Real Estate Virtual Assistant Blog

Search Engine Rankings - Find out how your site ranks - And the service is FREE!

RealSupport Real Estate Virtual Assistant (RealSupport Inc.) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 07:35:26 -0600

I came across this FREE site, www.KPMRS.com recently, and thought it was a pretty cool way to track your website's Search Engine Rankings.

First, what is a search engine ranking? How high your site comes up when a keyword is searched for on a search engine.

For example, my keyword/phrase is "Chicago Illinois Real Estate". When I type in "Chicago Illinois Real Estate" on Google, what number does my site come up? First, third, twenty-second?

This free site allows you to track this number for one website for free (the paid version allows tracking mulitple sites). It gives you google, yahoo, and bing! This is great for those of you (like myself) who are simply curious, but even more powerful, you can use it as a tracking tool when implementing any kind of search engine optimization.

If you are planning on or have recently implemented some new keywords onto your site, or started blogging using your keywords (see our Google Juice blog post for more on this) - then now is the time to start tracking your progress!

It is so easy, you can sign up for a free account with KPMRS.com or don't sign up and just check your site on the homepage!

The main difference between the paid service is that it saves your keywords and site information, so you don't have to enter it each time you check it. It also offers email updates when your rankings change, an Iphone application and some fancy charts!

Below is an example of what the resulits look like when using the free, unsubscribed version:

WARNING: This is addictive! Once you start checking, I guarantee it will become a favorite pastime!

Want to know how you can improve your SEO through keywords, blogging and more? Contact your Real Estate Virtual Assistant to learn more!

Jen Miller, Project and Design Coordinator
RealSupport Inc.
Phone: 847-705-1655 x202
Email: Jen@RealSupportInc.com
www.RealSupportInc.com
Our Real Estate Client Testimonials
Our Real Estate Marketing Samples
Our Virtual Assistant Team

Get Ready, We're Sharing Our Favorite Facebook Applications to Expose Your Listings!

RealSupport Real Estate Virtual Assistant (RealSupport Inc.) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 14:26:22 -0600

As a team of Real Estate Virtual Assistants, we’ve done our research and wanted to share some of our favorite Facebook Applications with you. They’re an easy and effective way to help you promote your business at little to no cost!

Your REALTOR.com listings on Facebook:

The first widget or application works with www.REALTOR.com. REALTOR.com has just updated their page on Facebook and is now granting access to their application to all REALTORS!

Click HERE to view the REALTOR.com Facebook application!

You can now add your REALTOR.com listings to your Facebook page. They will have their own tab called “View My Listings” When someone clicks to view, they’ll be lead directly to your REALTOR.com page.

MAKE SURE your Real Estate Virtual Assistant is enhancing all of your listings on REALTOR.com to ensure the best exposure to potential buyers! With so many listings being featured online, your listing really has to pop. To make sure your listings pop, make sure you are uploading 25 photos, adding your enhanced ad copy, two headlines and a special message. The more details, the better!

Social Real Estate Tools:

Another great application is called Social Real Estate Tools. Click HERE to view their website. This application does cost you a small fee monthly, but seems to be very beneficial. The client testimonials are all positive and a majority of the agents using this widget seems to have positive feedback. The cost to apply this service to your Facebook profile is roughly $20.00 per month. The benefits of this application is that you can customize a profile page to your liking. Unlike the REALTOR.com page where it is already customized and you can only do so much.

Canadian MLS Real Estate Professionals:

“Don’t Feel Left Out Canada!” There is a brand new application for Facebook made specifically for Canadian MLS Real Estate Professionals. This great application gives REALTORS a separate profile page aside from their personal page to showcase listings, custom links, business profile and much more! The company is currently working on getting an IDX Search Compatible with this application so that your listings can automatically feed. For now, they need to be manually entered and will display as follows:

Remember, the RealSupport Team has the knowledge and experience to service you! We understand your busy lifestyle and we are here to help!

Take your business to the next level and hire a Real Estate Virtual Assistant TODAY! What are you waiting for?

Need to Shorten a URL? How about tracking it as well - FOR FREE!

RealSupport Real Estate Virtual Assistant (RealSupport Inc.) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 10:37:41 -0600

I know what you're thinking, Why would I need a shortened URL? There are many reasons, but you can find a few examples below:

1. You want to send someone a link, but it is too long.
2. You want to post a link to Twitter.com, but the link takes up most of the allotted character limit.
3. You want to add a link to a marketing piece, but it is long and affects the look of the piece.
4. You want to track the number of clicks a link is getting.
5. Countless other reasons!

There are many options out there for shortening URL's, but the two that have caught my attention are TinyURL.com and SnipURL.com. There are some distinct differences:

TinyURL.com:

This is a free service that simply allows you to shorten the length of the URL. I like this service because it is user friendly and couldn't be easier to use. Simply visit www.TinyURL.com and enter your URL, then enter what you would like the shortened URL to be and just like that you are given a shortened URL for your use.

Example:

Before TinyURL:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=77527&id=55010230845#/pages/Palatine-IL/RealSupport-Real-Estate-Virtual-Assistant/55010230845?ref=ts

After TinyURL:
http://tinyurl.com/realsupport-team-facebook

SnipURL.com:

SnipURL does virtually the same thing, but offers a few additional tools that are a HUGE benefit.

1. SnipURL saves the links you created. You have a login with SnipURL and it saves each shortened URL you create, so there is no need to save the URL somewhere else, like there is with TinyURL. They are always there to refer back to.

2. SnipURL offers FREE tracking of your shortened URL's.

Why is this important?

Results aren't results unless they are proven, right? Do you want to know how many people are visiting your site from your twitter post? Maybe your Zillow profile? How about from a postcard campaign?

With SnipURL, you can track the clicks and unique clicks of your shortened URL for FREE. After setting up the shortened URL, you can login and check the click throughs on that particular link. Some services charge big money for tracking, and with this site, you can get it for FREE!

Example:

Before SnipURL:.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=77527&id=55010230845#/pages/Palatine-IL/RealSupport-Real-Estate-Virtual-Assistant/55010230845?ref=ts

After SnipURL:
http://sn.im/realsupportfacebook

After reviewing both sites, I would have to recommend SnipURL over TinyURL, although, if tracking isn't necessary, TinyURL gets the job done just fine!

Not sure how this could benefit you? Ask your Virtual Assistant to help! Need a Real Estate Virtual Assistant? Contact us today. We're a team of real estate specific Virtual Assistants and because we're in the industry working with Top Producers every day, we can help!

Your Past Clients Are Making Memories in Their New Homes - Do You Know About It?

RealSupport Real Estate Virtual Assistant (RealSupport Inc.) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 16:20:23 -0600

This is our house. 24 Maple Drive…I love this house. I love that I taught my kids to ride their bikes in the driveway. I love that I slept with them in tents in the backyard. I love that we carved our initials in the tree out front. This house is warm in the winter, cool in the summer, and looks spectacular with Christmas lights. It's a great house. I never want to move. But the thing I think I like best about this house are the voices I hear when I walk through the door.

