What Can Your Virtual Assistant Do For You?

Hiring an Assistant is like trying to find “Mr. Right”

Sharon Senger (The British Virtual Assistant) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 10:19:23 -0600

Hiring an Assistant is like trying to find “Mr. Right” you have to kiss a few frogs to find Prince Charming.

It’s lonely out there you tried it a few times, finding someone special but it never seemed to work out. So you keep working long hours and nothing ever seems to get done, you need another pair of hands, a partner to share the load. You look at other people they seem to cope without anyone, then there are the others, the one’s that have found that perfect partner, why oh why can’t it be me???

One day you are sat in the office working on the never ending pile of admin and the phone rings again another great opportunity but you have all these other things to do. Enough is enough; you decide I need an Assistant.

Right! Where to start? You grab the notebook and start writing feverishly all the things you can delegate, marketing, database management, transaction coordination. You are at least a bit organized you do like to make lists. That will come in handy when I have my Assistant you think I can delegate. Oh goody, now what else can I delegate that I don’t like to do and that takes up all my time…………

Now that I have my list, what’s next? Do I want them to live in the office next door or will they need to share with me? Will I want them here all the time or could it be a part-time relationship? You decide to phone your BFF because let’s face it they do know everything about you and they always
come up with a solution for all your problems.

They say “Why not hire a Virtual Assistant?” Wow what a great idea! Why didn’t I think of that, my BFF is so smart! Virtual Assistants are independent contractors and they work by the hour so I get to try them without a long term commitment and if it doesn’t work out then we can go our separate ways. No messy divorce, BRILLIANT!!!!

I can do everything that an in-house assistant can do, except bring you your morning cup of tea!

SHARON SENGER

The British Virtual Assistant

Specializing in Transaction Coordination | Marketing | Database Management

Sharon Senger & Associates, LLC | PO Box 1564 | Woodinville | WA 98072

Business: (206) 497 2826 |Email: Sharon@SharonSenger.com

www.TheBritishVirtualAssistant.com

Working with your Virtual Assistant to build a strong Business Plan

Sharon Senger (The British Virtual Assistant) — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 11:38:15 -0500

Working with your Virtual Assistant to build a strong Business Plan.

Establish Goals

First you need to sit down with your Virtual Assistant and establish your goals for next year. What are your short, medium and long term goals that will need to be achieved in order for you to be successful?

Map Out Your Plan

Together you will then write out your action plan for achieving these goals. This will provide you with the structure, organization and direction for your daily activities.

Follow The Plan

This will require discipline which is where your Virtual Assistant becomes your Accountability Partner. Your Virtual Assistant will set up a daily schedule to include all the tasks that need to be done in order for you to follow the plan and achieve your goals.

Focus On Being Profitable

What were the actions that made you the most R.O.I. (Return on Investment)? These are the investments that you need to focus on in order to secure a profitable business. By working with your Virtual Assistant establish those tasks that are not a good use of your time and hand them over to your Virtual Assistant.

System Implementation

As you focus on your business plan and subsequent actions then your business will grow. In order to maintain growth your Virtual Assistant will set up quality systems to ensure that your hard work does not go to waste.

Monitor Your Progress

In order to follow your business plan you need to monitor and measure your results. Schedule time every week with your Virtual Assistant to evaluate your progress and make adjustments as necessary.

Balance Your Life

In order to succeed you need to have balance in your life. This includes family, personal, spiritual and business time. By working with your Virtual Assistant to alleviate the mundane repetitive tasks will allow you to spend time with your family doing the things that bring you joy.

Every successful real estate career in order to continue to grow will reach a point where the Agent must delegate. Your Virtual Assistant is committed to your success as your success is their success.

I can do everything that an in-house assistant can do, except bring you your morning cup of tea!

SHARON SENGER

The British Virtual Assistant

Specializing in Transaction Coordination | Marketing | Database Management

Sharon Senger & Associates, LLC | PO Box 1564 | Woodinville | WA 98072

Business: (206) 497 2826 |Email: Sharon@SharonSenger.com

www.TheBritishVirtualAssistant.com

ARE YOU RUNNING YOUR BUSINESS LIKE A BUSINESS?

Sharon Senger (The British Virtual Assistant) — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 17:05:29 -0500

Are you running your business like a business? If you were once in corporate America then you probably worked in a team environment. You had administrative support and a marketing department which allowed you to go out and meet clients to promote the companies services and products. This made you and the company successful as year on year the company grew and your sales target was met or surpassed. It was maybe one of the reasons you decided to go into real estate because you were a great salesperson and wanted to help people buy and sale real estate.

So why I ask do a large number of real estate professionals decide to be their own Real Estate Assistant? Is it because:

A. You like to be in control

B. Finances

C. You love to do the paperwork

Control:
You are still in control. It is not cost effective for you to sit in the office and enter names in a database, add a listing to the MLS, design a flyer or chase documentation for closing. You should be overseeing the work, not actually doing it!

Finances:
How are you going to grow your business if you are sat in the office. You need to be talking with past, current and future clients. The more people you are in touch with the closer you get to meeting your financial goals.

Paperwork:
I have yet to meet a salesperson who loves to do the paperwork. They would rather be out meeting people and doing what they love to do which is sell.

If you are going to continue to grow your real estate business then you need a good support team. So sit down and look at your business and decide what you can pass over to a real estate Assistant. This can mean either hiring a real estate Assistant or using an online real estate Assistant to allow you to get out of the office and be the Rainmaker.

I can do everything that an in-house assistant can do, except bring you your morning cup of tea!

