Mortgage Virtual Assistant Blog

Did you Know About this Office 2007 Add On?

Jackie - MortgageVirtualAssistant.com (770.469.7385) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 10:25:15 -0600

Did you know about this MS Office 2007 add-on?

JC Kiadii, Mortgage Virtual Assistance and Internet Marketing Services . 770-469-7385.

I teach a "What's New with Office 2007" course, to help people transitioning from Office 2003 to 2007. One of the features students (even those who've already worked with Office 2007) are surprised to learn about is the free add-on that allows you to create PDF files.

It's available from Microsoft at no cost. To download the PDF Writer, click here.

Once the PDF Writer is installed on your system, using it is a snap. Simply click the Office Button, select Save As, then PDF or XPS.

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JC Kiadii, Mortgage Virtual Assistance and Internet Marketing Services . 770-469-7385. Are you reaching out to the 87% of new buyers who start their search online? Our team provides results-driven mortgage Internet marketing services. Visit our website and sign up for the More Closings email newsletter to receive the report 6 Steps to More Referrals.

Word of the Week - Ignominious

Jackie - MortgageVirtualAssistant.com (770.469.7385) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 11:03:25 -0600

One of my favorite sources for multi-syllabic words is the BBC. I can always look forward to hearing a new word, or one I haven't heard in a long time.

The word of the week is - ignominious.

Ignominious, an adjective, is defined as "marked by or attended with ignominy; discreditable; humiliating: an ignominious retreat." Source: dictionary.com

Can you use the word ignominious in a sentence?

JC Kiadii, Mortgage Virtual Assistance and Internet Marketing Services . 770-469-7385.

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Business Organization for the Mortgage Broker - A $0.75 Productivity Tool

Jackie - MortgageVirtualAssistant.com (770.469.7385) — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 09:25:56 -0600

Business Organization for the Mortgage Broker - A $0.75 Productivity Tool

I am always on the lookout for tips mortgage professionals can use to simply and organize their business. The more affordable these tools are, the better.

Here's a business productivity tool I use, and it only costs 75 cents - it's the post-it note.

Yes, I admit it. The idea that a post-it note can help you be more organized seems odd. In most time management and goal setting classes, we are encouraged to stop using post-it notes as to-do lists, and instead organize our to-do-lists in one place. I wholeheartedly agree with that advice.

I use post-it notes in other ways.

To create processes and systems.

When I am working on documenting or systematizing a particular part of my business, I find that writing the steps on post-it notes makes the process easier and more efficient. I don't have to focus on which step comes first, etc., all I do is write each step on a post-it note. I post the notes on a clean surface (ex., a whiteboard). Once I'm done, I can organize the notes, discard the ones that don't fit, and then enter the steps into my computer. Using post-it notes easily cuts the time I spend documenting processes in half.

Here are 2 ways I've used post-it notes to create systems.

To create the step-by-step system to use to help my mortgage clients improve their search engine optimization results.

For my annual business brain dump. When I launched my business over 8 years ago, I participated in an excellent, in-depth entrepreneurial training program. This program included a "brain dump" exercise, where we were supposed to write down every thing involved in running a business. This exercise had a two-fold purpose: (1) to come up with an accurate estimate of how much time you need to spend in and on your business and (b) to start thinking of tasks you can outsource.
To tag my notebooks.

I use a hybrid system of Outlook tasks and a spiral bound notebook. All of my to-do items go into tasks, and my daily notes go into my spiral bound notebook. Each notebook, then, is a record of my activities during a particular time period. Occasionally, I'll jot something in my notebook when I don't have the time to type it into my computer.

So, give this mortgage productivity tool a good look.

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Mortgage Email Marketing Tip - The Best Time to Launch an Email Newsletter

Jackie - MortgageVirtualAssistant.com (770.469.7385) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 15:54:25 -0600

JC Kiadii, Mortgage Virtual Assistance and Internet Marketing Services . 770-469-7385.

For several years, I have provided email marketing services to help mortgage professionals attract and convert leads.

In addition to customizing email newsletter templates, setting up auto-responders, developing ezine content, and building subscriber lists, I also check open rates to recognize email response patterns.

One of my most surprising findings is that the best time to launch your email marketing program is during a holiday season. It can be any holiday - Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, or the Christmas and New Year's season.

Do not use the holiday themed email newsletter to market your services - instead, send a simple holiday greeting and include a link to your website. Why? People are inundated by, and therefore resistant to, marketing messages. People cannot seem to resist opening an email with a holiday themed subject line such as "Happy Thanksgiving."

The high open rates allow you to introduce your new mortgage email marketing newsletter to a receptive audience. That way, your audience won't be surprised when they get future email newsletters advertising your services.

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Prepare for Microsoft Excel 2007 Certification - Comprehensive Excel Training Class in Atlanta, GA

Jackie - MortgageVirtualAssistant.com (770.469.7385) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 15:53:38 -0600

Excel 2007 Comprehensive Class - 5 Sessions - 17.5 hours.

A comprehensive MS Excel 2007 course, covering Excel functions, formatting, PivotTables, PivotCharts and more. Ideally suited for job seekers. This course covers objectives included in the Microsoft Certified Application Specialist (MCAS) Exam 77-602.

Dates: January 11 - 15, 2010
Times: 2:00 pm - 5:30 pm

Location: Marietta, GA

Complete course details found here: http://atlanta-excel-2007-class.eventbrite.com/

What Students Say:
Learning how to use Excel spreadsheets has enabled me to record and interpret data in a MUCH FASTER and more efficient way. I had been putting off how to use Excel, and Jackie greatly relieved my anxiety by showing me the ropes of Excel and making it easy for me to learn.

