PropertyMinder's Real Estate Marketing Blog

PropertyMinder Adds RMLS of Minnesota (NorthStarMLS) To Its MLS Coverage

Internet Marketing Group (PropertyMinder, Inc.) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:54:33 -0500

PropertyMinder has just added to its growing number of MLS partnerships by adding the Regional MLS of Minnesota, now known as NorthStarMLS, to its MLS coverage areas. PropertyMinder will now be able to provide direct MLS search access to approximately 16,000 Realtors® in Minnesota and Western Wisconsin. Realtors® in those areas can now use PropertyMinder’s AccelerAgent Website platform to allow visitors to search properties, save searches, get automatic listings by email, client tracking, and more.

RMLS/NorthstarMLS members can take advantage of this technology partnership by signing up for a free 30 day test drive of the AccelerAgent Real Estate Websites by following this link: Free Website Test Drive

About NorthStarMLS:

Serving approximately 16,000 REALTORS® in Minnesota and Western Wisconsin, NorthstarMLS is operated by the Regional Multiple Listing Service of Minnesota, Inc. (RMLS) under a mandate to develop and deliver excellence in the technologies, data resources, programs and policies that support our subscribers in the performance of professional real estate practice.

About PropertyMinder:

PropertyMinder. has been an innovator in the areas of Internet Marketing, Web Technology, Content Management, Post Sales Follow-up, SEO Marketing and Management. We have successfully partnered with Real Estate Agents and Brokerages through our superior products and unmatched Customer Service.

www.PropertyMinder.com

This blog post can also be found here: http://blog.propertyminder.com/propertyminder-adds-rmls-of-minnesota-northstarmls-to-its-mls-coverage

PropertyMinder & San Diego Assoc. Of REALTORS Announce Technology Partnership

Internet Marketing Group (PropertyMinder, Inc.) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 14:46:40 -0500

PropertyMinder and San Diego Association of Realtors™ Partner Up for Affinity Program

San Jose, CA, October 28, 2009 – PropertyMinder has entered into a web technology partnership with the San Diego Association of REALTORS® (SDAR). SDAR has chosen PropertyMinder as the vendor of choice for real estate websites for their over 12,000 members.

“This is a very exciting opportunity for PropertyMinder. We are pleased with the recognition given to us by SDAR. We believe that our AccelerAgent™ and Single Property Websites will help SDAR members achieve better Internet Marketing through our extensive tools,” said Jane Ellsworth, PropertyMinder VP of Sales.

“We are thrilled about this partnership and to be able to pass along such valuable services to our membership,” says Chief Executive Officer Mike Mercurio. “PropertyMinder is known as a leading provider of websites, client management systems and more. Our members will now have access to very sophisticated tools that will help them better manage their business and serve their clients.”

The AccelerAgent™ Websites offer a suite of productivity tools, a sophisticated client relationship management system, unlimited lead generating opportunities, tracking tools, customized IDX searches, and disclosure hosting capabilities.

Single Property Websites allow more visibility and marketing power in the agent’s hands. Listings have their own URL. Linking this site to a personal web site gives any agent more marketing power. This site includes an Open House feature and Disclosure Document hosting. In just a few clicks, listings are exposed to different home search portals.

About PropertyMinder:

About SDAR

The San Diego Association of REALTORS® is the largest trade association in San Diego County and the fourth largest local REALTOR® Association in California, composed of over 12,000 members.

For More Information, Please go to www.PropertyMinder.com

This Blog Post is also available here: http://blog.propertyminder.com/propertyminder-san-diego-association-of-realtors-announce-technology-partnership

Rewarding Your Clients for Choosing You as a Realtor®

Internet Marketing Group (PropertyMinder, Inc.) — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 21:19:40 -0500

We all know that our current and past clients are the greatest resource for referrals. A little thoughtful gesture can go a long way.

Here are just a few ideas on what to give your clients to say thank you.

Housewarming Party. This one may sound expensive; however, it does not need to be. You can host a simple snack party serving simple finger foods. Always remember that it's the thought that counts! Here is a simple guide in hosting this party:
1. Ask your clients for the list of people that they would like to invite, along with their email addresses.
2. Create a registration form on your website.
3. Email the invitation to the people in the list and tell them to register on your website so that you know how many people are expected.
This is a great way not only to show your clients that you value their business, but also to market yourself as a real estate agent to the visitors. The emails that you collect through the registration form will grow your pipeline.

Move-in Present. If you don't have the resources to throw a party for your clients, try offering a gift. Here are some simple ideas:
1. a centerpiece for their dining room or living room
2. gift basket - choose your theme: popcorn/movie night, kitchen supplies, recipe collection, snacks for the kids, etc.
3. gift cards - save your clients some green by giving them a gift card from a nearby grocery or home improvement store.
4. first night survival kit - dishwashing soap, sponge, garbage bags, toiletries, etc.
Don't forget to attach your business card to these presents.

Monthly Strategies. You can also send a monthly "little something" to your clients. This is a good way to keep your name in front of your clients.
1. Send them a handwritten note every month. There are really strange holidays out there such as Friendship Day, Grandpa's Day, etc. Go online and depending on who your client is, send them a quick note about it.
2. If you have the time, come by and just say hello. Ask how they are doing and if you can be of any assistance to them or if they know anyone who might need your expertise.
3. Use your website to send them Market Updates.
These should get your creative juices flowing. Always remember that a simple follow-up after closing the transaction is greatly appreciated by your clients. Your rewards are the referrals.

With the AccelerAgent™ Website, promoting yourself is easy. The system allows you to create your own registration forms and schedule messages to go out on specific dates. These messages come with beautiful templates. Please call our Tech Support Team at 800-743-5820 ext 2 if you need assistance. We also offer weekly webinar trainings for our customers. Click here to register.