This is my favorite quote from the classic movie, Father of the Bride. This is the kind of thing that new homeowners imagine when they buy any home. They may not say it out loud, for fear of sounding corny or unrealistic. But don’t most of us want the fantasy life that George Banks so lovingly describes in this monologue?

A home is more than just bricks, hardwood flooring and wall to wall carpeting, a patio and a backyard. It’s the building blocks of people beginning their lives together and making memories.

The home plays a large part of this movie. It’s where George Banks played basketball with his daughter in the driveway every night, where his little girl stood in her nightgown and socks at the top of the banister right before she slid down it to fall into her father’s arms, and, eventually, it ends up serving as the setting of his no-longer-little-girl’s wedding reception.

People love to hear about sentimental memories being made in the home. It makes them believe that good old family values are still alive and well.

With that said, are you staying in contact with your home buyers after that monumental closing? Do you know about the memories that they are making in their new homes? Are they hosting family game nights, book club meetings, garage band practices, block parties and/or weddings?

Make it a point to stay in contact with them and find out. It would be the perfect feature to post on your website. You could call it Home-Made Memories. Have them send you a picture and tell a story. Or if you want to go all out, you can dedicate a whole blog to your happy clients.

To get an idea, take a look at this blog. It’s about a young couple starting their life in their new home. You can follow them as they go through the trials and tribulations of fixing up their 53 year-old home and throwing the cutest DIY backyard wedding you’ve ever seen. There are a ton of other blogs out there like this one. New homeowners love to talk about their home. Why not let them use you as their outlet to do it?

People will love to see concrete evidence of happy homeowners that were made possible by you, their trusted advisor, friend and real estate agent.

After all, who doesn’t like to see that sappy home memories can happen in real life too? Have your Real Estate Virtual Assistant setup a page on your website to dedicate to your Home-Made Memories or have them put together a special blog post for each client’s special memory.

Your clients will appreciate your extra efforts and they’ll be sure to give out your name and give you their repeat business!

Best wishes!

Stacey Clarke, Listing Coordinator
RealSupport Inc.

Phone: 847-705-1655 x212

Email: Stacey@RealSupportInc.com

Our Real Estate Client Testimonials
Our Real Estate Marketing Samples
Our Virtual Assistant Team

RealSupport Inc. - Providing superior Real Estate Virtual Assistant services to Real Estate professionals nationwide since 2000.

Personalize Your Message This Holiday Season!

RealSupport Real Estate Virtual Assistant (RealSupport Inc.) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 08:21:17 -0600

It’s that time of the year again! Time to send out your well wishes to the past and present clients who have accepted you into their homes and their lives. During the holidays, you are not just communicating with your sellers for marketing purposes, you’re thanking them for their business and wishing them and their family all the best at this wonderful time of the year! The more you can make a personal connection with them, the better that message will be received.

First, lets start with the most traditional - a holiday card or a postcard. These days you don’t need to go out and buy already manufactured cards. You can created your own or ask your Virtual Assistant for help ordering and getting them sent out! We have designed a few custom holiday cards, that you can add your name and personal message to!

To use either of the cards below, contact RealSupport!

If you want to make things really personal, go that extra step and send a CD of Christmas Carols imprinted with your holiday message. Who isn’t going to appreciate the time and energy you put into that? You can even play music label producer and title the CD something like Songs to Fill Your New Home With Holiday Spirit.

Don’t have the time? Pass the task on to your Virtual Assistant. Have them compile a list of songs, download them from iTunes, buy empty CD jewel cases and insert the holiday card into the CD case. Voila! Your very own Christmas CD!

If music producer doesn’t quite fit you, why not be a book publisher? Everybody has their favorite recipes around the holidays. Whether you be a gourmet cook or a quick and easy cook (everybody loves variations on the classic holiday Chex Mix recipe), it’s easy to make your own cook booklet or even just a recipe postcard!

Put together your favorite holiday recipes and add a little introduction to each one about who gave you the recipe or what holiday memory it brings up. Bind it with a comb bind or a festive ribbon. These little personal touches really make people feel like you’re reaching out to them, not just as their realtor, but as their friend.

Stacey Clarke, Listing Coordinator
RealSupport Inc.

Phone: 847-705-1655 x212

Email: Stacey@RealSupportInc.com

RealSupport Inc. - Providing superior Real Estate Virtual Assistant services to Real Estate professionals nationwide since 2000.

Your Bi-Weekly Bright Idea Update from RealSupport!

RealSupport Real Estate Virtual Assistant (RealSupport Inc.) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:46:06 -0600

We strive to keep our clients updated on the latest and greatest when it comes to marketing and technology. Below are this weeks "Bright Ideas"...

Social Networking is Here to Stay...Are You Connected?
It's no secret that in today's competitive marketplace, social networking is a must. There are hundreds of social networking websites from which to choose. Find out which websites will benefit you the most...

Wordless Marketing Creates Strong First Impressions!
Think of the pictures of a listing as the initial draw. If buyers see blurry, dark or cluttered photographs - they are far less likely to look any further into the home. But, imagine what a single, strong eye-catching photo can do!

Zillow Showcase Ads - Are They Effective?
To be a successful media company, Zillow needs to make sure their customers are realizing success with their ads. It is important to look at what the best-performing ads look like, and the lowest performing, because ad content is crucial to performance.

Until next time,

Carrie, Erica, Jen, Lori, Stacey, Allie, Meredith & Nicole

RealSupport Inc. - Providing superior Real Estate Virtual Assistant services to Real Estate professionals nationwide since 2000.

Your Bi-Weekly Bright Idea from RealSupport!

RealSupport Real Estate Virtual Assistant (RealSupport Inc.) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:10:42 -0600

We strive to keep our clients updated on the latest and greatest when it comes to marketing and technology. Below are this weeks "Bright Ideas"...

Special Announcements:

We’re excited to introduce you to our newest team members. They have been in our extensive training program for the last three months and they're fully trained now. Their photos and profiles are below, enjoy!

Meredith Lee, Listing Coordinator

Meredith joined the RealSupport Inc. Team in July of 2009. She graduated from Columbia College Chicago with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Graphic Design and is excited to bring forth her new and exhilarating ideas to our team.

With five years of experience in freelance design; designing everything from scrolling advertisements, unique branding pieces for several companies and artistic photography to working on projects for various nonprofit organizations. Her creativity and interest in social networking websites has lead her to dive head first into website design and she has been learning and exploring new software ever since. She will be contributing many of her innovative and invigorating ideas with our clients.

Meredith is in the process of purchasing her first home and during this exciting time has learned even more about real estate including effective marketing and the closing process. Meredith is an avid animal lover and in her free time, she enjoys taking photographs and spending time with her fiancé, friends and family.

Nicole Cannata, Listing Coordinator

Nicole joined the RealSupport, Inc. Team in July of 2009. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Benedictine University and is excited to begin her career. Prior to joining our team, Nicole worked for a very successful real estate agency in the northwest suburbs of Illinois. Her already existing interest in real estate grew while supporting several top producing agents. Nicole was responsible for inputting the agency's new listings into the MLS as well as several other top marketing websites. She also created eye-catching home brochures and postcards to attract potential buyers.