D. Redding, M.D.

Registration Options:

Register online by visiting this page: http://atlanta-excel-2007-class.eventbrite.com/
To register via fax (MC / VISA) or check, download the registration form: http://www.probiztechnology.com/pcc_creditauth_class.pdf
Ask us to bring this class to your location http://www.probiztechnology.com/contact.htm.
Inquire about 1-to-1 training options: http://www.probiztechnology.com/contact.htm.
Subscribe to our email newsletter to receive exclusive discounts: http://www.probiztechnology.com/ezine.htm

Why attend this Excel 2007 training course?

The curriculum used in this course covers objectives included in the Microsoft Certified Application Specialist (MCAS) Exam 77-602.
The affordable fee, over $200 less than comparable classes, includes your textbooks and hands-on training.
As one of the most popular software programs, Excel skills are in high demand, and employers are looking for employees with proven Excel skills.
By attending this class, you will learn valuable shortcuts and tips to help you save time and increase your efficiency.
This course takes you step-by-step from beginning to advanced Excel skills.
Your instructor has over 15 years of Excel experience, and can provide real-world training.
No boring theory. Instead, we'll use case studies and hands on exercises.
This course is limited to 10 students, providing you the opportunity to get 1-on-1 assistance.

Quickbooks Training - Atlanta - Computer-Based, Small Class Size

Jackie - MortgageVirtualAssistant.com (770.469.7385) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 02:38:52 -0600

Quickbooks Courses Offered in Tucker (Atlanta) Georgia - Evening & Weekend Classes

For additional information, visit http://www.QuickbooksTrainingAtlanta.com.

This course is eligible for Continuing Professional Education (CPE) Credits.

Why attend this Atlanta Quickbooks training class?

These quickbooks classes are taught by a tech-savvy acccountant with 15 years' experience. You not only learn the technical side of QuickBooks, you also learn fundamental accounting practices.
Small class sizes (limited to 8 students), so you get the benefit of personalized attention.
Computer-based training. Each student gets their own workstation, so it makes it easy to follow along with the class.
Affordably priced classes to fit in your budget. This course is $100 less than most classes in the area.
All Quickbooks classes are conducted at an Inuit approved training centerconveniently located near Lavista Road and I285 in Atlanta.
All classes use Intuit approved curriculum, and your Quickbooks class tuition includes Intuit approved textbooks.
Quickbooks classes are held on evenings and weekends, perfect for someone with a busy schedule.
Quickbooks Certification Exam at 50% off the price.
Free 140-day trial of Quickbooks Pro 2009.

For additional information about the class, please click here or visit QuickbooksTrainingAtlanta.com.
Toregister for the next weekend Atlanta Quickbooks training class, click here.

Next Class December 2009 Weekends:
Date(s): 2 consecutive Saturdays and Sundays
December 5, 6, 12, 13
Time: 9:00 am to 1:00 pm

My $3 Productivity Tool

Jackie - MortgageVirtualAssistant.com (770.469.7385) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 07:26:03 -0600

It seems as if we are on a never-ending quest to accomplish more in less time. Email, smart-phones, to-do lists -- each tool we acquire has to be learned and managed, which in turn leaves us with even less time.

Whenever I find a tip or tool that works, I share it in case you can use it also.

For several years, this tool has helped me be more productive, and the great part is - it costs less than $3!

What is it, you ask? A kitchen timer!

Photo Source: Kevin C on flickr

Here are a couple of ways I use the kitchen timer:

To focus on tasks that need to be completed ASAP. There's just something about knowing that alarm is about to go off that makes you more efficient. I set the timer when it's time to file paperwork, for example, work as fast as I can, and get that lovely feeling of accomplishment when its done.
To increase my speed. Although I can come up with good work when I'm inspired, alas, I am the world's slowest writer. Considering the fact that I maintain 2 blogs, 2 ezines, and write for other websites, this is not good. So, after revieiwing my topic, I set the timer for 15 or 30 minutes and work as fast as until the timer goes off.

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Word of the Week - Sanguine

Jackie - MortgageVirtualAssistant.com (770.469.7385) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:26:42 -0600

Welcome to this installment of the Word of the Week. This week's word is an eight-letter word that starts with an s. According to dictionary.com, the word means "cheerfully optimistic, hopeful or confident."

This photo is available under a creative commons license. D. Sharon Pruitt is the original owner of the photo.

The word of the week is sanguine.

It is easy to be sanguine when things are going well, but it takes an inner core of strength, of faith to be sanguine as you face what can only be described as terrifying choices and challenges. A sanguine person believes that no matter what happens, it's for the best. A sanguine person doesn't fuss or fret. A sanguine person handles pain and loss with grace.

Music for the sanguine:

Al Green - Everything is Going to be Alright

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Word of the Week - Indefatigable

Jackie - MortgageVirtualAssistant.com (770.469.7385) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 06:20:57 -0600

Close to 20 years ago, a group of us formed a Toastmaster's chapter at our company.

One of the key elements of Toastmasters is that everyone had to have a job. My favorite was grammarian, where I delighted in coming up with obscure, multi-syllabic words to amuse my rest of the group. All week, I'd have people throughout the building yelling out the word (ex., obstreperous) whenever they saw me. What can I say, we were silly.

In honor of my brief tenure as grammarian, I introduce to you a new blog feature: Jackie's word of the week.

This week's word is indefatigable.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/79286287@N00/ / CC BY 2.0

Source: Beyond the Wall by Giuseppe Bognanni

According to dictionary.com, indefatigable means

"incapable of being tired out; not yielding to fatigue; untiring."