For more information on AccelerAgent™ Website packages, free trials and demos, please call 800-743-5820 or visit www.propertyminder.com.

Speech is the answer

Internet Marketing Group (PropertyMinder, Inc.) — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 20:49:57 -0500

An SWG research revealed that a talking website is evaluated positively by 65% of the interviewed people. Almost the same percentage of the sample, 64%, asserts that the Internet should keep evolving towards the inclusion of sounds and images - i.e. to become more and more multimedia-oriented.

Following this major trend, PropertyMinder now provides this service, turning your site into a talking website without slowing down your Internet browser.

PropertyMinder's talking AcclerAgent Websites can increase your sales. Your message is personal, real, and dynamic. You can use it to build up "excitement" about your services.

So, how long did the development of text to speech technology take?

(Source: Wikipedia)

In 1779, the Danish scientist Christian Kratzenstein, working at the Russian Academy, built models of the human vocal tract that could produce the five long vowel sounds. They were [a], [e], [i], [o] and [u]).

The first computer-based speech synthesis systems were created in the late 1950s, and the first complete text-to-speech system was completed in 1968. In 1961, physicist John Larry Kelly, Jr and colleague Louis Gerstman used an IBM computer to synthesize speech, an event among the most prominent in the history of Bell Labs. Kelly's voice recorder synthesizer recreated the song "Daisy Bell". Coincidentally, Arthur Clarke was visiting his friend and colleague John Pierce at the Bell Labs Murray Hill facility. Clarke was so impressed by the demonstration that he used it in the climactic scene of his screenplay for his novel 2001:, A Space Odyssey, where the computer sings the same song as it is being put to sleep by astronaut Dave Bowman.

Today most of us listen to synchronized speech when we drive. Text to speech is available on many GPS units, and it simply uses a voice engine to generate speech based on the text that needs "reading", so it can tell you, "Turn right on Maple Street in 400 yards" instead of just "Turn right in 400 yards."

"There are many situations when prospects and customers prefer listening to reading, but certain daily MLS listings data updates are impossible to pre-record. We are happy to be the first company to turn a website into a real multi-media tool for all Real Estate professionals in the United States," said PropertyMinder's Executive VP, Aric Kazarnovsky.

Talking websites make your visitor experience more interactive. Even if they become visually distracted, they still receive the content via audio, therefore still absorbing the material.

Since 1999, PropertyMinder has helped thousands of Real Estate agents and brokers adjust quickly to the post-Internet revolution and take advantage of tremendous Internet Marketing opportunities to secure their success in Real Estate.

We invite all our readers to test drive the AccelerAgent™ Websites at www.propertyminder.com. Ask us for a 30-day no risk trial by calling (800) 743-5820 today.

Give Your Website a Personality

Internet Marketing Group (PropertyMinder, Inc.) — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 20:54:24 -0500

A personal website can definitely become your second self. You must use it to avoid becoming “just another agent”. The more people see value on your site, the more they will stay and possibly convert to leads. Your website should reflect what you’re all about when it comes to your business. Here are some ideas for you to consider in modifying your current website:

Target Market. Having a niche can be beneficial. Although it is nice to work with “everybody”, it’s your expertise that will set you apart from the pack. Some examples include specializing with first time buyers, growing family, senior real estate, foreclosures, short sales, luxury homes and more.

Content. Once you’ve figured out your unique market, create your content. For example, if you specialize on first time buyers, add links that give them advise on what their checklist should look like before buying, or create a form on your website that will allow them to download a report on the latest first time buyer programs available.

Basic Contact Information. Make sure that your phone number and email address are correct. One typo on the email can cost you a lead. Also, if you’ve switched companies, be sure to change your logo and company information as well.

Testimonials. Show off those thank you letters from your clients. Given that buyers search for homes and agents online nowadays, it’s important that they see how satisfied your past clients were with your services. Sometimes we forget the power of reviews.

What’s in it for me? It’s nice to know what your designations are, where you’ve attended college, and what you were doing before your real estate career; however, an average Joe will not even know what those designations stand for. You can create a page for that, but do not forget to sell the benefits of having you as their agent.

Overall Design. Choose a website banner that best reflects your local area. If you’d like your listings to flow through a slideshow, add that to your homepage. If you have no listings at the moment, choose an animated design that has pictures of your area. The movement will create a different effect on your site.

AccelerAgent™ Website subscribers are able to create and modify contents like these through our comprehensive Website Editor tool.

For more information on AccelerAgent™ Website packages, free trials and demos, please call 800-743-5820 or visit www.propertyminder.com.

PropertyMinder adds audio to its Real Estate websites

Internet Marketing Group (PropertyMinder, Inc.) — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 21:01:56 -0500

Combining text with audio helps improve your website's visitor comprehension.

Reading your slogan, mission statement, and business philosophy require concentration and mental effort. For most of us, multitasking becomes virtually impossible when we try to absorb the words while reading. Your website visitors may redirect their attention to bright images, flash designs or animations before they even finish reading your slogan. As a result, many do not see your unique value proposition on the spot.

AccelerAgent™ Websites' new audio feature helps convey your message to visually distracted readers.

Being virtually bombarded with advertising, we become immune to commercials and we only look at ads for about two to five seconds on average. We see the words with our eyes, engage with the layout of the text, and we subconsciously acknowledge the paragraph breaks and emphasis on certain words. This is one of the reasons why the best ads, unique marketing statements, headlines and slogans are limited to just a few words.

AccelerAgent™ Websites now feature the latest Text to Speech (TTS) Technology. It can convert unlimited text and dynamically generated content to audio in seconds. Only PropertyMinder Websites can play content that is not pre-recorded. Text-to-speech is a process through which text is rendered as digital audio and then "spoken". Agents may select the voice and gender of the speaker that will deliver their marketing messages to buyers and sellers.