In her free time, Nicole enjoys dancing and spending time with family and friends.

IN THE NEWS: Tell your clients now! The $8,000 First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit Has Been Extended - Be the first to let your buyers know! Contact us to brainstorm ideas to get this information to your clients!

Real Estate on Reality TV - It Doesn’t Get Much Better!
Introducing HGTV’s Real Estate Intervention. The show takes struggling sellers on a tour of other listings in the same price range and same area to see if they are pricing their home realistically compared to the competition.

What is Google Juice and How it Can Drastically Increase Your Search Engine Ranking!
Google Juice is a slang term for “the ability to get pages to appear high in the Google search rankings.” It sounds pretty simple, right? A few key tips will help you climb the Google Search Ladder...

Tracking the Effectiveness of Your Craigslist Ad Just Got Easier
Some of our clients spend upwards of $400 for us to market their listings. We want to be certain they are getting the most bang for their marketing dollars. In search of a tool that would allow us to make sure we have the data to back-up our positive opinion about Craigslist, we have been testing a free tool...

How can YOU have a marketing and closing team at your fingertips and not at your office? RSVP for one of our FREE upcoming webinars - Every Thursday at 2 PM, CST! Click HERE to reserve your spot or click HERE for more information on our webinars!

Until next time,

Carrie, Erica, Jen, Lori, Stacey, Allie, Meredith and Nicole
RealSupport Inc. - Providing superior Real Estate Virtual Assistant services to Real Estate professionals nationwide since 2000.

RealSupport Inc.
Phone: 847-705-1655
Email: Info@RealSupportInc.com
www.RealSupportInc.com
Our Real Estate Client Testimonials
Our Real Estate Marketing Samples
Our Virtual Assistant Team

Corefact Marketing Systems - Some Innovative Ways to Keep in Touch with Your Leads

RealSupport Real Estate Virtual Assistant (RealSupport Inc.) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 07:46:57 -0600

I have seen a lot of drip direct marketing campaigns, but this one seems different. While Corefact offers the usual just listed, just sold, Happy Holidays postcards, it also offer a lot more. In particular, what caught my eye were the following custom series of cards:

Home Estimate Series:
The home estimate series provides homeowners with the usual call-to-action - an offer for a free value of their home - nothing new here. What is new, and pretty amazing is the map on the card of their neighborhood that displays current market activity.

Local Expert Series:
This series is designed for agents who are actively marketing into a geographic farm. Each card hits on a different aspect of the home selling process and positions you as the local expert in your farm. The series is available with Corefact's patent-pending Market Data Access Key on the back of the card to establish a connection with your target audience (also very cool).

Proof of Production Series:
We have all sent out postcards with our most recent sold statisics, which is great - but this system takes it a step further. The Proof of Production Series combines information on homes you’ve sold with their patent-pending Market Data Access Key to position you as a results-oriented real estate professional who is best equipped to sell the prospect’s home.

While we haven't personally used this company before, we will be recommending them, as from what we can see so far, the product is quite unlike any other out there. I love the neighborhood maps on the home estimate series, it may be my favorite feature they offer. Can you imagine getting a postcard with actual data of YOUR neighborhood - and all displayed in a "Google Map" type format? Pretty neat!

Another often overlooked aspect of direct marketing is the call-to-action and the connection the lead has with you after receiving the postcard. This company seems to really understand that and offer it as part of each of their campaigns. Now that they have looked at the card, what's next. They don't leave out the most important part! Visit my website for this free offer, etc. We always make sure we include these types of call-to-actions on any custom cards we do!

Don't think you have time to start a campaign like this? No problem! Need a Real Estate Virtual Assistant? Contact us today. We're a team of real estate specific Virtual Assistants and because we're in the industry working with Top Producers every day, we can help!

Zillow has Jumped on the Social Networking Bandwagon!

RealSupport Real Estate Virtual Assistant (RealSupport Inc.) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:45:08 -0500

I know most of you post your listings on Zillow.com and hopefully have your profiles in the directory on the site as well (If you don't - it's easy - sign up here). Zillow is now offering the ability to add your social networking links to your profile - and the best part is they display them in a great little social networking package - see below!

This is quick and easy for you or your virtual assistant to implement as well! People are looking on these social networking sites, so why not take advantage! Simply follow the steps below:

1. Login to your Zillow.com account

2. Hover over "My Zillow" and choose "Profile"

3. Scroll down and enter your social networking information in the spaces provided under "Professional Information" - Click "Submit".

That's it! As easy as 1, 2, 3!

Don't think you have time? No problem! Need a Real Estate Virtual Assistant? Contact us today. We're a team of real estate specific Virtual Assistants and because we're in the industry working with Top Producers every day, we can help!

Real Estate on Reality TV - It Doesn’t Get Much Better!

RealSupport Real Estate Virtual Assistant (RealSupport Inc.) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:33:25 -0500

I’m sure you all have noticed the popularity surge of real estate reality TV shows. It started with the success of Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. Then it really caught on when HGTV rolled out a slew of real estate shows and soon became much more Home and much less Garden.

House Hunters, What You Get for the Money, Flip This House and Moving Up. It’s pleasurable to watch other people turn fixer-uppers into contemporary living spaces or young families moving up in the world to purchase 5 bedroom, 4 bath homes in nice neighborhoods.

These shows were great to watch because they were an escape from reality. You may not be able to buy a home, but it’s fun to live vicariously through others who can. But I think there’s only so much one can take of watching an overly confident REALTOR in a show like Million Dollar Listing sell homes for 20 million dollars while some modest homes are getting foreclosed on – and their owners kicked out on the street...

Well it looks like reality TV is finally choosing to reflect the current market...

Introducing HGTV’s Real Estate Intervention. The show takes struggling sellers on a tour of other listings in the same price range and same area to see if they are pricing their home realistically compared to the competition. Your hosts are Sabrina Soto, the gentle REALTOR who is sweet as pie to the often sensitive and defeated homeowners and Mike Aubrey, the tough-looking real estate expert with a military background who takes the direct approach and tells the homeowners that it’s time to face the facts.

This show is not exactly the light-hearted fluff that we are used to with home buying shows. In fact, it’s pretty heartbreaking. Take Evelyn who lost her job 6 months ago and can no longer afford to stay in her beloved townhome in the pricey neighborhood of Georgetown in Washington, DC. She has put a lot of work into her home – and a lot of personal touches. With every comparable home that Aubrey shows her, she refuses to accept that any of them are more valuable than hers. To the audience, she seems so obviously blind to what she needs to accept. She may have updated her kitchen with a blue tile backsplash that she thought adds an upgraded finish, but Mike needs to explain to her that granite countertops and stainless steel appliances is what makes a home show well.