I simply love this word, and it is certainly appropriate for these challenging times. Here are 3 reasons why "indefatigable" is a favorite.

Being indefatigable unleashes a reserve of strength you never knew you had. While talking to one of my power partners a few months ago, I found myself explaining that I wasn't going to worry about obstacles. Instead, I was going to channel the hard headed child I used to be and just keep on going. I. will. not. stop. Just saying those words transformed me. Reflecting on that sentiment keeps me encouraged and focused.
Being indefatigable neutralizes the haters. According to urbandictionary.com, a hater is "A person that simply cannot be happy for another person's success. So rather than be happy they make a point of exposing a flaw in that person." We all have our share of hates, the wet blankets of the world who delight in trying their best to stamp out joy.

There is nothing like moving ahead, no matter what, that discourages haters and makes them move on to bother someone else. Once or twice I have had to look a hater in the eye and sweetly say "I just won't stop. As long as the Lord wakes me up in good health and in my right mind, I just won't stop." I encourage you to try this - if for no other reason than to see the expression on that person's face.
Being indefatigable leads to success. Sooner or later, if you won't quit, you will achieve success. You may not achieve success in your chosen goal, but the habit of stick-to-itness will reap results, sometimes in an area you never imagined.

Music for the indefatigable (the links take you to the youtube videos).

Break my Stride - Matthew Wilder

Makin' It - David Naughton
Okay, I'll admit. This disco ditty probably fits the bill as egotistical rather than indefatigable, but it beat is good.

Work That - Mary J. Blige

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Another Timely Mortgage Blog Topic Idea

Jackie - MortgageVirtualAssistant.com (770.469.7385) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 20:51:39 -0500

By JC Kiadii, Virtual Assistance & Internet Marketing for Mortgage Professionals

Looking for a topical, timely topic for your mortgage blog?

Here's an idea.

Tomorrow, October 15, 2009 is the ABA's Get Smart About Credit day. Although designed for students, you can tie-in to this day by creating a blog post (or series) on credit management.

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Quickbooks Courses Offered in Tucker (Atlanta) Georgia - Evening & Weekend Classes

Jackie - MortgageVirtualAssistant.com (770.469.7385) — Sun, 04 Oct 2009 08:18:27 -0500

Why attend this Atlanta Quickbooks training class?

These quickbooks classes are taught by a tech-savvy acccountant with 15 years' experience. You not only learn the technical side of QuickBooks, you also learn fundamental accounting practices.
Small class sizes (limited to 8 students), so you get the benefit of personalized attention.
Computer-based training. Each student gets their own workstation, so it makes it easy to follow along with the class.
Affordably priced classes to fit in your budget. This course is $100 less than most classes in the area.
All Quickbooks classes are conducted at an Inuit approved training centerconveniently located near Lavista Road and I285 in Atlanta.
All classes use Intuit approved curriculum, and your Quickbooks class tuition includes Intuit approved textbooks.
Quickbooks classes are held on evenings and weekends, perfect for someone with a busy schedule.
Quickbooks Certification Exam at 50% off the price.
Free 140-day trial of Quickbooks Pro 2009.

For additional information about the class, please click here or visit QuickbooksTrainingAtlanta.com.
Toregister for the next weekend Atlanta Quickbooks training class, click here.

Next Class October 2009 Weekends:
Date(s): 2 consecutive Saturdays and Sundays
October 17, 18, 24, 25
Time: 9:00 am to 1:00 pm

Next Class October 2009 Evenings:
Date(s): Monday - Friday
October 19 - 23, 2009
Time: 7:00 pm - 10:15 pm

Online Marketing & IT Seminars (No Cost) at the Atlanta West End Library

Jackie - MortgageVirtualAssistant.com (770.469.7385) — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 03:53:49 -0500

All courses will be held at the Atlanta Fulton County Library

West End Branch
525 Peeples St SW
Atlanta, GA 30310-1823
(404) 752-8741

QUESTIONS?? Please call the library (404) 752-8741

October 5 - 6:00 pm - Affordable, Effective Online Marketing

Online marketing is an extremely effective way to reach a wide audience. Many online marketing methods are affordable, and do not require a website. Learn proven ways to market your business or organization online.
No cost, registration required: http://online-marketing-we.eventbrite.com

October 19 - 6:00 pm - What you should know before you establish a website:

This seminar covers essential information business owners should have before they hire a web designer or build their own website. Topics covered include: 6 steps to a successful website, 3 requirements for a persuasive website, the questions you should ask a web designer and more.
No cost, registration required: http://websites-we.eventbrite.com/

November 2 - 6:00 pm - What's new with Office 2007

Microsoft Office 2007 has a completely different interface from previous versions. Attend this seminar to learn how to share your files with Office 2003 users, how to navigate the ribbon, and more. This seminar will explore new features in Word, Excel, and Outlook 2007.
No cost, registration required: http://office-2007-we.eventbrite.com

Affordable, Effective Mortgage Lead Generation - Pt 4 - Active Rain Blogs

Jackie - MortgageVirtualAssistant.com (770.469.7385) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 23:05:35 -0500

Mortgage Lead Generation: Play in the Rain

By JC Kiadii, Virtual Assistance & Internet Marketing for Mortgage Professionals

The final installment in a 4-part series exploring innovative, affordable mortgage lead generation tactics that work!

How your Active Rain blog generates leads.

Active Rain is extremely search engine friendly.

If search engines love blogs, they really love Active Rain.

