Brown Bug Project

An Awesome Real Estate Website (Revisited)

Amber Riviere (Brown Bug, LLC) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 12:12:08 -0500

As a follow-up to my "Awesome Real Estate Website" series, here's a link to an interview I did with Jamie Gosweiler of AgentWebSuccess, where we discuss three of the most important building blocks for a real estate website.

3 Important Building Blocks for a Real Estate Website: Podcast

If you'd like to read the original series, I've included those links below.

An Awesome Real Estate Website: Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

Jamie is always on the lookout for real estate agents who are finding success online, so if you're interested in setting up an interview, be sure to contact him.

I hope you enjoy the podcast!

Amber
BrownBugProject.com

An Awesome Real Estate Website (Part 4)

Amber Riviere (Brown Bug, LLC) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 18:56:08 -0500

An awesome real estate website should have tons of property information.

I know, I know. This is pretty obvious, right? I thought so, but oddly enough, it's hard to find detailed property information on real estate websites. Why? It takes a lot of effort, but if you do it, you're guaranteed to have the leading real estate website in your area!

So, what should you include? For each and every property you list (no matter the list price), you could have the following information and really impress your site visitors.

Price

It's not state secret, and you'll give it to them anyway when they call. Why create more hassle for your site visitors or yourself? Post the price of every property, and keep it updated.

Photos, Photos, Photos

The more photos you include, the happier your visitors will be. Don't just take a shot of the front of the house. Take photos of every single room (even at different angles for rooms like the living room and kitchen), as well as multiple shots of the exterior and yard.

Video Tour

In addition to photos, include a video tour (even better if you actually "show" the home in the video). Not only will this impress your visitors, it can actually save you a lot of time with showings, since you won't get theLookey Lous, just serious buyers.

Floor Plan/Sketch

People like to know how the rooms of a home connect. Photos and videos help, but a floor plan or sketch can really illustrate how it all comes together. You want buyers to start envisioning themselves in the home, and if they can think about the functional use of the house through the floor plan, they're more likely to actually see themselves in the home.

A Form to Schedule a Tour

You've sold them with the multitude of photos, the personalized tour they had in their pajamas over coffee at 5 AM, and the floor plan that helped them visualize their furniture in the home. Now they want a tour, but it's 5 AM. Your office is closed, and you don't want to lose them between now and the time it opens. What do you do? Have a unique form for each property where the buyers can conveniently schedule a tour. Consider using web-based tools like TimeDriver to help schedule your appointments automatically. You can post your availability so that buyers know when they'll be able to see a home, helping to eliminate phone tag and lost opportunities.

Open House Schedule

For the buyers who are still on the fence, a tour might not be a top priority, but they may very well be willing to drop by on a Saturday or Sunday when it's already open. Be sure to keep an updated open house schedule for each property. While you're at it, list and link to similar properties that they might like that you'll be holding open soon.

Disclosures and HOA Docs

Buyers want to know everything (everything) about the homes they're considering. Go ahead and post the disclosures and HOA docs on the property's web page. Not only will your visitors appreciate it (as well as other agents), it will save you the time and hassle involved in emailing them.

Map to the Property

Some buyers must do a drive-by before committing to a showing. Be sure to include a map to the property (preferably printable) so that they can find it easily.

List of Nearby Amenities

Want to go above and beyond for your clients and customers? Include a list of amenities that buyers could enjoy with a particular property. Shopping centers, restaurants, parks and recreation areas, and other points of interest help to highlight the positives of a home.

It may seem like a lot of work, but the more info you include about a property, the more obstacles you remove between your sellers and a sale. Plus, it shows your commitment to the highest level of service, which can mean tons of referrals for you down the road, not to mention that you impress all the buyers and sellers who visit your site!

Previous Awesome Website Posts

An awesome real estate website should:

Free "Awesome Real Estate Website" Seminar

On July 30, I'm holding a tele-seminar on "An Awesome Real Estate Website." Try to come! You can find out more here.

By Amber Riviere
BrownBugProject.com

An Awesome Real Estate Website (Part 3)

Amber Riviere (Brown Bug, LLC) — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 19:07:42 -0500

The first part of this series explained the importance of capturing follower information and offering something of value in return. Part 2 discussed how you should engage visitors and followers with interaction and valuable insight. Now on to Part 3.

An awesome real estate website should be filled with valuable content.

You could archive audio versions of your tele-seminars, podcasts, and video casts discussed in the last post, but here are a few other ideas for adding content-rich sections to your website.

A Blog

I hear you. "Duuuuh." Believe it or not, a lot of business owners still don't use blogs, and even if they have them on their sites, that doesn't mean they maintain them with any kind of regularity.

Do a search for "new orleans condos," and you know who comes up in first place in Google? Our very own Eric Bouler and his site, NewOrleansCondos.net. Why? Because he has been blogging consistently since I met him on ActiveRain two months after the network launched waaaay back in September of 2006! He has at least three years of consistent, relevant, and targeted content online.

That's what you have to do. It takes a good year of solid content to start getting traction, two to start making an impact, and three to start seeing major results, but even in the first few months, especially with social media like Twitter in the mix, you can start seeing the benefits.

A Newsletter

I hear you. "Isn't that very 1999?" Maybe, but retro is back. I can tell you that, personally, my newsletter is way more effective than my blog at helping me maintain and build relationships with followers.

My blog helps me find new traffic; it helps me with search engine optimization. My newsletter is my rapport-builder and the real communication medium for my business.

As I mentioned in a previous post, be sure to house the content on your site so that you take advantage of the content for search engine optimization.

An Article Directory

As I said in the first part of this series, your newsletter should be reserved for timely and relevant content, not generic things like "10 Tips to Spruce Up Your Yard," but that doesn't mean that type of content shouldn't go somewhere on your site. On the contrary, it should, and this is the place for it.

Reserve a special part of your resource section for housing helpful tips and seasonal articles regarding home maintenance, preparing a home to sell, getting prepared for purchasing a home, etc.

A Real Estate Glossary

Create a comprehensive glossary that covers any and all real estate, mortgage, insurance, inspection, and other relevant terms. Team up with other professionals for accuracy. Then be sure to direct clients to this section of your site early on in your relationship.

Mortgage Rates and News

You should have a "current events/news" section of your site to post an updated list of mortgage rates, as well as timely articles that customers and clients are hearing about in the news, and don't just post links to other articles. Formulate an opinion, explain the issues, and get involved. Not only will this help withSEO , it will also establish you as the "go-to" expert in your area and not just with customers and clients, but even with local media.

Content is the most important thing you can do for your site. Add a lot of it - often. Keep it updated - regularly. Make it a hub of information for your area and specialty. It's a great way to get new business, and if you do it right, it can be your primary source of incoming leads.

Well, that should keep you busy until next week's post! Don't work too hard.

By Amber Riviere
BrownBugProject.com

Previous Awesome Website Posts

Part 1 - http://activerain.com/blogsview/1119217/an-awesome-real-estate-website-part-1-
Part 2 - http://activerain.com/blogsview/1128003/an-awesome-real-estate-website-part-2-

An Awesome Real Estate Website (Part 2)

Amber Riviere (Brown Bug, LLC) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 13:23:43 -0500

Last week's post discussed how an awesome real estate website should capture follower information and offer something of value in return. Now on to Part 2.

An awesome real estate website should engage visitors and followers with interaction and valuable insight.

You know what is probably the number one weakness for a lot of agents when it comes to securing new business? Not being there. Buyers and sellers contact agents for help all the time, and you know what happens? Agents drop the ball. They don't follow-up, they don't keep their promises, so buyers and sellers move on to the next agent.