Or what about Rebekka who was so proud of buying her first home three years ago, at the height of the market, when she could afford the mortgage. When the rate adjusted, she found herself drowning in her interest-only loan. Now she has to sell her home, but she has no money to make updates or renovations. On top of it all, her mom has terminal cancer and she wants to get home to take care of her. She has priced her home at $259,900. She owes $240,000 in payments. When they find a comparable home in much better shape at $243,500, Aubrey must break it to her that $209,000 is about all she going to get for her home and that a short sale is the best way to go. Sitting in her small dining area, we watch her cover her head in disappointment as she takes in the depth of what Aubrey is telling her.

It can’t be easy to accept that the home that was, at one time, a great investment is now worth a fraction of its expected value. And of course it’s human nature to put high value in what you own because you know what it’s worth to you.

These people in this show are real. They’re our family, our neighbors, ourselves – accepting they can no longer afford to live in the homes where memories have been made. It’s nice to see a reality show actually reflecting reality. It’s just unfortunate that reality isn’t always pretty. But hey, it’s still VERY interesting to watch!

Real Estate Intervention: Four Stars ****

Warmest regards,

Stacey Clarke, Listing Coordinator
RealSupport Inc.

Phone: 847-705-1655 x212

Email: Stacey@RealSupportInc.com

RealSupport Inc. - Providing superior Real Estate Virtual Assistant services to Real Estate professionals nationwide since 2000.

What is Google Juice and How it Can Drastically Increase Your Search Engine Ranking!

RealSupport Real Estate Virtual Assistant (RealSupport Inc.) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 10:42:59 -0500

What is Google Juice?
Those of you who are familiar with search engine optimization may have an idea of what Google Juice is. For those who don’t, Google Juice is a slang term for “the ability to get pages to appear high in the Google search rankings.” It sounds pretty simple, right?

A few key tips will help you climb the Google Search Ladder:

Tip 1: Repeat your targeted search phrase a number of times on the website page and/or blog post:
This is so easy to do – and if you want to consistently get good rankings, you need to make a habit out of doing it, OFTEN! It is easy to do this the WRONG way, so beware, you want your text to make sense, while still peppering in your keywords/phrases. Do not overdo it! Too much of a good thing can be bad! Link those keywords and/or phrases back to relevant pages on your website.

Tip 2: Bold Keyword/Phrases: Google gives more weight to keyword/phrases that are bold.
Just like everything else in SEO, you don't want to over-do the bolding. A couple bold instances per page should be enough. If you have links between your pages about the keyword phrase then it's a good idea to bold those links.

Tip 3: Social Bookmarking for Google Juice:
Google not only looks at what is on your pages to decide your Google ranking -- incoming links are also a big part of what makes up good Google Juice. It's also not just the number of links, but how well respected the linking sites are in the Google algorithm. So, how do you quickly get good Google Juice links? Social bookmarking!

Three or four social bookmarking links can do wonders for your Google Juice and therefore, your Google ranking. If you don't use any other social bookmarking sites, one Google Juice blog suggests the following: StumbleUpon - Digg - BloggingZoom - Sphinn. You will almost instantly have good incoming links to your pages even if the post doesn't rank well with the particular social bookmarking site.

Tip 4: Crosslinking:
You can boost your Google juice by creating multiple posts about the same keyword phrase. Link keywords from one blog post to another related blog post, to your site. Link to your website from your blog, and to your blog back to your website. If done right you can multiply the effect of your good placement in Google rankings.

Summary:
Your blog is a powerful tool that can be easily used to raise the ranking of your website or blog. If you are using your blog to and raise the Google ranking for your website, do the following:

1.) Use your desired keyword(s) often and in places it makes sense.

2.) Bold those keywords and links to your site.

3.) Crosslink from your blog to your site and visa versa. Use social bookmarking to help your site along in it's Google ranking.

BONUS! Your Real Estate Virtual Assistant can implement all of this for you! Your time is valuable... A Real Estate Virtual Assistant can even post to your blog 1x per week or more. Do what you do best and hire out the rest!

Best wishes!

Erica Parpan, Operations Manager
RealSupport Inc.
Phone: 847-705-1655 x201
Email: Erica@RealSupportInc.com
www.RealSupportInc.com
Our Real Estate Client Testimonials
Our Real Estate Marketing Samples
Real Estate Virtual Assistant Team

RealSupport Inc. - Providing superior Real Estate Virtual Assistant services to Real Estate professionals nationwide since 2000.

Social Networking is Here to Stay...Are You Connected?

RealSupport Real Estate Virtual Assistant (RealSupport Inc.) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 08:36:21 -0500

It's no secret that in today's competitive marketplace, social networking is a must. There are hundreds of social networking websites to choose from, and often times it is difficult to know which websites will benefit you the most. All in all, the facts are indeed the facts - in 2009, classified newspaper ads are not going to go nearly as far as online marketing will. Whether you want to market your business, your listings, or both, portals are available to begin your online marketing endeavor.

Ask any real estate virtual assistant - they’ll advise you to sign up NOW and start making those invaluable connections that can lead to referrals, new clients and more.

Most social networking websites are FREE. As a team of real estate virtual assistants, we always tell our clients they must have a plan when utilizing social networking. Many clients come to us and want to join Facebook (for example) just because their colleagues are on there... Unless you’re competing in a popularity contest, that is not the best plan. Your real estate virtual assistant can listen to your goals and then create an effective plan to incorporate social networking into your overall marketing plan.

Here is a list (and brief summary) of a few of the most popular social networking websites that you may want to join, based on your goals and plans:

1) Facebook - Yes, the hype is indeed true! Everyone is using Facebook...and you should be too! We've found that Facebook is not only an incredible tool for keeping in touch with friends and family, but it can also be utilized to on a professional level as well. For example, advertise your listings through a "soft sell" approach (with seller participation) that we have used for many of our clients. Another idea would be to join or create groups and/or networks to connect with other agents and potential clients. Add your blogs RSS feed to your profile and keep your "friends" up to date on your events and success stories. Recently. many of our clients are having us create a Business Page for them in effort of keeping their personal Facebook profile personal and separate from your clients and colleagues. Facebook ads are another amazing tool to get leads and VERY targeted leads.

2) ActiveRain - For any real estate professional, ActiveRain is considered the go to social networking website. With over 160,000 members, ActiveRain was designed specifically for real estate agents to create business relationships both within the industry and with the consumer. Create and maintain a blog to report on anything you want - real estate news, market reports or local events and trends - the sky is the limit! Another great feature is "Groups," which are smaller communities within the larger ActiveRain community. Join groups created by others, or start your own and get others to join - communicate with the entire real estate community about anything you want to share or are interested in obtaining more information about. Who knows, your next referral just may come from a connection you made on ActiveRain!

3) Twitter - Another website gaining plenty of ground! Within seconds of signing on to Twitter you can start following industry and technology leaders, other real estate agents and people from your local communities and target market. We’ve had some pretty awesome Twitter success stories and we can’t wait to hear yours!

4) LinkedIn - A business and professional network which is set up with a resume' profile, connecting you to others in your field, business or company, searching for employment and making deals and referrals. With more than 10 million users, it is a great place for a business person to network.

Social networking websites are here to stay. Don’t get overwhelmed by them, just have you real estate virtual assistant devise an effective plan based on your goals!