I mentioned in the third post in this series on the lead generation benefits of mortgage email marketing that the top 2 activities on the web are checking email and search. You may have also heard that at least 8 out of 10 mortgage prospects begin their search for professional assistance online.

Posting search engine (and prospect) friendly content on Active Rain is a proven way to get leads to find you.

I hold 4 spots in the top 10 search results for one of my targeted keywords, and 2 of those top 4 spots come from active rain.
Active Rain is a phenomenal learning environment.

If you want to boost your marketing mojo, Active Rain is one of the best places to learn. Members share strategies and tips on a vast number of topics, including sharing leads.

Mortgage Lead Generation Series Recap

Part 1 - Focus
Part 2 - Increase High Quality Referrals with a Power Partner (or two)
Part 3 - Email Marketing
Part 4 - Active Rain Blog

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Affordable, Effective Mortgage Lead Generation - Pt 3 - Email Marketing

Jackie - MortgageVirtualAssistant.com (770.469.7385) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 22:29:05 -0500

Mortgage Lead Generation: Email Marketing Still Works

By JC Kiadii, Virtual Assistance & Internet Marketing for Mortgage Professionals

Part 3 of a 4-part series exploring innovative, affordable mortgage lead generation tactics that work!

Has this happened to you? You get a call from someone you never heard of who is the market for a mortgage. When you ask them where they heard of you, they say "I'm a friend of _____'s and she always sends me a copy of your email newsletter. I've been reading it for months."

Welcome to the power of email marketing, and the reason why it is still one of the most effective and affordable lead generation tools.

Why email marketing still works for mortgage businesses.

It is an incredibly cost-effective way to reach the most people.

Studies show that "checking email" is still one of the top two online activities. (The other is search). A prospect who knows nothing of RSS feeds and would not dream of hanging out on Facebook still has an email account that he or she checks regularly.

Marketing research proves that it takes 7 touches to turn an interested prospect into a client. Let's assume you have a database of 500 prospects. Communicating with them 7 times will cost you $1,540. Let's say you send your mortgage email newsletter twice a month. Contacting the same list 7 times can cost you as little as $80. That's a savings of almost $1,500!
It doesn't require as much maintenance as some social media activities.
If you create a high quality, interesting and engaging email newsletter, you can maintain your connection with your mortgage prospects by sending your newsletter twice a month. It would be almost impossible to maintain your connections with your social media friends if you only logged into Facebook or twitter a couple of times a month.
It has great viral potential.
Each of us has an estimated 200 people in our sphere of influence. With a click of a button, your recipients can share your email newsletter with anyone they wish, and keep a copy for themselves. Contrast that with direct mail.
It has an impressive return on investment.
The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) estimates email marketing's return on investment at $45.32. That's not a bad return on investment, especially in challenging economic times.

Does all email marketing work? Unfortunately not. Focus on sending an engaging email newsletter to a your targeted, permission-based list and I guarantee you an increase in mortgage leads.
Stay tuned for the last part of the 4-part mortgage lead generation series.

Mortgage Lead Generation Series

Part 1 - Focus
Part 2 - Increase High Quality Referrals with a Power Partner (or two)
Part 3 - Email Marketing

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Affordable, Effective Mortgage Lead Generation - Pt 2 - Power Partners

Jackie - MortgageVirtualAssistant.com (770.469.7385) — Sat, 22 Aug 2009 13:45:15 -0500

Mortgage Lead Generation: Increase High Quality Referrals with a Power Partner (or Two)

By JC Kiadii, Virtual Assistance & Internet Marketing for Mortgage Professionals

Part 2 of a 4-part series exploring innovative, affordable mortgage lead generation tactics that work!

Are you looking for effective ways to market your mortgage business without spending a fortune? Here's an idea - get a power partner (or two).

What is a power partner?

A power partner is someone you meet with consistently over a defined period of time, as you work towards accomplishing specific goals.

I initially started working with power partners as a way of increasing my productivity. There is something about knowing I have to account for my progress once a week that puts some pep in my productivity.

I discovered a surprising benefit of working with power partners - in addition to increasing my productivity, current and former power partners are a consistent source of high quality leads and referrals. As we work together, we get to know each others' businesses. It helps us identify and refer high quality prospects to each other.

Power Partner Guidelines

Make sure you are equally yoked.
By "equally yoked," I mean you should choose a power partner that is just as committed to their business as you. It is also important to pick someone you can trust, because you may be sharing information you don't want to get in the hands of your competitors.

Keep your group small.
Since we only meet for an hour once a week, I've found its better when there are no more than 3 people in a group.

Have a focus or theme.
I actually have 3 power partnerships; each with a specific theme. In the first one, we work on 90 day goals. The second one is all about exploring ways to generate passive, recurring revenue. My third power partner and I are working on a specific project, which we will announce very soon.

Set a time limit.
Since I'm a big fan of 90 day goals, most of my partnerships are for a 90-day time span. Our weekly phone conferences are no more than 1 hour.

Assign a scribe, and have an agenda.
One power partner and I trade note-taking duties. One week I'm the scribe, the next she is. For another partnership, I am the scribe 100% of the time. An agenda goes out after each meeting, and before the next. The agenda clearly states the action items we each have pledged to completed.

Keep your word, and make the partnership a priority.
Always be on time for your meetings, and be consistent about achieving your action items. The more you are able to prove to your partner that you are "on the ball," the higher the likelihood they will recommend you to their sphere of influence.

Use technology, where appropriate.
There are a ton of no-cost project management tools online, where you can keep track of milestones, tasks, emails, documents and much more. If you and your partner are tech-savvy, consider exploring and using these tools.

Give more than you take.
Hold your partner accountable for accomplishing his or her goals. Actively seek ways to help your partner grow his or her business.