Of course, following up and keeping promises is the first level of "being there" as an agent. If you can master your follow-up and then add in one or two of these ideas, you could be the local superstar.

Host online tele-seminars.

You've probably already heard the idea of conducting seminars about buying and selling a home, but many times, the logistics get in the way. Planning and carrying out a complicated, in-person event might seem too overwhelming to tackle, but there's a way to get around those details and maybe even appeal to a greater number of potential customers. Conduct "virtual seminars" viatele-conference and web interface, and there's a free service that can help with this. It's called Calliflower, and it can conduct both parts of the seminar - the conferencing side (phone support) and the web side (online features). The free version offers several great features, like:

Unique Pins for Each Participant

This allows each attendee to upload his/her photo and allows you to track who is on the call (rather than having a "universal" access code).

Communication Management Tools

During the call, attendees can ask questions and contribute to the discussion by "raising their hands" or using the chat interface (see images).

But, what kind of seminar will you do? I'd say that depends on the local market and what's happening in it, but here are a few ideas.

Find hot button issues and conduct "town hall" events where attendees can vent their frustrations and find a trusted professional to give them direction. One example I know of personally, Chinese drywall. Locally, there are issues cropping up surrounding Chinese drywall, and buyers (even those who just purchased recently) are worrying about it (and understandably so). A lot of professionals here are dodging the issue, not communicating and dismissing buyer concerns. If this is an issue in your area, you could put together a seminar with tons of resources and experts on the subject.
Conduct monthly "Q&A" sessions where customers can ask you questions about buying or selling.
Get help from other experts (mortgage specialists, inspectors, designers, etc.) to add variety, interest, and depth to your events.

The most important thing is to be informative, both at the event and when promoting it. Be specific about what information they can expect to learn and how you will help them, and provide a clear objective for the call so that people know what to expect.

Start an online podcast.

Start a real estate or area "radio show" as an informational source for your customers and clients. You could even use Calliflower to simplify the process (since podcasting can be a huge undertaking, if you're not careful). Calliflower can record each event, and then you can post the mp3 version to a podcast feed on your website - two birds with one stone! Plus, with this option, you can actually have "live call-in radio shows." In this case, I would recommend posting the dial-in number and a universal pin so that more people will participate (radio shows are more about anonymity, after all).

Cover information similar to that suggested for seminars, or you could get really fancy and have a more true-to-life radio show format.

Conduct live chats from your site.

Provide live chats from your website on a regular basis (examples, "Real Estate Wednesdays" or "Mondays with [Fill in Your Name]"). You could use theCalliflower service again, but there are also plenty of chat-only options. Google Talk, Live2Support, and Bravenet are just a few of them.

You could use an open-discussion format, like the "Real Estate Wednesdays," where visitors can just ask questions and jump into the current discussion, or you could have a more structured format like the seminars where you focus on a particular topic.

Create an online forum or discussion board.

For a more ongoing approach, you could have a forum or discussion board on your site. Set up separate areas (or threads) for different topics (examples, "Buyer Questions," "Seller Questions," "Investors' Corner," etc.). If you go this route, be sure to put a message (in a prominent location within the forum/board) about when you respond so that visitors don't think you're available around the clock or think they're being ignored.

Create video casts (aka vidcasts) for your site.

Find a house that's about to go on the market and do an instructional "how to prepare your home to get top dollar" video. You could even do this weekly or monthly and showcase a new property each time. Walk through the home, pointing out areas that could use improvement, making recommendations as you go. Then, if the seller takes your advice and makes the improvements, end with an "after the show" segment where you go through the new and improved home. You could even show how much the improvements cost and the sales price (and marketing time) for the home. You could even do "curb appeal" ones, too, where you focus on the outside of the home. (Note: Be sure get written permission from the seller to post all the info and the video online.)

Well, those are a few ideas for adding some interactive elements to your website.

Don't forget, this is an ongoing series, so keep an eye out for next week's post.

By Amber Riviere
BrownBugProject.com

Previous Awesome Website Posts
Part 1 - http://activerain.com/blogsview/1119217/an-awesome-real-estate-website-part-1-

An Awesome Real Estate Website (Part 1)

Amber Riviere (Brown Bug, LLC) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 16:11:07 -0500

I'm planning to write a series of posts about creating "an awesome real estate website." I'll post a new part to the series each Wednesday over the coming weeks. Here's Part 1.

An awesome real estate website should capture follower information and offer something of value in return.

But, don't ask for the cow.

By capturing information, I mean a name and an email address. You really don't need much else, at least right now (maybe a Twitter handle, or just ask them to follow you). The longer you communicate with them, the more information you'll gather. Right now, it's about making contact and establishing yourself in their minds.

And, don't worry about giving the cow away right now, either.

Don't think that you have to give something away for free to get a visitor's name and email. Although plenty of people offer FREE tips or FREE notification of listings or FREE access to their hair stylists (okay, maybe I haven't seen that one), it's not necessary.

If you offer something of value (of obvious value), then you won't need to promise the sun, moon, and stars to get them to believe in you and sign up. In fact, if the only reason the person signs up is because of some souped up "free gift" for doing so, then he or she will likely unsubscribe right after the free gift is delivered. Why? Because, chances are, he or she will feel that you're trying too hard and being too "sales-y." Visitors don't want to receive a bunch of sales-y messages in their email boxes, so they'll wait for the gift and then unsubscribe.

Plan to develop a following - a loyal following, and then plan to be loyal to your following by delivering something of real value each and every time you contact them.

And, automated MLS reports don't count.

Buyers and sellers can get those anywhere, so they're not unique and not valuable. They're a commodity. Your content should be of value and not something they can get anywhere else.

It should also be timely and relevant, not a generic "free report" or "free tips" or "10 tips" of any kind. No, think timely (meaning very, very current) and relevant (very, very worthwhile to the recipient).

Although it would be much easier to just let your assistant come up with some generic set of "10 Tips to Spruce Up Your Yard," who wants that? That type of content can go in the Resource section of your website, but send it by email a few times, and you're going to get deleted, unsubscribed from, or worse, reported as spam.

Consider these ideas instead.

A Morning Audio Update (with a fun, catchy, and unique name - maybe some kind of "radio show"): Drive your town or area each day and note changes (new listings, new businesses, the status of upcoming developments). Suggest places to stop for lunch that day (you could even make it a point to the lunch spot each day and meet with people who want to discuss real estate, or you could run some sort of contest at the day's location). Don't forget to transcribe each day's message for those followers who prefer to read instead of listen (and for helping with search engine optimization).

A Daily City Round-Up (again, find a fun name): Deliver something in more of a news bulletin or newsletter format with the latest happenings around town. Include a few of your listings, as well as coupons and discounts from local businesses (great reason to get in front of local business owners on a regular basis, too).

A "Swap Shop": Email daily classifieds with garage sales, haves/wants, services, etc. Capitalize on the fact that many newspapers are ending their paper-based editions. Accept classified listings on your website, and then send out new entries in a daily email. Oooh, here's a thought. We have a local Swap Shop radio show. People call in and offer their classifieds by phone. The host answers, "Swap Shop, you're on the air." Then the caller says something like, "Yes, I have two cocker spaniel puppies that need a good home. They're 4-months old... Call 123-456-7890." You could set up a voice mail line to do something similar (try RingCentral). Just have the line accept messages only (not ring you). Have the outgoing message say something similar to, "Swap Shop, you're on the air." Put all the messages together and send them by email daily. It's fun and unique, and you're offering a service to your area for free. Don't forget to add a "sponsored by" at the beginning and end of the "daily show," too.