In Web 2.0 reality, enabling audio on your website can help communicate your value to your target audience and deliver your marketing message in a short period of time.

Research has shown that when read aloud and simultaneously shown, text is better absorbed by the reader. This is also why services like Podcast* became a popular marketing media for businesses.

PropertyMinder AccelerAgent™ Websites may sometimes be referred to as "Talking Websites". They simply communicate with great impact.

Imagine a Sales Representative that speaks to each of your website visitors, giving detailed information on the service you provide. Speaking websites will increase your number of buyers.

AccelerAgent™ Websites make your guest's experience more interactive. Go beyond flat text and communicate your value with impact. Stand out from the crowd.

Since 1999, PropertyMinder has helped thousands of Real Estate agents and brokers adjust quickly to post-Internet revolution and take advantage of tremendous Internet Marketing opportunities to secure their success in Real Estate.

We invite all our readers to test drive the AccelerAgent™ Websites at www.propertyminder.com. Ask us for a 30-day no risk trial by calling (800) 743-5820 today.

Ideas for Special Promotions

Internet Marketing Group (PropertyMinder, Inc.) — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 20:40:00 -0500

Why are special promotions important?

There are three major reasons for doing special promotions in general. First, you want to acquire new clients. Second, you want to remind your existing clients about your great service; and third, you are wishing for referrals. By offering something attractive to your target market, even strangers may suddenly be interested in what you have to offer. Same objectives apply to real estate agents.

Special promotions don’t have to be expensive and luxurious. It can be as simple as giving away tickets to a game, play or movie. Creativity is the key.

Here are just some ideas of special promotions that you can offer your buyers and sellers:

Offer a free one year home warranty for each client that buy or sell his home with you.
Go to a local restaurant and ask for coupons that you can scan and email to your leads.
Conduct a monthly drawing for a home improvement gift card.
Give away a book that might interest buyers or sellers. You can also do this via a monthly drawing.
Offer a free trip or weekend getaway to those that buy or sell a home with you. There are tons of websites that offer inexpensive vacation package deals.
If you are a big sports fan, you can probably offer free tickets to a game.
Do the famous "on me" promo - your moving truck is on me, your first cable bill is on me, your housewarming is on me, and the list goes on.

Don't forget the details.

Once you have decided on your promo, be sure to explain the rules to your clients. You can send an email with information such as the requirements, drawing date, contact method, trip destination, coupon attachments and more.

Facebook for Real Estate

Internet Marketing Group (PropertyMinder, Inc.) — Sun, 26 Jul 2009 22:01:15 -0500

Build a branded social media community for your business.

In 2006, the total marketing spent on social media was $350 million, the forecast for 2011 is more than $2.5 billion.

Facebook was launched as a way for founder Mark Zuckerberg to connect with friends at Harvard. Today, Facebook has exploded online with nearly 200 million users, and a million new members joining each week in the U.S. alone.

Social networking platforms like Facebook provide the business community an ability to get repeat exposure with the people within your network. Clients, peers, and prospects can make up your network, and you can promote events, sales, special offers and more through your Facebook profile. It also makes it fun to connect with old friends, family and co-workers. Sharing an old grade school photo can create an instant bond with those from your past. Even personal connections have the potential to become new business opportunities.

Reaching a market of 50 million people would take 38 years by radio, 13 years by television, four years on the Internet, and three on iPod-but only two years via Facebook.

There are many social media styles and types; however, according to Riva Richmond, blogging for the New York Times, Facebook’s traffic this year increased 97%. In February 2009 a Compete.com study ranked Facebook as the most used social network by worldwide monthly active users, Facebook can help spread your brand and propel your business into the forefront of existing and potential customers’ minds.

How to start on Facebook?

Create a Powerful Profile

You account or user name must be tied with your real name, not your company or anything else. You can use your resume posted on your personal website with photos to describe your business practice, philosophy, mission and what you do. You can also include links to your website, blogs and other business resources. Be sure to include your photo so that others can recognize you online.

Build Your Contact List

Facebook is based on the concept of connecting with friends. You can send and receive friend requests and once accepted, your friend can view your profile and you can view theirs. To begin connecting with people that you know, you can either import your contact database or you can search Facebook for individuals.

You can also view the friends list for each person you are connected to. If you know any of your them (or you would like to know them), send a connection request.

Facebook Pages — Facebook "Pages" (that’s with a capital "P") were created to give businesses their own profile on Facebook. Pages give your business an identity. With a Page, those interested in following your brand can become "fans", and when they do so, all their friends will see this. You can store photos, videos, and information about your Real Estate business on your Page. All activities on Pages get posted back to your Mini Feed for all your friends to see.

Here are some ways to maximize Facebook for your business:

Communicate with Wall Posts

Each Facebook member has a "wall" where friends can post messages. This is a great place to post a quick note to those in your friends list. In the business networking world, this is the online equivalent of picking up the phone to say hello.

Update Your Status

At the top of your Facebook home page is a status box. When you post a status update, everyone in your friends list can see your update on their home page. This is a place to share tips, promote events and even boost sales. Effective business updates may include: "found a great article on foreclosures in San Jose,CA : www…." or "Joe at XYZ Realty in Saratoga is hosting a special Open House! Check out www…."

Networking is best when there is a two-way exchange. If you can help a new Facebook friend, they will likely want to return the favor.

5 Summer Marketing Ideas around Your Neighborhood

Internet Marketing Group (PropertyMinder, Inc.) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 20:54:30 -0500

It’s that time of year again. Most of us have already planned a nice summer getaway both from work and from school. When it comes to your business, this is also the perfect time for you to do some networking and have fun at the same time. The best part is doing all these just around the neighborhood!

Here are some ideas for you to consider:

1. What to do where?

Search for various activities such as festivals and summer fairs in your area. Use your AccelerAgent™ Website and email the list of events to your contacts. To get additional contacts, create a simple summer calendar that includes all the events that you found. Walk around your neighborhood and distribute the copies. It’s a great way to reintroduce you as the local expert.