I hope you're all having a wonderful weekend. Wishing you a successful and productive week!

RealSupport Inc. - Providing superior Real Estate Virtual Assistant services to Real Estate professionals nationwide since 2000.

Tracking the Effectiveness of Your Craigslist Ad Just Got Easier

RealSupport Real Estate Virtual Assistant (RealSupport Inc.) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 09:09:52 -0500

Craigslist has become a very powerful tool for many real estate professionals. We typically recommend posting your listings to Craigslist. It is also a great place to post events like Home Buyer Seminars, general ads like “Receive a FREE Market Analysis of Your Homes Value”, and even for recruiting new agents.

As Real Estate Virtual Assistants, the online marketing efforts that we implement can be pretty extensive. At RealSupport, we provide package pricing per listing for listing marketing and we are often asked to recommend the best sites for advertising our client’s listing. I’m a big believer in Craigslist (however, I do realize there are reasons it doesn’t make sense for some agents), so this site is typically part of each of my client’s listing marketing plans.

Some of our clients spend upwards of $400 for us to market their listings. We want to be certain they are getting the most bang for their marketing dollars. In search of a tool that would allow us to make sure we have the data to back-up our positive opinion about Craigslist, we have been testing a free tool call http://craigslistadtracker.com/ that can be used to track the activity of each Craigslist ad. So far we have found this tool to be easy to use, accurate, and consistent in providing us hit reports on each ad.

With that said, perhaps we find the result to be the opposite and our ads are not being viewed… before you throw out the baby with the bathwater, I recommend tweaking your ad title. On a similar note, if you are posting your ads with HTML code from some other source (like Postlets), you MUST still upload a photo. Most Craigslist users will not click on an ad that does not have a PIC (which is the notification next to the title indicating there is a picture uploaded to the ad). I did not like the way the uploaded photo looked with the attractive HTML code from Postlets, so we tricked the system and we upload a blank image… now the ad still looks nice and the ad indicates there are pictures (which of course there is because that is part of the HTML).

How it works

Register an account
Create a tracker
Insert the tracking code on your craigslist ad or webpage
Every page view will be logged for reporting
Analyze the report

Why use this service?

Know the number of page views your ads receive
Know which type of ad gets the most clicks or generate more leads
Know your visitor locations
Up-to-the-minute real-time stats
Email notifications
Track unlimited postings
Several reports and charts to help you analyze your stats
Invisible and seamless tracking
Timezone conversion for reporting
Image hosting and tracking
It works on Craigslist, Oddle, Myspace and other networks that support HTML listings
It is simple and FREE to use

You can’t manage what you don’t measure! Click here to create an account.

If all this sound just a little to complicated, you need a Real Estate Virtual Assistant! Let a REVA do the work for you… all you should worry about are the results, right?

Carrie Gable, President
RealSupport Inc.
Phone: 847-705-1655 x200
Email: Carrie@RealSupportInc.com
www.RealSupportInc.com
Our Real Estate Client Testimonials
Our Real Estate Marketing Samples
Our Virtual Assistant Team

RealSupport Inc. - Providing superior Real Estate Virtual Assistant services to Real Estate professionals nationwide since 2000.

Wordless Marketing Creates Strong First Impressions!

RealSupport Real Estate Virtual Assistant (RealSupport Inc.) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 12:43:56 -0500

We all know the saying a picture is worth a thousand words, which we would all agree to be true. Seeing a single picture can evoke strong emotions or take you somewhere else entirely- and that’s powerful! So, knowing this to be the case; let’s talk about real estate photography.

You may have the most creative and top-notch marketing strategies. You may have a monthly budget that far exceeds other agents in your area and may have the upper hand on ad placement. However, if the pictures are low quality- it can deter buyers quickly.

Think of the pictures of the home as the initial draw. It’s the first thing people see and will create a strong first impression. If buyers see blurry, dark or cluttered photographs - they are far less likely to look any further into the home. But, imagine what a single, strong eye-catching photo can do! You’ve probably experienced walking down the street or in a grocery store and something grabs your attention out of the corner of your eye. And what you see is a magazine with a bold front cover featuring an interesting subject or bold colors.

Now, imagine a buyer browsing multiple real estate websites and seeing home after home. Suddenly, they are drawn to a striking picture of your listing, so they click on it to view more because you’ve peaked their interest! This, now fully engaged, audience is interested in seeing what else this home has to offer. And you’ve succeeded in creating a great first impression.

So, the dilemma arises: you’re not a professional photographer. We understand. But, there ARE ways to capture great images of your listing! If you’re not at all interested in taking your own pictures, there are a few options:

1. Hire a Professional. If you’re willing to pay a little extra in order to save you the time and energy of doing this yourself, then we encourage you to do so! You will get great photos and if you agree to use the same photographer on a regular basis; they may be willing to work out a deal with you!

2. Hire a Student. Photography students are more than eager to gain experience in their field! If you live close to a university or even a community college, post an ad for a photographer on Craigslist or a school job board or website. You’re almost guaranteed to get plenty of responses!

Some students may be willing to shoot for free if they’re working on a project or just want to build their portfolio. But, even if you do pay them, their services will be far less expensive than a professional photographer. They will love the flexible schedule and will put their heart into giving you the best pictures possible. Since they’re immersed in their photography classes; their eye for detail and editing skills will be sharp. Be sure to request to see a portfolio before choosing which student you want to use. This will ensure you like their style and that you’re getting the best photographer for your listings. (P.S. Need an updated self portrait or team photo? They will most likely jump at the chance for this project too!)

While these may be the best options for getting dynamic, quality images of your listing; you may not want to bother with the extra costs or coordinating schedules to find a time to shoot. If this sounds like you, read on. You want that strong first impression of the home, but perhaps you aren’t too sure how to achieve your desired results. Don’t worry. We’re here to help!

In the coming weeks, we’ll be going over the various aspects of photography that translate into a compelling photo. From lighting, color and sizing, to tips on creating an appealing room scene and photo composition. We’ll cover all the bases in a simple way! Join us on this journey of developing a strong first impression of your listing without having to say a word!

Need more advice? Ask your Real Estate Virtual Assistant today?

Allie Hlad, Listing Coordinator
RealSupport Inc.
Phone: 847-705-1655 x205
Email: Allie@RealSupportInc.com
www.RealSupportInc.com
Our Real Estate Client Testimonials
Our Real Estate Marketing Samples
Our Virtual Assistant Team

RealSupport Inc. - Providing superior Real Estate Virtual Assistant services to Real Estate professionals nationwide since 2000.

Crisp Fall and Winter Marketing Ideas - Stay in Front of Your SOI w/Mailings & Giveaways!

RealSupport Real Estate Virtual Assistant (RealSupport Inc.) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 11:19:19 -0500

Fall is the time when everybody comes a little closer together. It's a little colder, the days are a little shorter and it's full of family gatherings and celebrations. There are so many opportunities to remind your clients who you are - and maybe make them feel like you’re a part of their family too. Below are a few ideas to stay in touch with your current and past clients this month:

Tips To Prepare Your Home for Fall/Winter

With the fall of that first leaf comes the cloud of winter chores that hangs over your head. There are a lot of things that are necessary to prepare your home for winter. If you’re lucky, you remember to do these things before there is a foot a snow on the ground.