Well, that gives you a start!
Be sure to keep an eye out for next week's post.

By Amber Riviere
BrownBugProject.com

BackPackIt: The Perfect Productivity Tool

Amber Riviere (Brown Bug, LLC) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 15:41:16 -0500

BackPackIt is the perfect productivity tool. It's versatile and can be molded to fit your business needs and working preferences.

Basic BackPackIt Navigation

BackBackIt is mostly about pages (image below). That's the primary organization method it uses. It also has a few other tools, such as a calendar and reminders, which I don't personally use (I prefer Google Calendar for these).

Within a page, you can add lists, notes, files, pictures, writeboards, dividers, and tags.

You can share pages, which is great for collaborating and sending information in an organized fashion.

Along the left side of the BackPackIt interface, you'll find the actual page contents (image below).

Along the right, you'll find links to all of the pages within your sidebar (image below).

At the bottom of each page (image below), you'll find additional controls for each page, including links to email yourself a copy of the page, duplicate the page, delete the page, and add/remove from sidebar. You'll also find the page's RSS feed, history of changes, and it's email address (so that you can email content directly to the page).

My Current BackPackIt Setup

I change my BackPackIt setup fairly often to accommodate the changes in my work. It's such a versatile tool that you can quickly rearrange, add, remove, and modify pages to reflect your current needs.

Currently, I have the following setup (image below). I have a TO DO and TO BUY page, which both contain a list of items that I can check off as I complete or buy them.

I have my WORK "folder" (which is really just a tag that I added to my sidebar). All my open work projects have their own pages and are tagged 'work' so that they are included within that "folder." When it's time to get to work, I just click the WORK tag, and a list of all my open projects opens (image below).

My week day pages (Monday-Friday) contain relevant to-dos for the given day within a list. For example, I only write blog posts on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, so on those days, I have a task in my checklist to "Blog." On any given day, I open that day's page and begin doing the tasks that are laid out for me. This really helps me to stay consistent and organized, especially with recurring tasks and with my marketing and promotion efforts.

I also have NOTE pages, which contain information related to a particular marketing tactic.

I have REFERENCE pages, which house any current promotions I have in place, as well as my website statistics.

Making It Work

The most important thing I've found is using the sidebar effectively, and this comes with naming pages clearly and in an obvious hierarchy (you can drag pages around so that they're in an order that makes sense to you). I also add things like '(Reference)' or '(Notes)' so that like-kind pages are kept together and so that I can quickly decipher what's actionable and what's informational in nature.

Another key is to use the helpful features of BackPackIt, such as duplicating a page. That's where my TEMPLATES come in. I have a tag in my sidebar called 'Templates,' which houses commonly used pages. For instance, whenever I set up a new client, I go through the same process, so I've created a page called 'New Client Checklist.' Whenever I get a new client, I simply duplicate that page, name the new copy the client's name, tag it 'work' so that it shows up in my WORK "folder" (and remove the 'template' tag so that it's taken out of that one), and then remove the page itself from my sidebar (since it will be available now within WORK).

BackPackIt provides unlimited ways for customizing and organizing content, which makes it ideal for - well, almost anyone!

Related Posts

Get Organized with BackPackIt

A Dream Deferred: The Right Goal at the Right Time

Amber Riviere (Brown Bug, LLC) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 13:22:53 -0500

Yesterday I had a call with my accountability partner. We were talking about struggles we were having and the idea that you have to focus on the right goals for you at any given point.

Until last week, for instance, I had been stumbling over a side project I had been trying to launch for nearly two years. Not getting it underway was a thorn in my side, but until about two weeks ago, I just couldn't wrap my mind around it. It wasn't the right time for that particular goal.

The Back Story

A few years ago (some of you might remember), I participated in the Care More Giving Circle challenge, along with several great ladies within this network and around the world. It was a life-changing project, and I think about it often. When it was over, I missed not having some intentional project going that was focused on giving back, so soon after, I set out to start the "Give Back Project."

The only problem - I couldn't wrap my mind around it. I couldn't figure out how to make it work. I didn't know what it was supposed to be.

The Interim Story

Meanwhile, I put my real estate business on a (likely permanent) hiatus and started a web design company. Since it always seemed that I was working on side "projects" and since web design was (up to that point) a one-project-at-a-time thing for me, I decided to call my site BrownBugProject.com. That way, on any site I created, I would put "A Brown Bug Project" in the footer, sort of as my mark.

Today's Story

I didn't intentionally name the two concepts that way (both with "project" in the name, that is). I didn't even realize it until a while after I started BrownBugProject, but as soon as I did, I knew I wanted to incorporate the Give Back Project into the business somehow.

The only problem (still) - I couldn't wrap my mind around it. I couldn't figure out how to make it work. I didn't know what it was supposed to be.

It has nagged at me until just two weeks ago, when it finally came to me what the Give Back Project was supposed to be. I would make it a "websites for success" program, where I'd create a website (for free) for an aspiring small business owner who did not have the resources to pay for a designer - hence, for me, a give back project.

Within two weeks time, I had the entire concept planned, implemented, and added to my business website. After nearly two years of struggling, it came together so easily!

The Moral, I Guess

It was finally the right goal at the right time. Without sounding too "new-agey," I really think that the universe (or something - subconscious, maybe) has a way of getting in the way when we're trying to force the wrong thing into our lives at the wrong time, and that's just what happens - we end up trying to force it, and it's a struggle.

Now if I could just figure out when to be persistent and not give up (when that's the order of the day) and when to defer a dream to a better time and place.

Setting Yourself Up for the Turn-Around

Amber Riviere (Brown Bug, LLC) — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 22:39:19 -0500

Although the economy (and business) may be slow, now is the perfect time to start preparing for a turn-around. At some point, things will start improving, and if you've managed to hang in there through the tough times, you'll probably be in a really good position when they do.

So what can you do now to get ready?

Spruce up your website.

Is your design a true representation of you and your ideal client?
Does your site cover all relevant content for your market, area, and prospects?
Does it have "dynamic" sections that are regularly (and frequently) updated and are based on targeted keywords?
Are you actively involved in the maintenance and upkeep of your site (can you be, or does your "designer handle all that")?

A good website can be the lifeblood of your lead generation and marketing efforts, if you treat it like a living thing that brings value to your followers. Set it up right, maintain it consistently, and it could generate a good majority of your business.

Set up a regular email campaign.

Whether you choose to send a monthly newsletter, a daily audio message, or a weekly video, if you effectively plan, implement, and maintain an email-based marketing campaign, you can quickly and easily build rapport with your followers.

Email marketing might seem "old school," especially with so many other web-based tools, like blogs, Twitter, and podcasts, but I can personally attest to their effectiveness in building an email list.

Take advantage of the effort you spend in compiling email marketing messages by housing the content on your own site (rather than on the email marketing service's site or in the actual email messages) so that you take advantage of the "Google juice" these keyword-rich posts offer. Create an RSS-based feed, and you can make the email part automated.

Start building a Twitter following.

Twitter has great potential as a marketing tool for real estate professionals. New listing on the market? Update all your followers in a second. New restaurant just opened? Be the first to notify your clients and prospects so that they have the "inside scoop."

There are tons of ways to use Twitter as a real estate agent. Plus, it's fast, it's easy, and it's free. Start building a following now by adding a link to your profile, as well as a feed of your tweets, on your website and blog.

Fine-tune your marketing plan.

How do you plan to capture those buyers who are just waiting in the wings for the market to start turning? Be ready by getting all your marketing ducks in a row now.