2. Let’s do some BBQ.

Encourage your neighbors to bring their food and grill for a fun BBQ event. Note that you do not need to provide the barbecue for everyone. You can conduct a drawing instead. Prizes may include a new BBQ grill, family tickets to a water park, gift cards, movie tickets and more. Create a lead capture form on your AccelerAgent™ website and tell them to register for the event for a chance to win a prize. Your website automatically adds them into your contact list. Not in the mood for BBQ? How about a yard sale event? This is a great way for everyone to make some extra cash and have fun. Don’t forget to include your event on the calendar that you send out. Be creative and have fun!

3. Business for business.

How about those small and usually family-owned businesses? Get your smile ready and start building your pipeline. Get some small jars filled with cookies or candies. Drop one jar on each small business (be sure to get their permission). Do not forget to attach your card on the jar, including your website. Ask if you can leave some of your business cards next to the jar. If you want to go the extra mile, you can come back every month to refill the little jars. It’s a great way to keep in touch!

4. Become an Avon® or Tupperware® Rep... or not.

Remember that person who constantly ask you to buy an Avon, Mary Kay or anything similar? We say find those sales reps and hold a ‘Hosted By’ monthly meeting. Invite your friends and family. Pick your date for hosting. Be sure to have that sign in sheet for the visitors, collect those emails and use your AccelerAgent™ Website to keep in touch!

5. The family that plays together wins together.

Ask each family in the neighborhood to submit their favorite family summer photo to you via email. Make them go to your website to find the best picture winner. Whoever wins gets a prize. Tell them that the complete contest rules are on your website. Create a custom page on your AccelerAgent™ Website for the rules.

PropertyMinder continues to offer the TechMar Program to help agents to develop their Internet Marketing skills.

Get more online visitors and make them respond

Internet Marketing Group (PropertyMinder, Inc.) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 21:18:04 -0500

Direct response marketing is the centerpiece of PropertyMinder's money-making iMarketing System. The start of the Internet and its growing popularity has spawned a number of different marketing possibilities.

Direct Response online is built around motivating your website visitors to contact you at the very first opportunity.

Once the consumers are on your site, content is key to making them stay. Here are some ideas for content: neighborhood events, current market trends, newsletters, testimonials and local groups that you may belong to. Your AccelerAgent™ Website has so many lead capture forms available for visitors to fill out - from home search to free reports.

According to Aric Kazarnovsky, Executive VP and co-founder of PropertyMinder, "the most important aspect of Direct Response Marketing is the initial method that agents use to encourage visitors to give their addresses and contact info. Once this information is captured, agents can build a relationship with these potential buyers and sellers before they even personally look at a property or meet them in person." Aric is also the creator of the iMarketing System.

Customers who took PropertyMinder's TechMar Program report greater results from implementing direct response strategies.

"The TechMar clinics were unbelievable. I can’t believe they packed in so much information in such a short period of time. There are so many "secrets" that no one wants you to know and now I know why. My website traffic went from 50 hits per week to 1000 hits this week. I have gotten 15 leads that signed up on my webpage this past week."- Joe Doman, Realtor®.

There are numerous effective techniques for consumers to be interested and respond, but first, you need them to come to your site.

There are two primary methods of obtaining more hits or traffic to your AccelerAgent™ Website: Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Pay per Click Advertising (PPC).

SEO is a way to increase your website's organic or natural search ranking. By increasing organic rankings, agents gain more visibility, without having to spend on advertising. It does take time, but your traffic will definitely improve after you do some legwork.

Our TechMar Program covers SEO. It consists of two webinar-based classes that cover topics from identifying your vertical markets, modifying your meta tags, participating in social networking, getting more exposure for your listings, and much more. The program is built to ultimately get you more hits and let your site "exist" on the web. You are given homework after each class so you get a hands-on experience.

Pay per Click is more for agents who do not have the time to make a lot of changes on the site and wants "immediate" traffic from search engines such as Google™ and Yahoo!.

Marketing Ahead of Your Competition

Internet Marketing Group (PropertyMinder, Inc.) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 23:07:40 -0500

Many agents who took advantage of PropertyMinder's TechMar Program made the switch from image-based marketing to direct response marketing. Within a few months, they began to see fantastic results.

Image advertising is the creation of a particular perception for your service. According to allbusiness.com, "While there is definitely a role for image advertising in creating awareness, an entire marketing strategy built around image is not going to create loyalty because it is, by nature, a one-way communication strategy."

Direct response marketing is designed to solicit a direct feedback which is specific and quantifiable. The delivery of the response is direct between the viewer and the advertiser (source: Wikipedia.com).

Any agent can start the road to direct response marketing by following these 2 tips on how to instantly generate interest through your website.

Numbers and Statistics: For example, if you save your buyers 12% on the purchase of a home on average, say it! Instead of having a slogan that says "I have the honesty, integrity and passion to make people's dreams come true", make your slogan "I guarantee to save you 10% on your next home purchase or you get $1,000.00." Notice the first slogan is more focused on you, the agent, and the second is focused on the client's desires.

In buyer marketing, a simple way to figure out your unique statistics is to go through the last 12 months of your transactions. Take the list price, subtract the final purchase price and the difference is the total savings.

Specialties: Become the expert. For example, you specialize in working with first time home buyers. Instead of having a slogan that says "Leading people to achieve their dreams with passion and expertise", try using "An expert in saving first time home buyers thousands of dollars. It’s guaranteed". Notice again that the first slogan is more focused on you, the agent, and the second is focused on the client's desires.

It is also important to know where your audience is. List yourself on sites that get the most traffic, but most of all, those that are relevant to your real estate services.