Rinse and Repeat.
You can repeat the cycle with the same partner, or start one with another.

Imagine this - you work with 4 power partners over the next year. At the end, you will not only have accomplished more than you dreamed possible, your mortgage lead generation will be on auto-pilot with at least 4 referral sources who are in the position to send you high quality prospects from their spheres of influence.

Stay tuned for issue 3 of this series.

Mortgage Lead Generation Series

Part 1 - Focus
Part 2 - Increase High Quality Referrals with a Power Partner (or two)

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Affordable, Effective Mortgage Lead Generation - Pt 1 - Focus

Jackie - MortgageVirtualAssistant.com (770.469.7385) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 10:52:10 -0500

By JC Kiadii, Virtual Assistance & Internet Marketing for Mortgage Professionals

Part 1 of a 4-part series exploring innovative, affordable mortgage lead generation tactics that work!

Mortgage professionals (especially independent brokers) are in somewhat of a pickle.

Increasingly stringent guidelines have narrowed the field of potential borrowers.
Seemingly capricious stips make can make it difficult to get the clients you have to closing. In days gone by, a well organized mortgage professional could anticipate underwriting conditions and prepare files accordingly. Nowadays, even the most prepared originator is dealing with stips that seem to come out of left field.
Fewer closings mean a smaller mortgage marketing budget, yet stopping your lead generation is the absolute worst thing you can do. Fact: The marketing you do today will determine your closings 2-6 months from now. If you take a marketing hiatus, it is going to take twice as long to get back on track.

With the mortgage market the way it is, it's more important than ever to make every marketing cent count.

In this 4-part series, I'll share 4 of the over 30 (and counting) innovative, effective and affordable mortgage lead generation tactics in my arsenal.

Part 1 - You have to start with a focus.

We've already established the fact that marketing funds are tight. This is why it is critical that you have a focus for your mortgage marketing, so that you are not pulled in many different directions, wasting precious funds.

When I say focus and plan, people cringe. They think of hours spent slogging over some voluminous marketing plan document document; nothing could be further from the truth.

All I mean is that you, at a minimum, should know the type of business (or client) that you are trying to attract.

The easiest way to determine this is to think of your favorite client(s).

How did they find you?
What was their mortgage program (FHA, VA, Conventional, etc)?
What was their market type (first-time homebuyer, second property, investment, jumbo)?
What is their demographic profile (2-income family, single female, recent college graduate)?
What did you like so much about working with this client?
Where do they hang out (off and online)?

Answering these questions will help you focus on a particular niche.

Does focusing mean you will turn away other business? Absolutely not! But without a focus, you are doomed to run helter skelter in many directions.

I hope you continue to follow this series - Affordable, Effective Mortgage Lead Generation.

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Outlook 2007 - Use Templates to Increase your Efficiency

Jackie - MortgageVirtualAssistant.com (770.469.7385) — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 09:15:19 -0500

By JC Kiadii, Virtual Assistance & Online Marketing for Mortgage Professionals

One of my clients has a series of 3 follow-up emails he sends to new clients. You could put the emails in an autoresponder, but I find it simpler to use Outlook 2007's Quick Parts to create templates that I can edit and use over and over again.

Additional tips are provided in my Webinar - Cleaning Inbox Clutter.

Other great uses for Quick Parts are standard emails such as:

directions to your office,
what to bring to the closing table,
thanks for the referral,
answers to frequently asked questions, etc.

Step 1 - Create and Save your QuickParts Message.

Start a new email message.
Type the text you want to use (ex., directions to your office).
Click the Insert tab, and then Click Quick Parts.
Select Save Selection to Quick Part Gallery.

Step 2 - Use your Quick Parts Message

Start the email you want to type.
Click Quick Parts under the Insert Tab.
The Quick Parts you've saved will be on a list. Select the first one you want to use.
Repeat the process until you've selected all the QuickParts you want to use in your email.
Address and send your message.

For Outlook 2003 Instructions, click here.

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JC Kadii, Mortgage Virtual Assistance and Online Marketing Services . 770-469-7385. Are you reaching out to the 87% of new buyers who start their search online? Our team provides results-driven mortgage Internet marketing services. Visit our website and sign up for the More Closings email newsletter to receive the report 6 Steps to More Referrals.

Mortgage Marketing Tip: Answering this 1 Question will Keep your Marketing Consistent

Jackie - MortgageVirtualAssistant.com (770.469.7385) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 09:16:58 -0500

Mortgage Marketing Tip: Answering this 1 Question will Keep your Marketing Consistent.

By JC Kadii, Virtual Assistance & Online Marketing for Mortgage Professionals

Marketing consistently is a challenge we all face. Jay Conrad Levinson, the Godfather of Guerrilla Marketing, said that the #1 marketing mistake is lack of consistency.

Being inconsistent in your marketing can have catastrophic results in your business. On average, when you take a hiatus from marketing, it takes twice as much time to get back up to speed. So, let's say you do no marketing for 2 months. For those 2 months, everything is fine while you reap the rewards of your previous marketing efforts. As the 2 months come to an end, however, you see that the number of prospects in your pipeline has dwindled to near zero. Now you find yourself in the unenviable position of having to somehow generate enough business to stay afloat for the next 4 months while you regain your marketing momentum.

In a previous blog post, Mortgage Marketing Tip: Removing Marketing Roadblocks, I shared strategies for increasing your marketing consistency.

Here's another strategy: ask the question "Why?" When you make a list of your marketing activities, include a line that explains why you chose this particular strategy. Whenever you feel the temptation to not go through with a particular marketing task, this question and answer will help you stay on track.