Figure out your strategies, plan out a 12-month marketing calendar, and get to work. When things start picking up, you'll be ready, while other agents are scrambling to get back in the game.

Tweak your systems.

When is the last time you went through your checklists and systems to improve and streamline them? Really evaluate your systems, work to make them as simple and as automated as possible, and you'll make life much easier on yourself and your clients and prospects.

Think about it. Is there a better way that you could be processing incoming leads? Could your auto-responder messages be updated and improved? Start from the top (point of initial contact) and work to the bottom (customer relationship management after the closing).

Take advantage of slower times and take care of all those tasks you've been putting off for a rainy day. The sun will be shining again soon!

Increase Your Value Through Education

Amber Riviere (Brown Bug, LLC) — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 10:15:12 -0500

One of my English professors in college once said, "No matter how much you know, you'll never know everything." That's very humbling, but it's also a good reminder that you don't know everything and could learn more. You can always improve.

It's not about being smarter than the next guy or having something to show off. It's about increasing your value and the value you bring to your business, your clients, and your customers. The more you have to offer your clients and customers, the better your service will be, the better your job prospects will be, and the more you can demand in compensation.

It's not always the obvious either, like real estate agents becoming more fluent in real estate law (although that's always a good thing). It's not always directly related to your business. For instance, agents learning more about gardening, landscaping, or interior design could prove to be helpful to clients. It's not always about your own or even any related industry either. Learning a new language, for instance, could open up the pool of customers and clients you are able to serve. Point is, you can get creative and learn something that really interests you (of course, save room for the boring stuff, too - there's a place for everything).

Learning can open new doors for you and your business, and it's as easy as visiting your local library or bookstore.

Happy reading.

Making Things Complicated

Amber Riviere (Brown Bug, LLC) — Tue, 21 Apr 2009 13:40:40 -0500

I think there are a lot of times when we over-complicate things; I know I do - a lot. The "keep it simple, stupid" idea seems...well, too simple.

Over-Complicating My Marketing

For a long time, I thought that the only good marketing and lead generation plan was the complicated one - one that included as many strategies as possible (really more strategies than possible). Otherwise, I felt I was carrying all of my eggs in one basket.

Recently though, I've smartened up. I've started evaluating things with a results-oriented lens, and all of a sudden, things have gotten really clear - and easy.

When I looked at the actual numbers (not just over the past six months or so, but over the past four or five years), I knew where I could contribute the bulk of my business success - writing. Nearly all of my contacts and prospects had found me through my writing, but instead of spending the bulk of my time doing that one thing, I worried about developing other lead generation tactics. Why? Writing (although not always the easiest task) was simple and easy to implement.

Lately, I've dropped almost all of the other tactics. I've pared down and now spend almost 100% of my lead generation time doing the one thing I know works.

Over-Complicating My Networking

Over the past year, I've been trying (to no avail, mind you) to find another network that more closely matched my career goals (since I was no longer an active agent).

Each time, I'd quit the newly-found network in frustration, telling myself, "There's no place like ActiveRain." (I felt like Dorothy.)

Finally, I asked myself, "Why can't I just forget this ridiculous search and go back to the network where I want to be? Even though I'm not an active agent, I do have other things in common with the members there. I'm a business owner just the same, I'm building my business through hard work and hard knocks just the same, and I enjoy sharing and learning with friendly, conversational, and helpful people just the same. On top of that, agents need websites, too, dang it!"

Instead of beating my head against a wall, I decided to simply forget it and go back to what I wanted and what I knew.

Over-Complicating My Days

For months, I've been struggling with the profitability dance. "Am I doing the right things? Am I doing everything I can do to generate the work I need? Am I monitoring things well enough to ensure that I'm profitable?" I crunched numbers. I made estimations and projections. I sighed and chewed my nails, worrying about it all way too much and way too often.

Then I simplified. I asked myself, "Realistically, what do you want to make at this stage in the game? Don't throw out arbitrary numbers. What do you really want to make right now?" I came up with a real and reachable and okay-with-me number.

Then I asked myself, "What kind of lifestyle do you want right now?" That was an easy one. I wanted simple, uncomplicated, and easy. I wanted space to breathe, and I wanted to step out of the rat race for a while (if not permanently).

"Okay, can you have both? Can you make that kind of money working those kinds of hours and having that kind of lifestyle?" A simple, "Yes."

Each day now, I track my time. I watch to make sure I hit my time goal, which means I also hit my income goal. After that, I do an hour or two of lead generation (writing), and then (are you ready for this?), I quit.

The really nice part is, I'm reclaiming some me time. I'm catching t-ball games. I'm going for regular walks at local parks. I'm spending much needed time with family and friends. I'm making decent meals (actually cooking) for myself for supper and sometimes even lunch. I'm getting up when I want and going to bed when I want, and most importantly, I'm not walking around with a cloud of worry over my head. How? All because I've simplified, and I know there's plenty of time for everything.

You should try this simplifying thing! It really works, and it's much more fun.

Avoiding the "What to Posts"

Amber Riviere (Brown Bug, LLC) — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 15:40:07 -0500

Mike Jones (aka "Mike in Tucson") emailed me last week - seems he's been touching base with past Rainers and encouraging them to come back and post on the network. I promised Mike I'd make my "comeback post" within the week. I'm three days behind already, and I've been thinking about posting since he emailed me a week ago Friday. I admit, I've got the "What to Posts."

This is actually a chronic condition for me. I've always struggled with it. I go to my blog, click to create a new post, and suddenly, the symptoms hit me. You may have experienced them. They include:

Memory loss ("I had an idea for what I would post. What was that? I was just thinking of it.")
Brain freeze ("Ah well, I'll think of something else." Draws a blank. "Hmm. Surely, there's something I can write about today.")
Abnormal or blurred vision, Dry eyes (Comes from blankly staring at the screen.)
Fatigue ("Why am I so tired all of a sudden? Maybe I can find some energy and a sudden burst of inspiration after I've had some coffee.")
Dry mouth ("I need something to drink." Excuse to get away from the pressure of finding something to write.)
Increased appetite ("Why am I hungry again? I just ate lunch." Another excuse to get away from the pressure of finding something to write.)
Sensitivity to light and sound ("Dang bird! Why does he always have to get cranked up when I'm trying to think, and why's the TV so loud?!" Walks to the other room to mute the TV. Closes office door to muffle sound of love bird in next room.)
Sweating ("Why is it so hot in here all of a sudden?" Walks to other room to adjust thermostat.)

Important Safety Warning: PLEASE CONSULT WITH YOUR PHYSICIAN OR OTHER QUALIFIED HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL BEFORE BLOGGING OR IF YOU'VE EXPERIENCED ANY OF THE SYMPTOMS MENTIONED HERE. Promptly see a qualified healthcare professional if you have, or suspect that you have, this medical condition.

Unfortunately, there is no cure for What to Posts, but there is help. Here's what you can do.

Keep a journal. Every day, commit to writing at least two pages. If you maintain a personal and a business blog, keep two journals (one for personal ramblings and another to sort through business issues). Write in it faithfully and daily. Force yourself to write, and it doesn't have to be complete or even coherent. Just write. If a thought comes to you in the middle of another, break and jot it down, too. Then resume with the original thought.

Here's how it helps.

It gets you in the habit of writing every single day (very important for blog maintenance).
It gets you to start paying attention (so much slips by that could be used for blogging).
It gives you a starting point when you sit down to compose a post (helps you avoid the What to Posts).
It helps you work through issues and problems you're facing within your life and business (keep writing about the same issue for a while and you'll eventually find a solution).

