active Rain; from getting started, optimizing your profile, points, blogging, joining groups, and taking advantage of all the tools it offers your business. By building your real estate education through ActiveRain you will learn brand new ways to assist your clients, and meet many new colleagues to call your friends along the way! What is better than that??
And while you're at it, check out the REVA Institute and all it has to offer to continue your education and support!
(Laura Monroe is the owner of Creative Agent Solutions, the founder of the Real Estate Virtual Assistants Group on Active Rain, and an active member since 2006. As one of the first real estate VAs to embrace Active Rain, Laura has successfully incorporated blogging and networking to create deeper personal relationships with clients and fellow real estate colleagues.)
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.
With the real estate industry evolving at the rate that it is, many agents have adapted to include the ability to be as mobile as possible. Gone are the days of meeting at the office or heading back to the office in order to get anything done. In fact, a good number of agents don’t even have an office. Their office has 4 doors, not just one…and it sports 4 wheels and bucket seats. 
4. Docusign – Or, some form of reliable electronic document signing and processing software. (If you don’t know what Docusign is, hit up 
As a blogger here on Active Rain it's obvious that we get excited over SEO, or 
Posted by 
8 Ways To Use Photos To Promote Your Business - and best of all, most of them are FREE or LOW COST!
3.) Get Into Video - You can create a local video with your digital still photos in a matter of minutes. We like Real Estate Shows but there are other great sites out there that will help turn your photos into a short video. We also use a Flip video camera for some videos but still like to use digital stills. Once you create a local video, Real Estate Shows will upload it directly to your You Tube account, or you can save the video to your computer and create CD's or upload to other websites or blog posts.
5.) Post to Facebook - it's easy to create a photo album on your Facebook profile, so how about creating one of your local area? We have a photo album on Missoula, Missoula Nightlife, and Montana Living.
7.) Upload Photos of Local Businesses & Food to rating sites such as 
8.) Twitpic your photos or post them to Posterous - People love to look at photos and I'm still amazed at how many people click on photos when I send them across Twitter. Kevin uses Twitpic but I use a Posterous site that I set up - 
Ana searches for a real estate agent. She finds a local expert (YOU) and books an appointment instantly.
;)
;)