Five latest signs of our market recovery

Internet Marketing Group (PropertyMinder, Inc.) — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 21:30:45 -0500

Are you ready?

With recent US government efforts to jumpstart the economy, real estate professionals should be prepared to get back into a market that will include a huge inventory, reduced prices and record-low interest rates.

Below are the five latest signs of recovery.

The bull is back to Wall Street. Recently, the Wall Street enjoyed the biggest four-week rise with DOW in more than 70 years. (Fortune Magazine, April 2009).
Mortgage applications increased by a record amount last week, spurred by the Federal Reserve’s announcement that it would purchase mortgage-backed securities, and would be open to making further cuts in prime interest rates.
There has already been some positive news in the housing market. Home sales in some of the country’s most affected regions have been recovering. According to DQNews.com, Southland home sales stayed above year-ago levels for the eighth consecutive month in February as the median price ceased its month-to-month decline for the first time in ten months.
The recent personal income report was also stronger than expected. Personal income in January rose 0.4 percent, following a 0.2 percent decline in December.
The US Banks are also showing signs of recovery. Wells Fargo, U.S. Bancorp and TCF are enjoying rising share prices, suggesting better days ahead.

Will you be ready when the market rebounds?

Today more than ever, as the housing market continues to recover, the consumer will desperately need answers, guidance and advise. The technology will continue to play a critical role as the real estate industry continues to evolve.

Make sure you target your marketing effort to where your audience is. Provide your expertise and housing research services online.

More here>>

Videos and Online Marketing

Internet Marketing Group (PropertyMinder, Inc.) — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 21:05:00 -0500

The National Association of Realtors® reported that 84% of home buyers considered property photos and virtual tours to be important in their "Profile of Home Buyers & Sellers" report. That was in 2005.

Today more than ever, videos could be very beneficial to your online marketing. Many tech savvy Real Estate agents have embraced the latest video technology as an innovative and engaging vehicle for connecting with their target audience.

People are watching hundreds of videos a day on YouTube.com and uploading thousands by the hours. In fact, every minute, at least ten hours of video files are uploaded.

YouTube is the leader in online video hosting, and the premier destination to watch and share original videos worldwide. It allows people to easily upload and share video clips across the Internet through websites, mobile devices, blogs, and email.

Creating a quality video today is easy and inexpensive. All you really need is a video camera, or sometimes even just a regular digital camera with video capability, and some editing software. Microsoft's Movie Maker is a free video editing tool. With this program, you can even add voice-overs and music. Another option is the inexpensive and extremely simple to use "The Flip" video recorder. It gives you 60 minutes to capture videos for your listing presentations, local neighborhood events and other personal clips.

An agent who has done a great job in putting virtual tours, photos and supporting documents to their featured and sold inventories online is two steps ahead of the game.

What effect on technology will California SB 133 have on you?

Internet Marketing Group (PropertyMinder, Inc.) — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 02:10:24 -0500

California recently passed a legislation named SB-133 that seems to have many agents in the state looking for alternative sources in contat management and document hosting.

SB-133, is a landmark legislation that will allow California to lead the country in Title Insurance Marketing reform by creating the first registration program for Title Marketing Representatives in the nation. With the new law, title companies are no longer allowed to provide much support and services to agents as they did in the past. As a result, many California agents turned to PropertyMinder for help in hosting their property disclosures on their AccelerAgentTM Websites.

Agents with PropertyMinder AcelerAgentTM websites can upload the information they intend to disclose and then limit the access to selected users only. The system tracks who downloads the information.

"I believe a feature like this allows PropertyMinder clients who are using our reliable and fully loaded AccelerAgentTM Websites to easily adapt the best practices in confidential information," said Aric Kazarnovsky, Executive Vice President, PropertyMinder Inc. The agents who take these steps are not only doing their job with care, but are representing the sellers to the fullest, taking advantage of technology to save time and money, most especially to reduce paperwork.

"When I heard that my title company would no longer be able to host my property disclosure documents, I contacted PropertyMinder to see if they could provide this service, since they have done a great job hosting my personal website. PropertyMinder immediately responded, and in response to my request launched a "Hosting of Disclosure Packages" project with high priority, from which other colleagues may now also take advantage! The fact that they are not charging extra for existing PropertyMinder agents shows how much they value our loyalty as their clients. Now buyers will be able to easily download any documents needed from our listings. PropertyMinder is truly our one stop shop for Internet Marketing needs!" said Gwen Luce, a Coldwell Banker Realtor®.

Marketing Your Real Estate Website 101 (part 1 of 3)

Internet Marketing Group (PropertyMinder, Inc.) — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 22:14:06 -0600

Times are tough. You know you have to promote your website in order to drive quality traffic, but your budget doesn't allow for much more.

So the question is, how do you promote your website so that you stand out from all the others? Well here is the thing about having a website. If you don't create the kind of website that promotes itself, you will always have to spend your time and money promoting the site.

So what exactly does this mean? Well let's start with content. Oh sure content, content, content. We've all heard it before. But the reality is that content is the one thing any good SEO company will tell you to start with. Over the years, the search engines have not changed these criteria. You must have good original content. Original? Yes, original. You should take the time to develop articles, market news, city updates or a blog. Any one of these will do but the key will be to do it all in your own words. Best content comes from your own understanding and your own interpretation of a subject.

If you have a niche market, show it on your site. Write about it. Show the reader in your own words why you are the area specialist. Include photos. It is a known fact that women are visual. Statistics show that 72% of the home buying process is started by women. With this in mind, your site should include intimate details of your city along with photos to show the area. Show photos of the local golf courses, aquatic parks or yacht clubs if that is what are your area is known for.