Get a pack of writing pads and a box of pens. Keep a pad and pen by the bed, in case a thought comes to you just before you go to sleep. In the morning, rip off those sheets and take them with you so that the pad and pen stay handy. Keep a pad and pen in your car (tons of ideas come to me while driving), and keep another near your desk or work area. When it's time to write, collect all your ramblings and find something that inspires you to write a full post.

Occasionally, you may still struggle with What to Post symptoms, but I promise they'll be a lot milder and easier to handle.

Remember to see your healthcare professional if symptoms get worse.

Happy blogging.

Before You Plan for '08 Part II: Something Extra

Amber Riviere (Brown Bug, LLC) — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 22:37:46 -0600

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Amber Riviere (Brown Bug, LLC) — Tue, 01 Jan 2008 22:16:03 -0600

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Good luck!

Creating Passionate Bloggers

Amber Riviere (Brown Bug, LLC) — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 22:17:55 -0600

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Let Them Have Cake

Amber Riviere (Brown Bug, LLC) — Fri, 16 Nov 2007 13:18:48 -0600

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

A New Use for the Recipe Box

Amber Riviere (Brown Bug, LLC) — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 15:42:14 -0500

I posted a while back about tools that keep me organized. One of the tools I mentioned was my "recipe box," which helps keep my meals in order for cooking throughout the week. In case you missed it, here's a description of my recipe box.

"I keep all my favorite recipes (but just the ingredients lists) in a little index card file box near my desk. Every week or so, I sit down and create my grocery list for the coming week. I pull the meals that I want to make for the coming week (easily mixing up types of meals, say beef and chicken) and then quickly make my list. I keep the cards I'm planning to make in the front of the box (all others go to the back behind a divider) so that I can just pull them each day. I also order the cards so that the ones with fresh ingredients are used first. It makes my life so easy (in this department at least). It's a simple tool, but it makes this monotonous task so much easier for me, and I no longer have to pull for meal ideas. When I get tired of what's in the box, I'll add a few new recipes (just ingredients - that's what makes it work). It's too easy!"

I figured out a new use for the recipe box. Create a "blog box." Fortunately, I use index cards quite a bit, so I had an extra index card file box handy. In this one, I'm putting blog ideas - things to blog about - and only one idea per card. Now, all I have to do is carry a few blank index cards with me when I'm out and about (do that anyway). When I have an idea, write it on the card. When I return to my office, put the new cards in the box. Then when I'm pulling for ideas for blog entries, I can go to the blog box. Too easy again!

Cool Trick for Gmail Users

Amber Riviere (Brown Bug, LLC) — Wed, 10 Oct 2007 14:01:50 -0500

I have a bad habit of forgetting to check in with my favorite bloggers here at AR. I don't mean to forget. I just don't think of it. I'd have to write myself a "forwarding note" to check in every day. That's what I have to do with my blog. I have a reminder in my Google Calendar that emails me each morning to remind me to blog. I know, it's terrible. I'm sorry, but my memory just isn't that good.

Well, I was thinking earlier that I wanted a way to keep up with the bloggers here a little better. I've been doing a pretty good job of adding them to my Google Reader, but then I only think to check there a few times a week. Then it hit me - WEB CLIPS!

I'm a Gmail user, and if you are, I just found a great way to keep in touch with other Rainers a little more often. Here's how.

Within your Gmail Inbox, there's a thing called "Web Clips." I'm sure you've noticed it at the top of your Inbox. See the graphic below.

Normally, the Web Clips are "pre-loaded" by Google for things like news and other popular RSS feeds. Well, I just changed that. I deleted all the pre-loaded ones and added ActiveRain blog feeds instead. You can do this within the settings tab (Settings > Web Clips). Just click "Remove" on all the old, pre-loaded feeds. Then enter an RSS feed (URL) into the search box and click "Search." When it locates the feed, click "Add." That's it. Do this for each blog you want to follow. Once you're finished, click "My Feeds" to see all the ones you've added. See the graphic below.

I went a step further and organized ALL my AR blog feeds into folders (tags) within my Google Reader. Then I used the RSS feed (URL) for the entire folder to create my Web Clips in Gmail. That way, I don't have to think to go into Gmail anytime I add a new blog. I just go into my Google Reader like normal and add the feed to the appropriate folder. Then it automatically starts rolling in my Gmail Web Clips. TA-DA!

How cool is that?!

Now, anytime I check my email, I'll see a "sneak peek" of an AR blog. Look in the first image again. You'll see "What are your tips to get you through the Holiday Slooow down?" That's an actual blog entry from AR, in my Inbox! If I see an interesting topic/title, I just click it, and it opens in a new window for me to read really quickly. Then if I want to comment, I just follow the link back to the original blog entry.

Now I'll be less likely to forget my favorite Rainers!!

Lesson #16: Find the Right Application Mix to Stay Organized

Amber Riviere (Brown Bug, LLC) — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 18:37:06 -0500

You probably know by now that organization is my weakness, so I have to stay on top of it or my office and life turn upside down. That's why I rely heavily on certain applications and tools to keep me organized. Here's my short list. (Side note: This list is constantly being revised. If I find a better solution, I have no problem switching, but for now, these are the applications that seem to work best for me.)

Gmail - I have tried so many other email programs, and by far, this is number one in my book. My only qualm with it is the signature function (too stripped down for me). I’ve figured out a so-so solution; I just copy/paste my signature from another program. It takes a few seconds more, but looks much better in my opinion. Otherwise, I haven’t found a program to beat it. The labels, the virtually unlimited archives, and the search capabilities make it so simple to organize my email (my way). The “star” feature is great, too. I use it to highlight important emails that require some sort of action from me. Spam is almost non-existent for me now, so no more click-delete-click-delete. To me, it’s just a solid (and basic) email program, with no bells and whistles. It’s everything I need, without the fluff. Also, with the free Google Apps and/or the multiple accounts feature, you can use your business email address instead of a Gmail one.
BackPackIt - I've posted about this one already, but I have to mention that I'm working right now to get my entire system loaded into it so that it's available (forms, checklists, etc.) from anywhere with an Internet connection. Also, one of my next goals is to get into the habit of using its calendar and reminder functions.
My notebook - I'll tell you about this one in a coming entry.
Jott - Betsy emailed me Jeff Turner's post about this little tool. At first, I was researching it as a way of posting to my blog, but now I'm using it to help me remember things from the road. It's too easy. Just sign up for a FREE account, program the number into your cell phone, and leave yourself quick voice messages anytime. It's been so helpful lately. When I'm in my car and remember something that needs to be done, I simply call Jott and leave myself a message. They transcribe it into text and email it to me so that it's waiting for me when I get back to my desk. It's also helping me sleep better at night, if you can believe that! I usually have a hard time sleeping at night. I have so many things on my mind that I'm usually wired until midnight or later. If I wake up, I'll remember something I need to do the next day and worry about it for thirty minutes or so, before going back to sleep. I've heard about keeping a notebook by the bed to jot down anything that comes to mind, but I never remembered to retrieve the notes from it the next day. Now, if something comes to mind, I just call Jott . The next morning, I have an email waiting to remind me. I don't worry about forgetting ANYTHING anymore, which is very strange for me. I always have my cell phone with me, so I know I can quickly send myself a reminder anytime. You have to try this thing!
Top Producer - I'll tell you the truth. I really don't like Top Producer for a lot of reasons, mainly because they hold you hostage, and I don't like that. I'm careful not to become too dependent on it for that reason. I'm sorry. I'm probably being pig-headed about this, but to me, if you have a good product, I will use it. Don't hold me hostage, though. That makes me look for ways to leave you. They tie you into a long-term contract - not cool, and then they hold you hostage. I also hate that it doesn't work with Firefox, which is another reason I won't become overly dependent on it. Either way, the application does have its good points. Mainly, I use it to track my leads, listings, and closings. It organizes these pretty well and keeps me from forgetting to follow-up on things. (P.S. Sharper Agent is the same way with the hostage thing and the Firefox thing. What's the deal?)
Wrike / Basecamp - I'm up in the air on this one. Both of these applications are for collaborating with others on projects, which is really good for working in a team. The jury is still out as to which is the best. I've used Basecamp for a while now, and it's pretty good. It just doesn't organize information very well, which is why I'm testing Wrike.
Google Docs & Spreadsheets - Free online storage of all my documents and spreadsheets, with easy collaboration. Need I say more?
Google Reader - This keeps all my feeds in one place. It has a very nice interface, which I like, and it's pretty quick when it comes to updating feeds.