Here are a few real life examples (names changed).

Ann is a loan originator in Huntsville, AL. She decides to launch an email newsletter to promote her mortgage business. After deciding to take the plunge, Ann makes this list to answer the question "Why?"

Email marketing is a low cost way to stay in contact with her sphere of influence.
She can track clicks and open rates and use them to fine tune her marketing messages, or target offers to specific groups.
She can at least double the ROI on her direct mail marketing methods. Since everyone is getting her email newsletter, she can save on her postage costs by sending direct mail to a smaller group consisting of referral sources and previous clients.

David, an Atlanta based mortgage broker, volunteers to chair a new committee for a community based group. Here's his list of reasons:

He enjoys participating in this group, and chairing a committee means he's made a commitment to get more involved.
Chairing a committee increases his exposure to an emerging market, one that he believes will experience a lot of growth in 2010.

So, when you make a list of marketing activities, make sure to list the answer to the question "Why?"
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http://www.twitter.com/mortgageva

JC Kadii, Mortgage Virtual Assistance and Online Marketing Services . 770-469-7385. Are you reaching out to the 70% of new buyers who start their search online? Our team provides results-driven mortgage Internet marketing services. Visit our website and sign up for the More Closings email newsletter to receive the report 6 Steps to More Referrals.

Atlanta Microsoft Excel Training - Excel Functions & Formulas (October 10, 2009)

Jackie - MortgageVirtualAssistant.com (770.469.7385) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 09:10:56 -0500

Are you an Atlanta Excel user experiencing these challenges?

You feel as if you are barely scratching the surface of Excel's capabilities.
You know there is a better, quicker, faster way to accomplish your tasks in Excel, but you're just not sure how.
You want to propel your productivity by learning shortcuts or little used Excel formulas.
You have tried working with formulas, only to end up with incorrect answers.

Then this class, Excel 2003 Functions and Formulas is for you.

Our hands-on, computer-based Excel training class is limited to 8 students in our metro Atlanta (Tucker) facility. With this intimate class size, you get the benefit of personal attention at an affordable price.

Details:
Date: Saturday, October 10, 2009
Time: 9:00 am to 4:00 pm (1 hour lunch)
Location: Near Lavista Road and I-285
Tucker, GA 30084
Tuition: $129 - $149
Your tuition includes your training manual and practice CD.

Click on the link for additional information, including topics covered in the next Atlanta Excel Functions training class.

Cant attend this session? Want to take the class online?
If you are interested us bringing this class to your location, or taking the course online, please click here to complete our online contact form.

Is Outsourcing your Mortgage Blogging Cheating?

Jackie - MortgageVirtualAssistant.com (770.469.7385) — Wed, 29 Jul 2009 05:56:49 -0500

By JC Kadii, Virtual Assistance & Online Marketing for Mortgage Professionals

There is always a lot of debate about this question on Active Rain - should you outsource your blogging?

The Purists

For those who say "Absolutely not!" it's a matter of integrity. They feel as if your blog should affect your authentic voice.

The Realists

For those who say "Why not?" it's a matter of expediency. They say "I'm a mortgage broker, not a blogger!" They feel that just because they don't have the time to blog, they shouldn't be shut out of experiencing the benefits of blogging.

I say, "It doesn't have to be an either/or proposition." It is possible to outsource some blog tasks and maintain your authenticity. Here are a 7 specific ways a virtual assistant can help you keep your mortgage blog content fresh.

A virtual assistant can help you:

Flesh out your ideas.
So, you have a great idea for a blog topic. You write it in your blog idea notebook, and there it sits and withers for months and months. One day you log into Active Rain and not only has someone else written a similar topic - it's featured! Dont' let this happen to you. Write your blog ideas, include a few outline points, and hand it over to your virtual assistant. Let him (or her) flesh out your ideas and give it back to you for review.

Get search engine love.
Search engine love helps bring clients to you. Your virtual assistant can take your blog post and optimize the title and content for your keywords, include links to your other web sites, and much more.

Make sure your slip isn't showing.
Proofreading your own work is tough. Have you had an occasion where you read and re-read a blog post, only to find a glaring error after publishing it? The way I've found to prevent this from happening is to read the post out loud, word by word, finger (or mouse pointer) over each word. But what if you don't have the time? Simply outsource this task to a virtual assistant. I submit my clients' articles to a great editor who has a Master's degree in English so that she can take one last look before it goes live.
Get your post the highest visibility in the Active Rain community.
I am not sure how many groups and channels are on AR at this point, but I know there are a ton. Navigating them can take time. If you are in the habit of posting to the same old groups, you may be missing opportunities for exposure to other audiences. Your virtual assistant can assign your post to the approrpriate groups and channels.

Research Topics.
There's a lot going on in the mortgage industry. It seems as if not a month passes that you don't hear of yet another bright idea piece of legislation that is supposed to help the consumer. Your VA can help research trends, and provide well-sourced research that you can use to write your blog posts.

Add some bling.
Okay, I'm guilty. I don't put pictures in my blog because I don't have the time. My focus is on goal #1, to get something posted. If I have time to add pictures, great! If I don't, it just doesn't happen. You can have your VA add fonts, pictures, and other bling-a-bling-bling to your blog posts to engage the interests of your readers.

Suggest Content.
Your VA, especially if he or she specializes in the mortgage industry, comes across information all of the time about industry trends or topics that may be of interest to your clients. By providing you this information, they help keep your content fresh and relevant.