Once this is completed tell everyone. Every single contact in your database should be emailed with an embedded link to your website announcing the changes to your website and inviting them to see it. Use a third level domain name (available in your PM site) to drive the traffic to a specific new page you've created or photos you've added. This will give you the reason you've been looking for to email your database and remind them that you are still in Real Estate. It will also drive more traffic to your website. The original content will also help you in the search engines and keep your site fresh with content.

Birth to New Real Estate Offices

Internet Marketing Group (PropertyMinder, Inc.) — Mon, 26 Jan 2009 21:16:19 -0600

On November 18 2008, U.S. Federal District Court Judge Matthew F. Kennelly gave final approval to the settlement over the display of MLS listings on virtual office websites, or VOWs.

According to NAR's General Counsel Laurie Janik, the approved policy is a compromise which will ensure that MLSes are used for what they were originally intended, to help real estate professionals find buyers for people who want to sell their homes.

Although NAR has introduced IDX Solutions back in 2000, PropertyMinder started offering Real Estate agents, brokers and offices the fully loaded AccelerAgentTM websites that offer much of Virtual Office functionality extending MLS searches beyond IDX.

With AccelerAgentTM Websites, PropertyMinder clients are always in control. AccelerAgentTM sites offer a map-based MLS search allowing agents to exclude listings from displaying based on geography, list price, property type, cooperative compensation offered by the listing broker, or whether the listing broker is a REALTOR®.

We invite all our readers to test drive the AccelerAgentTM Virtual Office Websites. Start you test drive at www.propertyminder.com or ask for a 30-day no risk trial by calling (800) 743-5820.

Aric J Kazarnovsky

A few tips on why purchasing a house now is a wise move.

Internet Marketing Group (PropertyMinder, Inc.) — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 21:09:45 -0600

Holiday festivities are over and mundane routine slowly settles in. In a few weeks a new President will be sworn in. It is a good time to think and plan for 2009. We read reports about Real Estate decline and difficult times ahead of us. I am not an oracle to predict the future. All I want to do is share some known facts. Without going into dull details, below are some thoughts and observations which some of you may find useful when working with your clients.

It is a known fact that the government will face an astronomical deficit and will try to stimulate the economy. This will force the government to borrow heavily. Current interest rates are low and it is unlikely that they will rise in the next few quarters. Soon we will all compete for chip money, including the federal and local government. The simple rule of supply and demand will push interest rates up. The time to purchase a house is now, when the interest rates are low.

Massive borrowing and high interest rates are essential ingredients for high inflation. High inflation will devalue your savings. During inflationary periods, owning property is considerd a wise way to park money. The time to purchase a house is now, before inflationary pressure checks in.

Trillions of dollars in the U.S. budget deficit will be one of many reasons why investors will begin to question the U.S. government's ability to repay it's obligations. Investors may lose confidence in U.S. dollars. Erosion of confidence will be the main driver for devaluation of the U.S. currency. The time to purchase a house is now, while the dollar is still strong against major foreign currencies.

According to many "experts", prices of property are at a historic low. The time to purchase a house is now, because we may not see such low prices again for some time and because sellers are motivated.

Here are facts for you to draw your own conclusions

Internet Marketing Group (PropertyMinder, Inc.) — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 21:54:39 -0600

Not so long ago I remember reading market analysis reports published by the oil industry's top experts from top investment banks. Some of the reports were titled: Investment advice-buy. High price of oil is here to stay. Oil prices will reach $200 per barrel before year end. To defend their positions they cited depletion of "old" oil fields, unwillingness or inability to raise output by OPEC cartel, overall political instability in oil producing regions of the world, increased consumption in emerging economies, more specifically in BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India and China). To sound even more convincing, they point to technical analysis with complicated mathematical formulas, equations and economical laws that I call pseudo scientific or voodoo craft.

I do not know what happened with the analysts that lost their high paying jobs after the investment firms that they represented went bankrupt. I am pretty sure that they found suitable employers and forecasting some other economical events defending their point of view with equal zealous.

In today's modern economy, it is impossible to accurately predict it's down or upward turn. The truth is that the brightest and smartest did not see this coming, all that one can hope for is to spot the trend and take advantage of that knowledge. The truth is that the majority of the so called experts and analysts know no more than you and I, and following their advice is a sure way to go broke fast. The truth is that top executives know no more than the attendant of the local gas station or coffee shop. How else can you explain the massive mismanagement from financial institutions to the auto industry to the airline industry to construction? When oil prices were high the blame was placed on speculators. Now oil prices are low and we blame the high interest rates. Today interest rates by FED is at a historical low at 1% and likely be slashed to .5%. Do you have anyone to blame now for your ill doings? I don't.

It was a well orchestrated performance act done by the stewards of industrial and financial giants to impress and mesmerize you with their competence and experience. It is one of the many attributes of a power act to fly in a private corporate jet when the company in their custody is facing bankruptcy. Their sole purpose is to demonstrate uniqueness of vision and to build an invisible impregnable wall between you and them. Rick Wagoner knows less about car business than an attendant at a gas station. How else can one successfully run one of the pillars of the United States' industrial strength and might such as General Motors into the ground? What specific quality did he posses? Why was the Detroit Big Three unable to compete? It makes me sick to my stomach when I hear nothing but complaints from them: union, oil price, credit crunch. Do I live on a different planet or what? From what I remember, the Europeans and Japanese are paying more for their gas than we are. The European Union has just as powerful an auto union if not more so. Labor laws and regulations are considerably stricter in EU than they are in the US. But our overseas auto competitors do not face bankruptcy.

It is difficult to see the obvious, but it is even more difficult to affirm it. Giordano Bruno was burned at the stake as a heretic for stating that the Sun was at the center of the Solar System and not the earth.

Here are facts for you to draw your own conclusions.

Where Do We Stand Now? A new president, a new economic plan—what it means for real estate

Internet Marketing Group (PropertyMinder, Inc.) — Wed, 26 Nov 2008 20:29:16 -0600

When I was asked to write this article I did not know who would be occupying the White House for the next four years.