Well, that's the short list. I hope it helps. :)

Lesson #15: Do as the Ants Do

Amber Riviere (Brown Bug, LLC) — Sat, 31 Mar 2007 11:37:44 -0500

I spent the morning outside, cleaning my bird's cage and re-potting some of my plants. I had an old and (what I thought to be) empty flower pot that was upside-down by my back porch. I picked it up from the bottom (its bottom) with both hands, and out poured a huge ant bed. The pot is at least eighteen inches tall, and it was completely filled with ants. "Ooh! Hello, ants. You're about to see the Great Flood of '07." I got the water hose, demolished their little colony, and went back to work.

About an hour later, while gathering my things from the porch to go back inside, I looked down and saw the ants had already started to rebuild. "Dang, ants." I sat down on the steps for a minute, amazed at the amount of work they had already accomplished. I watched them busy at work and thought how quickly they had regrouped. It was about to rain, which under the circumstances (or even without the circumstances), would have been plenty of reason for me to delay rebuilding until tomorrow (at least). Yet, they were hard at work, each handling his own job without delay or hesitation. There were no ants sitting on the sidelines whining about the pending rain or about the fact that their magnificent former home was in ruins. They weren't all standing around debating where or when to rebuild. They were just doing what needed to be done.

I wished I had their resolve and thought for a second how far I'd be if I did. "Hmm," I laughed.

I'm back inside now, but I'm still thinking about those dang ants. If I only tackled my own challenges that way, I'd get this thing off the ground so fast, I think my own head would spin. Imagine if, when confronted with our own "little disasters" or even just every day, we'd just get up and do what needed to be done.

Hmm.

Lesson #12: Don't Get Stuck with the Old Maid

Amber Riviere (Brown Bug, LLC) — Fri, 16 Mar 2007 18:03:39 -0500

Do you remember this game from when you were younger? All the players passed around cards, until eventually someone was left with the Old Maid.

Real estate transactions remind me of this game, except we don't just pass around the "Old Maid" with sly looks and smirks on our faces. Instead, we pass around blame and the "idiot" card.

If you don't believe me, just type in the word "idiot" in the blog search box here at ActiveRain. Now, I know this is a loving and accepting network, where no one would dare ridicule or criticize another member, so I'm absolutely certain that the majority of these posts have valid points and were made in good fun or in good faith that the other person really was an idiot. Yet, I can't help but think that some of them are just a reflection of how quick we are to judge and lay blame.

A real estate closing is the perfect time for this kind of behavior. There are a lot of players on the TEAM (wink, wink) who are involved at different levels within a real estate transaction, and none of them want to take the heat if the deal falls through.

Problems with inspections? Inspector's an idiot.
Low appraisal? Appraiser, seller, or either agent is an idiot.
Problem with the loan? Loan officer or buyer is an idiot.
Title defect? Attorney, seller, or previous owner is an idiot.

There are a lot of Old Maid cards to keep in play with a closing. Get stuck with any one of them, and you could jeopardize the entire transaction and quickly be left holding the "idiot" card.

We're all quick to lay blame on someone else. We hate to be thought of as incompetent or (gasp) human, capable of making mistakes or overlooking details. I'll admit, I've been left holding the Old Maid a few times, and just like when I was a kid, I get that distinct sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach every single time.

Now, I consider myself to be pretty diligent. I'm a stickler for detail, and I can be particular about many things, especially when it comes to my business and my job as an agent. I don't take my responsibility lightly. I try to stay on top of things, crossing my T's and dotting my I's as I go, yet in the shuffle and exchange of papers, I won't say that I manage to cross or dot them all. I review paperwork two and three times and try my best to make sure everything is done correctly. I work daily to create and improve systems to keep things from slipping through the cracks. I try to find the time before every single appointment to review all forms and contracts in order to be better prepared. Yet, no matter how hard I try, I still manage to make a mistake here and there. I'm human, and that's my best alibi.

Every one of the players of a closing TEAM is human. Yet, do you think we take three seconds to consider that fact before spouting off to our buyers and sellers that one of the other players is an idiot? No. We just pass that card around as if it was as trivial and harmless as the actual game. To me, it's not, so I want to make a vow in front of ActiveRain and everybody that I'm going to give the other person the three seconds he or she probably deserves. I'm going to start playing the "human" card. Instead of automatically "crawfishing" out of a warm situation, I'm going to ask the buyer or seller for some time to determine what happened and assure him or her that it was probably just some small oversight that can be corrected. Usually, that's all it is anyway. We blow up, get a little rattled, or make ourselves or someone else look like a jerk, only to find out later that the problem wasn't that big of a deal anyway.

I'm sorry, but in my humble opinion, if you don't agree with this lesson, you got the Old Maid.

***

Graphic and game description from http://www.pagat.com/passing/oldmaid.html.

Lesson #10: Avoid the Slippery Slope of Availability

Amber Riviere (Brown Bug, LLC) — Sun, 11 Mar 2007 13:43:29 -0500

My schedule is one thing that nags at me - constantly. I've tried being "conventional" and have failed at it many times. I'm not a 9-to-5er, not a part-timer, not a workaholic. I'm sure I fit somewhere within those categories, although I'm not sure so easily or neatly.

I think it started when I first got into real estate. People kept telling me how I needed to be available and responsive and how I'd be working every weekend. I bought into it and began working as instructed. I think this created a slippery slope for me. All of a sudden, I felt the need to be available every single weekend, yet it seemed completely unnatural, lazy, and wrong not to work every single week day, when normal people did. I wanted to be available during normal hours, starting at 8 or 9 in the morning, yet appointment times in the real estate business commonly fell in the evenings. Over time, my work hours began creeping later and later into the night, until eventually I felt compelled to be available around the clock.

I still hear (and read) about other agents' schedules and regular hours. I'm sure you've heard it, too. We're not good agents if we're not available to our clients and prospects from x to y. The thing that gets me is the fact that most agents are not mega-producers, yet I listen to most agents, just as most agents do. According to the NAR, most agents close 12 transactions per year - 12. It doesn't take working 24/7/52 to close (or generate) that many deals per year, so what in the world are we doing the rest of the time? Hanging out in the office? Talking with other agents? Surfing the Internet? Our phones aren't ringing all that time, especially if we're only averaging 12 transactions per year.

Personally, I cannot be available around the clock and still feel balanced. I need time to disconnect from my work, yet here's the curve ball, if I don't do something work-related every day, I feel worse than when I work long, seven-day weeks. Finding a happy medium is my problem.

I know the most important thing is to tune in to my individual needs, working style, and preferences. There comes a point when I have to cover my ears so that I only hear one voice - my own. I have to ask myself why I'm doing this. I went into business for myself for a simple reason - to control my destiny and future as much as possible. How am I controlling my future if I'm allowing my business to control me?