I would caution you about this: no matter how good they are, never let your virtual assistant pull the trigger on your blog posts. Your VA can put the finishing touches on your blog posts and save them as drafts. All you have to do is login, make one final review, and change the status from Draft to Public, Associates or Members Only and you're done!

I hope these 7 ideas demonstrate my point - that getting help with your blogging doesn't have to involve dishonesty. Use 1 or all of them, and let me know how they work.

How do you outsource your blogging and maintain authencity?

Don't miss the next post - Subscribe to this blog and get updates in your email.

http://www.twitter.com/mortgageva

JC Kadii, Mortgage Virtual Assistance and Online Marketing Services . 770-469-7385. Are you reaching out to the 70% of new buyers who start their search online? Our team provides results-driven mortgage internet marketing services. Visit our website and sign up for the More Closings email newsletter to receive the report 6 Steps to More Referrals.

Learn how to quickly generate topics & save time with your Mortgage Blog - Aug 11 Webinar

Jackie - MortgageVirtualAssistant.com (770.469.7385) — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 23:51:14 -0500

Did you know that 7 out of 10 real estate and mortgage leads are generated from the Internet?

Are you unsure what a blog is or how to use it to generate business?

Want to blog but aren't sure where to start?

Did you start a blog, only to abandon it because you didn't have enough time to maintain it?

Are you stumped for engaging topics for your blog?

Our next Keys to Successful Mortgage Blogs webinar will be held on August 11, 2009.

Date: Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Time: 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm (Eastern)

Place:Webinar - Online

Fee:
$25 Early registration (by July 31, 2009)
$38 registration

For additional information about the next Keys to Successful Mortgage Blogs webinar, click here.

I Have No Time to Blog - Here are Some Suggestions to Conguer That Excuse

Jackie - MortgageVirtualAssistant.com (770.469.7385) — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 08:10:27 -0500

I can't help myself. Everytime I meet someone who is in the mortgage business, two of the questions I ask are "How are you marketing online?" and "Do you have a blog?" With over 80% of new business coming from the Internet, and the love search engines continue to show blogs, blogging seems like a no-brainer.

I am appalled at the number of mortgage professionals I meet who are reluctant to take advantage of blogging's many benefits. So appalled, in fact, that I developed a webinar to teach mortgage professionals easy, doable ways to overcome blogging roadblocks.

Jeff offers wonderful tips on how to conquer the excuse of "I have no time to blog." While I do not agree with his views on guest bloggers (there are ways to get help to finish your blog posts AND maintain your authentic voice), I think his tips will help anyone who is struggling to get their blogging done.

Let me add two more ideas:

When keeping the list of blog topic ideas, include a few notes. I use a mindmap to sketch the outline of a topic while it is "hot" on my mind. That way, when I'm ready to work on the article, I already have a starting point.
Use "google alerts" to stay on top of breaking news in your niche or geographic area. Offering your take on an existing blog post or article is a good way to get quick blog content (of course, you must always provide proper credit to the orginal author, and include a link).

JC Kadii, Virtual Assistance & Online Marketing for Mortgage Professionals

Via Jeff Dowler ~ Carlsbad Real Estate ~ 760-840-1360 (RE/MAX Associates (DRE Lic. # 01490977)):

I have often heard, from experienced and new bloggers, that they have no time to blog.

Some use it as a reason to not get started

Others fade into the sunset soon after beginning

And those of us at it for awhile often find it hard to take the time when other things are flying at us faster than we care to think about

So how to do you conquer that excuse that you have no time to blog?

In some cases I think it is a commitment issue. Those who truly understand the value and the power of blogging find the time - it's part of their marketing plan, and they make it work because of the ROI and ROE (that's return on effort, or perhaps ROT, return on time). And it may take the place of those marketing efforts that cost money and yield little or nothing. Get rid of those and you will have the time. I'm preaching to the choir here.

But time management is always a struggle, and with the unpredictability that can come in our business, even when expectations are set, time is precious.

Here are some ideas that may help:

Set aside time to write when you can. Often the excuse of no time is due to lack of scheduling. But not always. However if you do some planning (it IS part of your marketing PLAN, is it not?) it will work. Time has a way of getting filled by other stuff that may be less important. Drinking the morning coffee and writing can be a time saver, provide you are awake enough. And if you make it planful, instead of an afterthought, you will find the time.

Use down time, such as a slow open house, to write - I can bat out 2-3 articles (or at least drafts) if I am not over-run with buyers and looky loos. Then I have a few days of articles almost ready to go.

Keep a list or a file of ideas. Sometimes it's hard to come up with an idea on the spot - why waste time thinking about it if you have a file folder with newspaper clippings, post-its and notes of all your terrific blog ideas.

Use existing marketing pieces, with some editing (no plagiarizing) for an article or a series. Why recreate something that already exists? What's in your pre-listing kit? Your buyer counseling file?

Keep in mind the standard questions that buyers and sellers ask and answer them in a post. You get a great article and you can send the link to folks who will be interested. Look at all the emails you write with answers to questions - there's a wealth of topics in those emails.

Use guest bloggers - how about asking vendors your work with to write articles for your blog. You can write a brief intro, then paste in their article (with the appropriate credit and links to their site) and presto it's done. Not only do you save time but you foster a relationship, readers get a new viewpoint and learn something, and you both may get some SEO advantage or a lead or two. I used a mold company owner I know for 3-4 articles, and a friend who is an organizing consultant for at least 4 articles.

Use technology - I use Voice Cloud (which transcribes my voice mail to text in an email) to record short posts, or several voice mails. Once I get the email I copy and paste the text, edit it, and I'm done. Of course this works best for short articles, and you have to record a voice mail that is somewhat coherent. But for some topics this can work work. Or use JOTT in the same way.