Take this opportunity to send your SOI a checklist of to do’s called “Getting Your Home Ready For Winter,” so they can get started now! Even if you are in a warmer state, (We’re in brrrrr… Illinois) We believe you can think of some general things that still need to be done this time each year.

We know, we know…you don’t have time… This is the perfect task for your Real Estate Virtual Assistant! Let your VA know what you want to do. Decide if you want to send an email, postcard, or a letter. We personally recommend graphical, eye-catching jumbo postcard. Below is a postcard we’ve designed for our clients to send out, just to give you an idea.

Let your VA take it from there. Your SOI will appreciate that you’re sending them such useful information and what’s better is that you’ve reminded them you are here, and you are ready to serve their needs.

Time Change Postcard

Halloween may be over after October 31st, but there is nothing scarier than the chance that you’ll forget to set the clocks back on November 1st. Give your clients a friendly reminder by sending them a postcard reminding them to set their clocks back. And don’t forget to add that the reason for daylight saving time is it allows us to use less energy in lighting our homes by taking advantage of the longer and later daylight hours. They’ll appreciate the gesture and you’ll stay fresh in their minds with the start of the winter season.

Below is the Fall Back Postcard we have designed for our clients.

Other Ideas:

Pumpkin Giveaway:

It’s halloween again. That means costume shopping, trick-or-treating and pumpkin picking! Those new to the neighborhood are looking for ways to get to know the community. A day at the local pumpkin patch is the ultimate community activity - a way to enjoy the fall weather, surround yourself with other families from the community and create lasting memories for the family. Give them a nudge in the right direction. Send out a postcard to your past clients, current clients and SOI advertising a pumpkin giveaway. They enter by filling out a form on your website and the winner is announced by email notifying them where they can pick up their winning pumpkin - at the community’s favorite pumpkin patch of course!

Costume Contest:

Everybody loves a costume contest and there are some creative minds out there when it comes to Halloween costumes. When you put a lot of energy into a Halloween costume, you want as much recognition as possible. After all, you only get to appreciate it that one night of the year. Give your clients a chance to bask in the limelight a little longer. Ask them to send in pictures of their Halloween costumes. The winner gets $100 and their picture posted on your website! You can guarantee the winner will be so proud of their accomplishment that they will be showing everybody they know their picture on you’re website.

This doesn’t have to stop with Halloween. Ask your VA to create an extra page on your website specifically for contests. They are the perfect way to pique interest and keep clients coming back to your website.

Stacey Clarke, Listing Coordinator
RealSupport Inc.

Phone: 847-705-1655 x212

Email: Stacey@RealSupportInc.com

RealSupport Inc. - Providing superior Real Estate Virtual Assistant services to Real Estate professionals nationwide since 2000.

Google AdWords - What is it and How to Get $100 Worth of Google AdWords FREE

RealSupport Real Estate Virtual Assistant (RealSupport Inc.) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 14:58:02 -0500

Google AdWords is offering a great promotion for new users - $100 in Google AdWords FREE - but it expires Friday, October 16th, so if you are going to take advantage, you must do it this week!

What is Google AdWords?
Google AdWords is a pay per click service on Google. In other words, you only pay when your ad is clicked, not each time it is displayed. The way it works:

You (or your Virtual Assitant) create your ads:
You create ads and choose keywords, which are words or phrases related to your business. You can get keyword ideas free from Google here!

You set a budget:
You will want to set a daily budget, this is the total amount you want to spend per day. Once set, you won’t go over this each day.

You (or your Virtual Assitant) bid on your AdWords:
You decide how much you want to pay per click for each keyword/phrase. How high you bid, along with many other factors (including your sites relevance to the keywords) determine how high up your ad appears.

Your ads appear on Google
When people search on Google using one of your keywords, your ad may appear next to the search results. Now you're advertising to an audience that's already interested in you. You only pay for the ad when someone clicks on it - you are NOT charged each time it is displayed. (TIP - DO search for your keywords to see if you are coming up. DO NOT click on the ad once found, or you will be charged for it)

You attract customers
People can simply click your ad and be taken to your site!

This is typically a pretty expensive service, so this is a great opportunity to try it out for FREE!

Click here to receive the promotion and sign up! Google will walk you through the process step-by-step, it is simple!

Take advantage of this promotion before October 16th to test it out - but be sure to cancel your account once your promotional credit expires or you WILL begin getting charged!

Don't have the time to get this set up? Need a Real Estate Virtual Assistant? Contact us today. We're a team of real estate specific Virtual Assistants and because we're in the industry working with Top Producers every day, we can help!

RealSupport Inc. - Providing superior Real Estate Virtual Assistant services to Real Estate professionals nationwide since 2000.

Zillow Showcase Ads - Are They Effective?

RealSupport Real Estate Virtual Assistant (RealSupport Inc.) — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 16:11:11 -0500

In case you aren’t familiar with Zillow Showcase Ads, they are ZIP-code targeted ads that can be updated at any time. Showcase Ads are very effective for agent advertising.

Zillow makes money by selling ads on the site. But, to be a successful media company, they need to make sure their customers are realizing success with their ads.

It is important to look at what the best-performing ads look like, and the lowest performing, because ad content is crucial to performance.

Actually, these findings can apply broadly to any advertising campaign, not just those on Zillow!

LISTING ADS PERFORM A LOT BETTER (in terms of “click-throughs”) THAN AGENT HEAD SHOT ADS.

Observations from the Top 50 ads on Zillow:

100% were ads for listings
45 of 50 ads were an exterior home shot, 3 were interior, 2 were aerials
42 of the ads mentioned a specific area (neighborhood, city or addres)
8 central messages revolved around Short Sale, Foreclosure or price reduction
2 were Open House ads
0 photos were renderings (illustrations), all were actual photos
0 ads promoted a specific person, business or brand
22 of the ads had a specific price visible
7 had a phone number visible
50 had photos that were taken on a sunny day

Observations from the Bottom 20 ads on Zillow:

18 of the ads promoted an agent/broker/brand
1 did not have a photo (and no clicks)
1 had some type of call-to-action on the ad

To protect the innocent, here are the most-used tag lines from these ads:

Buying or Selling?
Let’s Make It Happen!
Greater [City] Expert
[State] Specialist (you specialize in the whole state?)
Call For Results
Buyer Rebate
Luxury Living
I’ll Get You Moving
Need Perspective?
Local [Large City] Expert (would be more effective if neighborhood name was used)
31 Yrs Selling Experience
Certified Mtg Planner (does Joe Public know what Mtg is?)
… and the most common: No tag line - Just company name

Sara Bonert, Director of Broker Relations at Zillow and the original poster of these ideas and statistics, SHOWS YOU what the best performing ads LOOK like here.

For more information, please contact the friendly sales staff at Zillow to learn about pricing in your area. Sara is ready and willing to help. You can also contact her on Twitter: @sbonert.