I know there must be agents out there who have:

tuned out the other voices,
created their own definitions of success, and
managed to find schedules that allow for productivity and balance.

I'm at least becoming more selective about the first one, I'm working on the second, but it's the last one that keeps throwing me for a loop.

Lesson #9: Get Organized with Firefox

Amber Riviere (Brown Bug, LLC) — Wed, 07 Mar 2007 12:00:45 -0600

(Side note: This post may seem really elementary to some of you, so don't say I didn't warn you.)

Everyone has different reasons for using Firefox over Internet Explorer – security, speed, fewer glitches, whatever. All of these things attracted me to Firefox in the first place, but after a few weeks of getting used to it, I began using extensions (or add-ons). Here’s where Firefox beats IE, hands down.

You can customize your browser based on your preferences. Now I'm sure you're thinking, "What's there to customize, and how can I have preferences for my web browser?" I thought the same thing at first. Since I began using the Internet, I've always used Internet Explorer (by default of course). The idea of "customization" didn't make much sense to me. You double-click the little e, type in the website address, and click Go. What else is there to do? Now, probably a year or so later, I hate being forced to use IE, since that's all it can do.

According to their site, Firefox has over 1,000 add-ons (read, "ways to customize"). Here's a description of an add-on from the Firefox website.

"A Firefox add-on can help you comparison shop, share bookmarks with your friends, see the weather in a corner of your browser, write to your weblog, get news, listen to music - all from inside the browser you already love. You can even change the appearance of your browser - from buttons to colors and fonts - so that it matches your own personal style."

Some of my favorite and most used extensions are:

ForecastFox – This add-on keeps me updated on the weather forecast. It's always on display at the bottom of my screen. As you can see, we have a nice week ahead here in Louisiana. :-)

Colorful Tabs – This extension makes browsing easier on the eyes. You can have tabs open in a single browser window, instead of multiple windows. In case you're not familiar with this (see image), each of those "colorful tabs" is for a different web page. You can see that I have Firefox, my email, ActiveRain (of course), and Google Docs open in the same browser window. All I have to do is click on one of them, and that page comes to the front. This keeps things from getting too crowded on my desktop.

PDF Download – This add-on is much better and faster than downloading pdf files with IE. I don't really have a graphic to illustrate it, but trust me, it's much better.

SessionSaver - Have you ever been working in IE and had multiple windows open, and then all of a sudden the power goes out or your computer freezes? Then you have to try to remember what you were doing so that you can get all the pages back up. With SessionSaver , you don't have to worry about that - ever again. If the power goes out, when you get your computer back up and running and click the Firefox icon to get back online, it automatically opens all the pages you were on before the power outage. If you close it down for the day, when you open Firefox the next morning, all your last pages will be restored. Depending on the circumstances, it may ask you if you'd like to restore the last session or start a new one. Either way, it has saved me tons of frustration many times.

Backpack Pages – If you caught my last entry about BackPackIt, you'll get this one. The Backpack Pages extension provides quick links to my Backpack, right in my browser window. In the image to the right, you can see the pull-down menu for my Backpack pages. This makes it really simple to add a note, without interrupting me.

Cooliris – Last, but certainly not least, Cooliris provides an easy way to send links to web pages. This is the "coolest" extension by far. If you come across an article or other web page that you'd like to save to read later, bookmark, or send to a friend, all you have to do is right click, select "Send link using Cooliris ," and then enter the email address. It doesn't take you to a new window. It doesn't open your email program to send it. It does it right away, without leaving the current page or interrupting you in the least - too easy.

Okay, this may seem elementary, too, but I'll explain it anyway. If you're still using IE and would like to try Firefox, go to their website (http://www.firefox.com/), and download it for free. Once you have it installed, just double-click the Firefox icon to browse the Internet, as you do with IE. To add extensions (add-ons), go back to their website, and click "Add-ons" at the top of the page. You can search for the ones I suggested by name or browse for new ones. There are A LOT of extensions, but they have them categorized by type, and you can also browse the most popular ones. Once you find an extension, click to download it. Once it downloads, you'll have to close (and then open) your browser window to fully install it. Once you have the extensions installed, you can edit the options for them by clicking Tools > Extensions at the top of your browser window. Then click on the extension, and click "Options" at the bottom of the extensions box.

You can also customize the look of your browser by visiting their website and clicking "Themes." You install them the same way you do extensions.

I hope I did a decent job explaining all of that, but as always, if you need any help with it, don't hesitate to call or email.

Lesson #7: Drive

Amber Riviere (Brown Bug, LLC) — Thu, 01 Mar 2007 13:08:08 -0600

Lately, I've been all over the place (physically, but mostly mentally). This started not too long ago when I did something that went completely against my plan. More importantly, it went against the grain, against who I am and what I want for my life and business. I knew it almost immediately. Funny thing was, I actually knew it before I even did it. Yet, I did it anyway because of some crazy feeling of obligation or guilt.

For a second I was living "out of integrity," but this too seemed to elude me. I mean, I knew something was off, but I just couldn't put my finger on it. Then I picked up the book by Michael Port, Book Yourself Solid, to browse through it for the third or fourth time, and I came across this paragraph.

Have you compromised yourself or watered yourself down in any area of your business? For example, have you been in a business situation where you walked away feeling like you settled for less or compromised your integrity? You may be thinking, "I don't sell out. I've never compromised or sold out." If you haven't, you are unique. It's completely normal to compromise yourself or be out of integrity from time to time. We all are.

Instantly, I knew what I had been doing wrong. I had moved into the passenger seat. This lack of authority on my part had started dripping over into other areas of my life and business. I felt completely out of control and simply forgot that I could (and should) be driving. If I didn't take control, nothing else would matter.

For me, driving means a lot of things:

Keeping a daily journal so that I start regaining my clarity,
Exercising and eating better so that I have more stamina,
Getting more organized so that I don't feel so scattered,
Getting a handle on my time so that I accomplish the most important things, and
Getting a handle on my business so that it moves in the direction I want it to go.

The first few things keep me physically able to drive , and the last one is like my map that keeps me moving in the right direction.

This week, I've been re-routing my trip, since I seem to have gotten off course. I'm deciding exactly which way I want to go with every aspect of my business. Fortunately, I have a trusty navigator helping me (Thanks, Betsy!). Together, we're mapping out the best possible route to my destination.

In doing so, I have to keep one thing in mind, the visual image of what I want from my business and from my life. I also have to remember who I am and mold my business to fit me and my style and personality, instead of the other way around. That means, I may have to turn away some business, and I may have to tell someone no, but that's okay. Another quote that stood out to me from Michael Port's book was this:

"The greatest strategy for personal and business development on the planet is bold self expression."

That means, I'm going to drive in my kind of car, going where I want to go, playing my kind of music on the radio (and loudly, I might add).

I have to stay in the driver’s seat.

Sometimes, I may have to pull over and check the map, but that's okay, too. In the end, I'll be where I want to be, still driving down the road, and hopefully enjoying some nice scenery.

Lesson #8: Get Organized with BackPackIt

Amber Riviere (Brown Bug, LLC) — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 13:44:39 -0600

One of my weakest areas is organization, although some people I know would beg to differ. The only reason I manage to stay somewhat organized is because I know it's a weakness for me, so I'm constantly on the lookout for ways to improve in this area. I know if I don't stay on top of it, things can easily crumble around me.