Share videos and photos with a small amount of text. It's quick and visually interesting to readers. Just don't do it all the time. I suggest taking as many photos as you can, too. You won't have to search for photos for your posts, and some of them will generate terrific article with almost no thought.

Use the re-blog feature on ActiveRain. This does NOT mean re-blogging everything in sight with no commentary of your own. Any idiot can do that, so what is the value? But now and then there are great posts worth re-blogging on your blog, with your own thoughts as an introduction. Just don't over do it.

Personally, I do NOT advocate using a ghost writer as a time savings. But that's just me. If you want someone to write YOUR stuff once you give them the ideas, that's your decision. I'm not going to debate the issue here. I don't like it and I don't do it. Your choice. I want readers to know ME, not Casper.

And it you are in the mood for some tongue-in cheek humor, read 10 Reasons Why I Hate Blogging

Well, gotta go. I ran out of time, and it's on to the next thing

Mortgage Marketing Tips: 8 Ideas for a Tough Market

Jackie - MortgageVirtualAssistant.com (770.469.7385) — Thu, 16 Jul 2009 07:28:47 -0500

By JC Kadii, Virtual Assistance & Online Marketing for Mortgage Professionals

There are no 2 ways about it - it is tougher than ever to get a client to closing. Even credit and asset-worthy clients are heavily scrutinized, and some of the stips seem nonsensical.

All is not lost, however. Lenders are still lending, people still want to buy homes, and this is the best 1st time homebuyers' market in decades.

Here are a few ideas for surviving the market slowdown.

Keep marketing. This is not the time to stop your marketing efforts. It is more important than ever to keep in touch with your previous clients and referral sources. As Jay Conrad Levinson states: I don’t like admitting this but mediocre marketing with commitment works better than great marketing without commitment.
Look into less expensive marketing methods. If your marketing budget is tight, consider using email marketing for your entire list and direct mail or other more expensive marketing avenues with your clients and referral sources.
Make your website do double (or triple) duty, by optimizing it for search engines. Organic search engine optimization is a low-cost way to expose your business to a wide variety of potential clients.
Educate your prospects, encouraging them to adopt the habits that will make it easier to get approved.
Get out and network. If the phones aren't ringing, find a group or two that you can participate in over the long term (6 months or more), and network.
Stay in and network. Use social media, blogs, or networking sites such as Twitter, LinkedIn, Active Rain or Facebook to increase your visibility. Social networking can be a colossal waste of time if it's not approached with a clear set of goals. With a good strategy, however, social networking can reap big benefits.
Educate yourself. Become an expert in the guidelines of the programs that do exist.
Create a system for quickly identifying the loans in your pipeline that will fly, and those that won't. The days of finding an underwriter who is willing to make a judgment call are gone (for now). The quicker you can identify the files that won't close, the better for you and your client.

If you have any questions about leveraging any or all of these tips, feel free to contact me. Don't miss the next post - Subscribe to this blog and get updates in your email.

http://www.twitter.com/mortgageva

JC Kadii, Mortgage Virtual Assistance and Online Marketing Services . 770-469-7385. Are you reaching out to the 70% of new buyers who start their search online? Our team provides results-driven mortgage internet marketing services. Visit our website and sign up for the More Closings email newsletter to receive the report 6 Steps to More Referrals.

Excel Training Atlanta, GA (Tucker) - Saturday, June 27, 2009

Jackie - MortgageVirtualAssistant.com (770.469.7385) — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 18:40:52 -0500

The next Excel Basica training class will be held on Saturday, June 27, in Tucker (metropolitan Atlanta) Georgia.

In this Excel 2003 Basics training course, you will learn:

Creating and Saving Workbooks.
Opening Workbooks
Copying, Moving & Deleting Data
Formatting Worksheets
Working with cells, rows and columns
Previewing and Printing Worksheets
Working with Headers and Footers
Formula Fundamentals (for in-depth training on Excel Formulas, please see our Learn Excel 2003 Formulas from A to Z course.
Enhancing your Worksheets
Creating Workbooks from Templates.
Finding and Replacing Data & Formats.

The follow-up Excel training course, Excel 2003 Intermediate, will be held on July 11, 2009.

Both courses feature small class sizes (limited to 8 students) and are taught by a subject-matter expert.

For additional details about these Excel training classes in Atlanta

Excel 2003 Basic Training Class - Atlanta, GA

Excel 2003 Intermediate Training Class - Atlanta, GA

Twitter Tool - Make it Easy for People to Retweet your Posts

Jackie - MortgageVirtualAssistant.com (770.469.7385) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 07:27:28 -0500

By JC Kadii, Virtual Assistance & Online Marketing for Mortgage Professionals

While surfing the Internet, I came across this really cool tool encouraging people to retweet your posts or articles. It is called TweetMeMe. It adds a button to your posts. When someone clicks on the button, their twitter window opens with the proper text in the "What are you doing?" box. For example,

RT @tweetmeme Lifehacker - Quickly Navigate Your Calendar to Find the Day of any Given Date - Calendars http://ff.im/-43wct

The only caveat is that the button is created in javascript, so the page you put it on has to enable javascript.

Don't miss the next post - Subscribe to this blog and get updates in your email.

http://www.twitter.com/mortgageva

JC Kadii, Mortgage Virtual Assistance and Online Marketing Services . 770-469-7385. Are you reaching out to the 70% of new buyers who start their search online? Our team provides results-driven mortgage internet marketing services. Visit our website and sign up for the More Closings email newsletter to receive the report 6 Steps to More Referrals.