Okay so now we've told you more about Zillow Showcase ads... If you're short on time, have your Real Estate Virtual Assistant setup, tweak and manage your showcase ads! "Do what you do best and hire out the rest!"

Best wishes!

RealSupport Inc. - Providing superior Real Estate Virtual Assistant services to Real Estate professionals nationwide since 2000.

Point2 Agent now offering spam control for your web forms

RealSupport Real Estate Virtual Assistant (RealSupport Inc.) — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 13:06:53 -0500

Spammers are clever and Point2 Agent is pro-active. Spamming has become even more of an issue lately as spammers have decided to use online forms on Point2 Agent websites to spam their members.

Point2 Agent has been made aware of the spam issues via phone calls coming into their Customer Care Team and messages posted to their Message Board.

Point2 Agent is pleased to announce that they now offer spam control on your web forms from reCAPTCHA.

This feature was released last Thursday and is available for all members to turn on in your Point2 Agent websites.

By default, reCAPTCHA will be left turned off. You will want to go in and take a few quick seconds to activate this feature if you are concerned about spam in your web forms.

For instructions on activating the reCAPTCHA feature in your Point2 Agent account, please visit their User Manual here.

For more information about reCAPTCHA and how it works, check out their site. More information can be found on Point2's original blog post here.

Do you have a Point2 Agent website but don't have time to manage, maintain & enhance it? Hire a Real Estate Virtual Assistant to take care of it for you!

Have a great week!

RealSupport Inc. - Providing superior Real Estate Virtual Assistant services to Real Estate professionals nationwide since 2000.

Twitter Tip - Building Invaluable Relationships on Twitter to Support Your Business

RealSupport Real Estate Virtual Assistant (RealSupport Inc.) — Fri, 21 Aug 2009 21:38:10 -0500

We’ve all heard of it by now and many have started using it. Twitter is one of the fastest growing social media websites, increasing 1,928% in 1 year from 1 million visitors in June 2008 to 21 million in June 2009. Wow.

There are many ways to utilize Twitter! (Note: A Tweet is a status update consisting of no more than 140 characters.) Posting a tweet about yourself can seem intimidating at first, so let’s just forget about posting a “status tweet”. I’m going to focus on one unique way to put Twitter to work for you.

Yes, I know we all get on Twitter, to network, etc. However, it can be much easier than you think to “network and create valuable connections.”

When I use to think of “networking on twitter”, I was thinking of hours dedicated to updating my status and following others, reading their updates and responding, etc. Too much work and not enough time! Why make it more complicated than it has to be?

Here are two real life examples of effectively using Twitter:

Example #1: On Twitter, we are following (connected to) a representative for Trulia, a website that we use for a majority of our clients. One of our clients wanted to sign-up to be a Trulia Pro and she had heard that Trulia sometimes offers discount codes that you can apply when signing up. She asked us if we had heard about these discount codes and if we knew how or where to get one. We instantly thought of our contact at Trulia and hopped on Twitter to contact him. Erica Parpan, our Operations Manager, sent him a tweet on Twitter asking if he had a discount code our client could use. He DID and we saved our client money!

Reaching out to our contact at Trulia took 2 minutes, maybe less, however the end result was priceless!

Example #2: We were waiting and waiting for one of our clients listings to syndicate (automatically feed) to Trulia from Point2 Agent. After about a week of waiting and troubleshooting, we needed to contact someone for support. But who? Trulia or Point2? We weren't sure who's issue it was, so rather than calling them both and explaining the situation twice, we sent a tweet to @Point2Agent AND @Trulia...

They both responded momentarily thru Twitter and a representative from both companies worked on getting our issue resolved. Now that is what I call GREAT customer service!

You never know who you will “meet” on Twitter. Give it a try and start building those invaluable connections! Oh and by the way, don't forget to follow me: @realsupport as well as Erica Parpan, our Operations Manager: @realsupportva.

Have a GREAT weekend!

Need help getting started with Twitter and/or other social networking websites? Ask your Real Estate Virtual Assistant. Don’t have a Virtual Assistant, need one? Contact RealSupport today!!!

RealSupport Inc. - Providing superior Real Estate Virtual Assistant services to Real Estate professionals nationwide since 2000.

Your Bi-Weekly Bright Idea Update from RealSupport!

RealSupport Real Estate Virtual Assistant (RealSupport Inc.) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 09:57:48 -0500

We strive to keep our clients updated on the latest and greatest when it comes to marketing and technology. Below are this weeks "Bright Ideas"...

August 5th, 2009 Edition

Reservations Have the Power to Make or Break Your Success
What if you could be seen as the expert of a neighborhood? Well, thanks to Point2Agent's recent addition of Neighborhood Expert pages, now you can!

Creating a Successful Online Presence for Your Business
After much research, continuing education and just plain trial and error, we have established what we believe (and many others too) to be the crucial key elements that must included in a successful online presence...

The Skinny on Widgets (and some cool real estate ones we found)
Widgets are a portable chunk of HTML code that can be installed on any other web based page. The cool thing about widgets is...

Broker/Agent Social - Social Networking for Real Estate Professionals - Are You Connected?
In today's fast-paced velocity, being in the know of various marketing portals is essential. Finally, a social networking website has been created for real estate professionals.

Until next time,

Carrie, Erica, Jen, Lori, Megan & Chelsea
RealSupport Inc. - Providing superior Real Estate Virtual Assistant services to Real Estate professionals nationwide since 2000.

Your Bi-Weekly Bright Idea Update from RealSupport!

RealSupport Real Estate Virtual Assistant (RealSupport Inc.) — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 11:05:28 -0500

We strive to keep our clients updated on the latest and greatest when it comes to marketing and technology. Below are this weeks "Bright Ideas"...

July 21st, 2009 Edition

Add Unlimited Photos to Your Listings on Trulia and Best of All, It's FREE and You Don't Have to Upgrade Your Account!
I'm sure that most of you post or have your listings "feed" to Trulia.com. They have just launched an exciting new feature that allows you to...

A "Soft-Sell" Approach to Marketing Your Listings on Facebook with Seller Participation
Social networking has become an unavoidable craze and, as far as real estate is concerned, Facebook has definitely become a portal for marketing your properties...

Point2Agent Has Expanded Their (Already Impressive) List of Syndication Partners
Point2Agent recently announced their new syndication partnership with The Real Estate Book - A top online and print book for listing circulation. Not sure what this all means? Let's break it down...

Until next time,

Carrie, Erica, Jen, Lori, Megan & Chelsea
RealSupport Inc. - Providing superior Real Estate Virtual Assistant services to Real Estate professionals nationwide since 2000.

Reservations have the potential power to make or break your success

RealSupport Real Estate Virtual Assistant (RealSupport Inc.) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 20:45:50 -0500

Picture a dinner with clients over the “big” business deal. You want to show what you’re made of- what you have to offer, and so you make reservations at the top place in town.

It’s the place to be seen, mingle with clients and network- you want to make the best impression and this reservation sets the tone.

So, what if you could reserve a neighborhood?