I think a lot of people struggle with this, especially in our profession. We have so many irons in the fire at once that it's easy to lose track of things, which isn't a good thing (again, especially in our profession). With this in mind, I decided to share some of my gadgets and gizmos that keep me a little more together. This will be a "mini series," since each one needs a little explanation. Oh, I have to mention this, too. THEY'RE ALL FREE!! Of course, you can upgrade some of them to get more features, but there's only one tool that I have upgraded, and it costs me $9 a month (but saves me a million and one in frustration). I do have one tool that costs $4 or $5 every three or four months, which to me is basically free.

I'll mention that I'm really just going to touch on each of the tools, but if a lot of Rainers want more info about any of them, I'll explain them in more detail. Also, you can always call or email me, if you'd like me to help you set them up.

Okay...to BackPackIt.

This tool is free and almost all you need to stay organized. This is the one I upgraded, but you can easily get by on the free version. You can learn all about it on their website.

In case you haven't heard of it, let me explain how it works. Here's a sample page from my Backpack. The first image is the top of the page, and the second shows the very bottom of the same page. It gives you an idea of the layout.

This is my "Realtor Thursdays" page. At my local board, we have events every Thursday for all the Realtors. I use this page to keep them straight. At the top, (under "Lists") I have what's happening every Thursday of the month. Under that, I have the upcoming classes at the board. As the dates pass, all I have to do is check them off, and they're removed from the list. As I learn of new classes, I can easily add them by clicking "Add Item" at the bottom of the list. One really nice feature is that you can drag and drop things. You can reorder the lists and the items on each page. This really helps me when prioritizing tasks.

Here's a brief run-down of the page layout (see screenshots).

At the top of the page, you can flip from your pages to your calendar, reminders, and writeboards, although I currently don't use these additional features very often. I expect to use the calendar soon, since they are making improvements to it regularly.

Under "Pages" you can "Add tags," and I use this to mark my "Daily" pages. In other words, I tag a page as "Daily" if I need to review it every working day. When you click on "My Pages" in the right-hand bar, you can view all your pages at once or just by tag group.

While I'm in the right-hand bar, I'll go over this section of the page. At the top, you can edit your settings and account info. Under that, you can click to "Make a new page." Next is my "Backpack Inbox". When you first create an account, this is called "Home Page" or something like that, but that didn't make sense to my brain. ;-) I renamed it "Backpack Inbox." That page is where I "dump" everything, sort of like my email Inbox. I sort it out a couple of times a day. My Backpack Inbox contains my main to-do list (or Next Actions), my shopping list, and any other items "dumped" into the page. That brings me to another cool feature of BackPackIt. In the second image of my "Realtor Thursdays" page, you'll see an email address "archie...@...". That's the email address for the page. Each page has its own email address, so you can actually email to-do's , notes, events, or whatever directly into it. I don't use this feature for any page except my Backpack Inbox. I have that page's email address stored as a contact in my email program. All I have to do is email a message to that address, and it goes into the page (to be sorted later). One side note about the right-hand bar: I like to keep my pages organized by groups, so I use numbers and symbols to distinguish them. Otherwise, they're sorted alphabetically.

You can store nearly ANYTHING in your Backpack - notes, files, images, or links. This could be a good way to create, say, a closing kit or listing kit and keep all your files and checklists in a Backpack page.

There's really too much to mention. It can be customized in so many ways so that no two people will have the same setup.

Here's how I use mine.

I have my Backpack Inbox, which is my main page. I check this one two to three times a day. If I have any new thoughts or activities that come up, I note them on this page and sort them later into their appropriate pages.

I have one page for "morning to-do's" and one for "afternoon to-do's". There are certain tasks that I do every working day, so I just have them in checklist form in these two pages. As I complete them, I check them off. (Oh, that reminds me. You can check off a list and then uncheck it to restore it. Just start from the bottom when unchecking to get it in the original order. I use this every day with my morning and evening to-do pages.)

I have a "Waiting For" page, where I note things that I'm waiting to hear back from other people.

I have pages for every project, client, listing, and closing, with a "Next Actions" list at the very top of each page.

I have blog pages to store ideas for future posts.

I have a "Calls/Appointments" page to track all incoming calls, which helps me to track leads and sources, as well as all calls for each listing. (Oh, you can email pages to other people, too. This is a good customer service feature. Every once in a while, you can email this page to remind your sellers of activity - or lack of - on the listing.)

I have Expired pages and FSBO pages to track my targets in these two groups, as well as all mailers and contacts made for each.

I have tons of other "oddball" pages that track and store all sorts of information. It really pays to use it as much as possible, both personally and professionally. You can access your Backpack from any computer with an Internet connection, so it's available to you anywhere.

These are just some of the ways I use Backpack, but you can see other ideas on their website.

You may also be interested to know that it doesn't take long at all to set it up. It took me about two or three hours one weekend, and I created a lot of pages.

Also, you can share pages with others, too. That's good if you have an assistant (maybe a virtual one - wink, wink), who manages your Backpack Inbox, calendar, and important pages.

It's really a versatile tool, and it's extremely user-friendly.

One final note about it is that the upgraded packages (currently $9 and $14 per month) offer SSL so that your data is more secure.

This is really a cool gadget and is priceless when it comes to keeping me organized. Try it for yourself. It's free and only takes a second to get going. Oh, and PLEASE share your ideas for using it, and I'll do the same.

Lesson #5: The Revenue Line

Amber Riviere (Brown Bug, LLC) — Tue, 13 Feb 2007 18:28:38 -0600

I've just about tapped the FSBO inventory here, as well as nearly every expired listing within a fifty-mile radius. I'm working now to build up my visibility in the area by meetin' and greetin' the local business owners. As a "new again" agent, I don't have unlimited resources to market and promote, so now what? Hmm...

That got me thinking. Is there something else I could be doing? Am I missing something that might produce better results? Is there a single formula that exists for success in this business?

Honestly, I don't believe there is an end all, be all formula that is guaranteed to work for every single agent, in every single market. Each agent has to consider his own strengths and weaknesses, as well as the dynamics of his local market. I bet you could take any top-producing agent out there and easily discover that his formula would be different (no matter how slightly) than the next agent's.

I'm sure every formula would go something like this.

Consistency + Persistence + Tenacity + (Some method of marketing and promotion) + Creativity = Success

Right now, I'm wondering about that one variable - "Some method of marketing and promotion."

There are agents who strongly advocate targeting FSBOs, while others hate the idea. Some are big expired fans, while some are afraid of the big, bad, lazy agent who lost the thing in first place. (Can you tell which side I'm on?) Some believe in direct mail, while others wouldn't stuff an envelope or stamp a postcard if their lives depended on it. There are newspaper and ad junkies, homes magazine fanatics, and search-engine-optimizin', bloggin' fools (in a good way).

Talk to any one of them, and they'll tell you how they always to this and never do that, yet each one of them has a different this and/or that.

The truth might really be that every agent must master his own formula. Otherwise, somebody would've already wrapped that mess up in a nice little package with a pretty red bow, selling it for a pretty penny, and since I haven't had the pleasure of running across one of those nice little packages, I expect they don't exist yet. It's part art, part science, and I don't think there is one single answer that will work for everyone.

Either way, I know that my success formula will come in time. I've selected my most probable route, and now all I can do is add the other things to the mix (consistency, persistence, etc.). I just wish I knew if what I'm doing is working. (Doesn't everybody?)

If I did, I could stay there, hour after hour and day after day, dancing on that revenue line (as Julie Morgenstern says). Since I don't know the answer just yet, all I can do is dance as close to it as possible, getting closer with every new listing and every closed transaction. I guess that's all any of us can do.