In June of 1949 the DOW Jones stood at about 167 points and was rising; in January of 1960 it was 640, on October 2, 1972 it hit a record high of 1,020 points. For the most part, from 1960 to 1982, the DOW Jones was going through typical up and down cycles. Periods of recessions were followed by periods of expansions. Since 1960 there were 4 recessions 1960, 69, 73, 81. For two decades the DOW Jones hung around 800 points, up until the computer revolution of the 1980's. From 1982 we have witness relentless rises, and a record high of 14,093 in 2007.

During Kennedy's election campaign, he charged that under Eisenhower and the Republican Party , the United States was falling behind and he, as President, would "get America moving again".

In his acceptance speech Kennedy stated: "We stand today on the verge of a new frontier- the frontier of the 1960's, a frontier of unknown opportunities and perils- a frontier of unfulfilled hopes and threats".

I have read headlines from the 1960 presidential election and they are strikingly similar with what we observed during the 2008 presidential campaign. I believe that we are experiencing a "déjà vu", this is familiar rhetoric.

For the Real Estate Industry it will make a little difference who will occupy the White House for the next 4 years. One thing is clear; taxes will most likely go up. Our last economic expansion which started in 2001 was fueled by cheap credits. We have borrowed heavily. As of February 2008, the national debt equated to $33,000 per capita or $60,100 per head of the U.S. working population.

According to a J.P. Morgan Chase forecast, we will see 3 quarters of recession followed by 12 quarters of slow growth. BLS reports "the median annual earnings, including commissions, of salaried real estate sales agents were $39,760 in May 2006. The middle 50 percent earned between $26,790 and $65,270 a year. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $20,170, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $111,500.

Median annual earnings, including commissions, of salaried real estate brokers were $60,790 in May 2006. The middle 50 percent earned between $37,800 and $102,180 a year. Many real estate brokers and sales agents worked part time, combining their real estate activities with other careers. About 61 percent of real estate brokers and sales agents were self-employed. Real estate is sold in all areas, but employment is concentrated in large urban areas and in rapidly growing communities. Employment of real estate brokers and sales agents is expected to grow 11 percent during the 2006-16 projection decades".

Bank Owned Property Sold By PropertyMinder Automation

Internet Marketing Group (PropertyMinder, Inc.) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 18:27:26 -0600

In this tough market, Linda Charman, a PropertyMinder subscriber, proves that automation and prompt service is key to success.

"As one of Property Minder's original subscribers, I am always appreciative of the services it provides. It makes my job much easier. I am a proponent of working smart not hard and the website reminds me regularly of how true that is. I used to spend hours taking clients around and showing them properties. My last 4 sales ( in the past couple of months) have resulted from my clients using the program to pre screen properties. However, the most remarkable sale I made this month was directly related to the swift communication from my website to a new client. I met the client on Sept. 24th. I did my usual orientation concluding with setting him up for a property search in the area that interested him.

Visit PropertyMinder's Blog for full details: www.propertyminderblog.com

The Trends and Issues Shaping the Market

Internet Marketing Group (PropertyMinder, Inc.) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 18:26:06 -0600

According to RealtyTrac®, more than 272,000 homes in United States received at least one foreclosure-related notice in July 2008. This is up 55% from the same month, a year ago. RealtyTrac® reports that as many as 750,000 foreclosed homes are in their database of homes for sale, i.e. 17% from the 4.5 million U.S. homes that were up for sale in 2008.

To deal with the financial crisis, lenders are requiring larger down payment and higher credit score, squeezing many home buyers out of owning a home - even though prices have fallen.

What does this latest trend mean for the future of Real Estate?

Where there is blood, there is opportunity. As Sr. Winston Churchill once said, a pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.

The reality is that real estate market has always bounced back and reached new heights.

The media today is focused on the present national and worldwide economic crisis, totally ignoring new opportunities which are about to make a very significant positive impact on the market as it recovers from the current slump", said Boris Gruzman, CEO and President at PropertyMinder, Inc.

First and foremost we are in the middle of a global, demographical shift. In 2006, almost 500 million people worldwide were 65 and older. By 2030, individuals 65 and older are projected to increase to 1 billion - equaling one out of 8 of the earth inhabitants.

For the Real Estate industry, this means a growing retiring market. Baby boomers are retiring every day and always looking for a high quality Burgan-priced retirement properties.

While aging baby boomers are expected to look for retirement homes, the new Generation X and emerging Generation Y are taking their place for a first home and investment home markets. This is a great opportunity for tech-savvy agents with Internet marketing skills.

Who are these new buyers and what do they demand?

Visit PropertyMinder's Blog for full details: www.propertyminderblog.com

Part Two: Where to find customers during turbulent times

Internet Marketing Group (PropertyMinder, Inc.) — Mon, 03 Nov 2008 18:24:40 -0600

Over the past few weeks each time I've read newspaper, listen to car radio or watched TV I was left with an impression that "Armageddon" is upon us. Bad news bombards us from every corner of universe from every TV and computer screens, print media and car or TV speakers. Financial crisis is the most talked about topic of discussions from the board room to the bedroom. Today's head line on Yahoo.com reads: "The Commerce Department reported Wednesday retail sales decreased 1.2 percent last month, nearly double the 0.7 percent drop that had been expected. It was the biggest decline since retail sales fell by 1.4 percent in August 2005". I don't have a crystal ball and I can not predict the future, but I despise those who preach doomsday, not so long ago they were of opposite view predicting continues rise of house prices and global prosperity and growth for US economy in particular. I did not believe them then and I do not believe them now.

To be right most of the time in forecasting weather in LA I do not need to be a weather man. All that I need is to spot the trend, and in LA it is sunny most of the time. If you bet red on the roulette table you will be right 49% of the time, which of course is a sure way to go broke. Moral of the story: "Do not believe every forecast you read, do not believe every so call expert, they do not know any better that you or I."