What kind of message would THAT send to your clients? In Real Estate, the “big deals” aren’t necessarily made over braised duck and a dulce de leche torte, but out on the field where your clients are hoping to build their lives.

What if you could be seen as the expert of a neighborhood? Well, thanks to Point2 Agent’s recent addition of Neighborhood Expert pages, now you can!

As a member of Point2, you have the opportunity to reserve the neighborhood of your choice - boosting exposure and drawing traffic to your website. Those looking to purchase in “your” neighborhood will see your logo, photo, contact information, email and link to your website in a prime location at the top of the page! As the expert, you’re viewed as the “go to” person for the area. This, in turn, builds great confidence in clients as to your ability to be the agent to help them find their new home.

Here’s how it works:
1.    Log into your Point2Agent account.
2.    Under the Admin tab, click on Neighborhood Expert.
3.    The next steps will walk you through picking your neighborhood and “buying” that location.
4.    Purchasing a neighborhood is done through a “Dutch Style” auction. (Neighborhoods begin at the highest bidding price, decreasing at predetermined time intervals until purchased. If the minimum price is reached, it will stay at that price until the neighborhood is purchased or auction is closed.)
5.    The Expert term is three months in length, with the neighborhood price reset at the beginning of each quarter.
6.    There is no limit to the number of neighborhoods you reserve. Being the expert of multiple neighborhoods only increases your exposure!

The Next Step: You’re the expert - now what?!
1.    Your main goal is to provide pertinent and helpful information about your neighborhood.
2.    Your Neighborhood Expert page should be filled with pictures, links, maps and information that will help a buyer learn about the area.
3.    Point 2 has neighborhood data pages that are full of the vital stats, but we recommend adding your own personal touches to make potential clients feel at home.
4.    Think of your page as the “welcome mat” featuring community information, local amenities, school information, local history, etc…

Things to Remember:

1.    This page is not a way to push your services (although you will gain exposure). Your purpose is to be showcased as the expert - a useful guide to the area.
2.    Pictures, Pictures, PICTURES!!! Well, they’re worth a thousand words, so fill your page with quality photos of local parks, attractions, restaurants, etc!
3.    Don’t highlight your listings - this will be a turn off to those truly interested in finding information on the neighborhood.
4.    Put yourself in the buyers shoes - what would you want to see on your page? Make it helpful, personal and informative!

Want to create that lasting impression? Have your Real Estate Virtual Assistant m ake your neighborhood reservations today! The Neighborhood Export page is an excellent marketing investment as you are able to meet new buyers, be seen as a vital resource and increase awareness of what you have to offer!

Have a wonderful weekend!

RealSupport Inc. - Providing superior Real Estate Virtual Assistant services to Real Estate professionals nationwide since 2000.

Point2 Agent has expanded their (already impressive) list of syndication partners

RealSupport Real Estate Virtual Assistant (RealSupport Inc.) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 17:28:12 -0500

Point2 Agent recently announced their new syndication partnership with The Real Estate Book- a top online and print book for listing circulation. Not sure what all this means? Let’s break it down...

Syndication is one of the fastest growing mediums for online advertising. Basically, a listing put on a single site can, within seconds, show up on thirty plus different sites - a complete blast of your property throughout the virtual universe - with the click of a button!

As you can see from the Point2 Exposure Engine below, they were already offering a great deal of syndication:

Point2 happens to be one of the largest syndication websites for the real estate industry and continues to add partners on a regular basis.

Not only does Point2 take care of putting your listings on highly trafficked sites, but their follow up is ideal.

You’ll be able to view your stats with automated tracking and your clients will be impressed with the automatic syndication reports for their sellers!

Wondering what the marriage of Point2 and The Real Estate Book look like? Well, it’s off to a great start!

The Real Estate Book is a key player in the industry as it sees over 1 million visitors online at TheRealEstateBook.com.

Its multi-media distribution and additional print exposure across 450 North American markets ensures your desired exposure!

If you are already taking advantage of The Real Estate Book, but have also been using Point2- you now only have to list once - a valuable time saver! So, take a deep breath knowing that Point2 is continually looking for more ways to make your life a little easier.

Not a member of Point2 yet? Don’t miss the opportunity to experience the marketing power of automatic syndication- a medium that will boost your competitive edge! Have your Real Estate Virtual Assistant setup your account today!

Warmest regards,

RealSupport Inc. - Providing superior Real Estate Virtual Assistant services to Real Estate professionals nationwide since 2000.

ExpressCopy.com - 10% off of your total order!

RealSupport Real Estate Virtual Assistant (RealSupport Inc.) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 17:06:32 -0500

Happy Friday Everyone!

Just a quick note to let you all know that ExpressCopy.com is currently offering a special promo now through July 31st - 10% off of your total order!

Make sure your Real Estate Virtual Assistant knows about this special offer. Have them apply it to your next order!

If you happen to have a big mailing coming up, now is the time to take advantage of the discount!

Don't have any mailings planned at the moment? Here are some ideas:

1.) Send out an updated market summary

2.) Dinner for 2 giveaway (They sign-up on your website and the winner is notified by email)

3.) Advertise your client appreciation party

Have a great weekend!

RealSupport Inc. - Providing superior Real Estate Virtual Assistant services to Real Estate professionals nationwide since 2000.

A "soft-sell" approach to marketing your listings on Facebook w/seller participation

RealSupport Real Estate Virtual Assistant (RealSupport Inc.) — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 11:20:20 -0500

These days it seems to be all about Facebook! Actually, let me rephrase, it IS all about Facebook! Social networking has become an unavoidable craze and as far as real estate is concerned, Facebook has definitely become a portal for marketing your properties, building relationships and staying in touch with past clients.

Here is a fun fact...It is estimated that the average Facebook user has at least 200 Facebook friends and 1/2 of Facebook users login to their account at least 1x per day. That is a huge audience that you NEED to reach out to - without offending anyone.

Because Facebook is such a terrific site and its member base is constantly growing, we had a great idea (and we hear other agents are already doing it)... We've started implementing this "soft-sell" idea with our clients Facebook accounts & listings and wanted to share it with all of you!

We have begun using Facebook as a marketing tool and believe that it has the potential to connect you with new clients and even connect you with the key elements in making that sale!

We are taking a "soft selling" approach to this new marketing method as our client, Kathy Toth of Ann Arbor, MI has recently done. She is one of several top agents currently utilizing this technique.

Here's how it will work...

1.) You send all of your sellers a "friend" request on Facebook.

2.) The seller will accept the friend request.

3.) You will upload photos of your seller's home into an album and TAG your seller in each photo of their home.

4.) Make comments on the seller's photos such as "The photos of your home turned out great!" or "We really captured the curb appeal in this photo!"

5.) Your seller should also respond to the photo comments and converse with you their home to publicize or "soft-sell" it to both your "friends" and your sellers "friends" on Facebook.

Avoid the "hard-sell" approach while exposing your listings to thousands of people! Best of all, your Real Estate Virtual Assistant can do all of this for you!

Warmest regards,

RealSupport Inc. - Providing superior Real Estate Virtual Assistant services to Real Estate professionals nationwide since 2000.