A Few days ago the market rebounded with a vengeance rising almost 1000 points, biggest one day rise in DOW 130+ year's history. How many of you took advantage of it? According to some polls only 14% of people did, while 86% missed that one in a life time opportunity. How often do you think you will be presented with such fantastic opportunity, in my opinion not very often? Sorry this blog was not intended for discussion about "get rich quick on stock market" but rather was some thoughts and prelude to "How to get customers during turbulent times"

Few days ago I was leisurely strolling down town Los Gatos, CA. I could not help myself but to notice that restaurants were busier that ever. Wow, all this talk about recession, depression, collapsing banks and economy slow down and yet I could not walk into a restaurant without a reservation. Needless to say I was surprised. Perhaps "bad" news has not percolated into these people's minds, or perhaps the local economy is fueled by good quarterly reports from Intel, Google, and Apple Computer and like I do not now?

But what I do know is that just about every home owner has car. Did you know that if you combine your car and house insurance usually you will save money? (My insurance does and it saves me a lot) So why not get together with insurance broker or agent. It can be beneficial for both of you. Offer a cross marketing agreement with your insurance broker or agent, place a link or even better small advertisement on their site. Make it reciprocal to your site, its win-win for both of you. We at PropertyMinder will facilitate necessary changes on your web site.

Visit PropertyMinder's Blog for full details: www.propertyminderblog.com

iPhones and Meebo and my website (oh my!)

Internet Marketing Group (PropertyMinder, Inc.) — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 11:47:45 -0500

Many times I have assisted my PropertyMinder, Inc. Realtor clients in setting up chat services on their websites. I have been using the free utility from Meebo for quite a while (almost three years) and I have found the most recent release to be nothing short of cool.

By going to www.meebo.com you can log into any of your online instant messenger accounts at Yahoo, AOL, ICQ, Google Talk, MSN and others. This is nice, but the real gem is when you create your own Meebo account, you can create your own chat system and integrate it into your website through the use of a Widget, a small program code that will be embedded into any page on your website that allows for editing and the addition of HTML. With the PropertyMinder AccelerAgent Real Estate Website I suggest a button on the home page for Chat and to create a specific chat page.

This widget will allow clients to type chat with you. Many who are visiting your website may be more inclined to ask a question on a chat system as opposed to making a phone call and talking with someone. .....

For the complete blog article - Click Here

Should your website be consumer-centric or agent-centric?

Internet Marketing Group (PropertyMinder, Inc.) — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 17:55:19 -0500

Is consumer-centric web presence is merely a hype or a new Web 2.0 online marketing?

Last month the Industry leaders and technology experts gathered at the RISMedia 19^thAnnual Leadership Conference in New York. Among many topics they discussed whether real estate practitioners should and how to make Real Estate websites consumer centric.

Aric Kazarnovsky, Executive Vice President, PropertyMinder, Inc. together with other panelists like Michael Fisher, Sr. Vice President of Marketing Coldwell Banker Real Estate, Pat Lashinsky, President of ZipRealty, Ashfaq Munshi, CEO Terabitz, Jonathan Blood, Vice President Delta Media Group offered advice and best practices on how to run the best consumer-centric website possible.

In Aric's view, online marketing is a communication method for agents, brokers and Real Estate franchises to communicate their values to potential home buyers and home sellers. A consumer-centric website is a website that is focused on fulfilling a consumer's information requests.

Aric invited the audience to review AccelerAgent^TM websites, so they can see how these websites combine consumer-centric features with agent centric marketing tools.

Being powered with consumer-centric tools PropertyMinder's AccelerAgent^TM websites allow consumer to handle agent managed home research, neighborhood research, communicate with related professional services and much more. At the same time these websites continue to communicate agents message and build Real Estate agent or firm brand while fulfilling a consumer's information requests.

Any professional Real Estate website just like PropertyMinder's AccelerAgent^TM websites should have completely integrated lead capturing devices, lead nurturing follow up and client management tools.

Complete integration allows for automation of turning a lead into a client. With a greater number of leads coming into the website, it must be able to accomplish the lead gathering and follow up tasks automatically. Also, the website must be able to alert the agent on the motivational level of the leads. An agent's available time should be focused on those leads that the website indicates have a high activity. Those with a low or no activity rating will be followed up with by the website on an ongoing long term basis.

Three "Must have" directory listings for your website

Internet Marketing Group (PropertyMinder, Inc.) — Thu, 25 Sep 2008 12:15:13 -0500

Have you ever played the game Where's Waldo? I always think of search engines when I see a child playing Where's Waldo. Your website is much like the small Waldo character out there in the world wide web. People are trying to find your site but can't see the forest for the trees. In some cases, your website may not even be on the page if it is not listed by the search engines. Submitting your website to the search engines, specifically google and yahoo, is very important and it is easy and free. Those two search engines cover over half of all client searches on the internet. Some Real Estate Website Companies like PropertyMinder, Inc. do this for you at no extra cost. But being in the search engines is only a small part of the search engine optimization equation. Off site links, like business directories, that point back at your website are very important too. Today, I'd like to tell you the three directory services I like to use. Think of this as three large people on our Where's Waldo page that are pointing at Waldo.

My first choice is Google. Being listed in Google's Local Business Center is easy to do, but not easy to find. When searching for terms in Google such as 'Realtor Milpitas', you will see the regular listings that you always do, but you will also see a small map and a small list of Realtors that are listed in Google's business center. Clicking on these will take you directly to those Realtor's websites. Getting into this directory means that you have to create a free Google account and add yourself in. Google will verify you via a phone call or post card. Once verified, you usually show up in a couple of days to a week. This listing is editable so you will be able to make changes later if any of your information needs updating.

Read the rest of this article here