SHARON SENGER

The British Virtual Assistant

Specializing in Transaction Coordination | Marketing | Database Management

Sharon Senger & Associates, LLC | PO Box 1564 | Woodinville | WA 98072

Business: (206) 497 2826 |Email: Sharon@SharonSenger.com

www.TheBritishVirtualAssistant.com

SO WHY IS GOOD FOLLOW UP HARD TO FIND?

Sharon Senger (The British Virtual Assistant) — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 19:53:10 -0500

So why is good follow up hard to find? How many times have you met someone and have meant to follow up with them, but for one reason or another the days go by and you have not been in contact. Weeks go by and then you feel that too much time has lapsed for them to even remember you.

Do not fear you are not alone. Only a small percentage of people actually follow up, so if you want to stand out just send a quick note and you will be miles ahead of the crowd.

Here's some ways to help you get noticed:

Add the new contact's information to your database immediately
Email or send a note within 12 to 24 hours
Remind them of something that you spoke about i.e. hobby/shared interest
If you casually made arrangements to meet again let them know you are going to call and set a firm date
If you did agree to meet for coffee/lunch etc then reconfirm the time and date
Hand written notes addressed to them personally always get opened (see my post "7 Tips for Writing Thank You Notes")
If you see an interesting article that you know they would find of interest then clip it out and send it to them. It lets them know you are thinking of them
Always focus on what you can do for them
Set a reminder to follow up either by phone or email within a month after the initial follow up
Do not forget to thank the person who may have introduced or referred you to this new contact. Let them know how things went and how much you appreciate their help

Following up is the key to your success, so make it automatic and make it a habit.

Remember your Online Real Estate Assistant is an integral member of your Team and is committed to helping you to grow your business!

I can do everything that an in-house assistant can do, except bring you your morning cup of tea!

SHARON SENGER

The British Virtual Assistant

Specializing in Transaction Coordination | Marketing | Database Management

Sharon Senger & Associates, LLC | PO Box 1564 | Woodinville | WA 98072

Business: (206) 497 2826 |Email: Sharon@SharonSenger.com

www.TheBritishVirtualAssistant.com

7 TIPS FOR WRITING THANK YOU NOTES!

Sharon Senger (The British Virtual Assistant) — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 12:43:02 -0500

I was with some friends the other evening and one of them said how much they enjoyed receiving my hand written note cards and looked forward to reading the message.

This got me to thinking, is the custom of writing to say thank you something of the past, especially as most of us communicate via Email, Twitter, Facebook etc. My mother always insisted that we wrote thank you notes and the habit has stayed with me. I write notes to clients, business associates and of course my family and friends. I always get a positive response of gratitude and appreciation for taking the time to write to them.

So I would like to share my tips:

Always follow up promptly, timeliness is the key
Address the thank you note to the person by name
Be brief you do not need to write an essay
Include a topic of interest from your conversation
Some of us find it easier to talk than to write, so take a moment to say out loud what you want to say and then write it down
Use good paper, a note card or your own personalized stationery
Always express your gratitude

I look forward to receiving all your thank you notes - only joking!

Remember your Online Real Estate Assistant is an integral member of your Team and is committed to helping you to grow your business!

I can do everything that an in-house assistant can do, except bring you your morning cup of tea!

SHARON SENGER

The British Virtual Assistant

Specializing in Transaction Coordination | Marketing | Database Management

Sharon Senger & Associates, LLC | PO Box 1564 | Woodinville | WA 98072

Business: (206) 497 2826 |Email: Sharon@SharonSenger.com

www.TheBritishVirtualAssistant.com

ARE YOU USING A “GUEST PACKAGE” AT YOUR OPEN HOUSE?

Sharon Senger (The British Virtual Assistant) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 18:17:15 -0500

Most agents when you walk into an open house will greet you at the door and hand you their card and a flyer. Well they are missing a great opportunity to market their services to potential clients.

How about giving them a "Guest Package" that includes:

Property flyer
Other properties for sale in the area
Neighborhood information
School information
Utility information
Community brochures
Sold comparables

This information can be placed on the kitchen table to encourage your visitors to stop and talk to you about the area. Each piece of information should have a label with your contact details so that potential clients know that you do not just know about listed properties you are a resource for the community as well.

No time? Then this task can easily be handled by your online Real Estate Assistant. If you have taken the time to sit an open house in order to meet potential new clients then you need to take advantage and show them you are the area expert.

Remember your Online Real Estate Assistant is an integral member of your Team and is committed to helping you to grow your business!

I can do everything that an in-house assistant can do, except bring you your morning cup of tea!

SHARON SENGER

The British Virtual Assistant

Specializing in Transaction Coordination | Marketing | Database Management

Sharon Senger & Associates, LLC | PO Box 1564 | Woodinville | WA 98072

Business: (206) 497 2826 |Email: Sharon@SharonSenger.com

www.TheBritishVirtualAssistant.com

ARE YOU USING YOUR USP?

Sharon Senger (The British Virtual Assistant) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 10:23:36 -0500

You are at a party or networking event and someone asks the inevitable question "So what do you do for a living?" Do you give the inevitable answer "I'm a real estate agent". Or, do you have a USP (Unique Selling Proposition) that is a concise statement that you can use as a reply to this question.

Why do you need a USP, because there are millions of agents out there and if you really want to set yourself apart you need something that will make your prospect sit up and take notice and that will influence and motivate them to hire you.

So how do you go about creating your USP.

Who is your target audience

What can you do for them

Why is that different from what other agents can offer

Why that solution matters to your target audience

For example:

I would be - "I help real estate agents who spend too much time on the computer to have more time to spend on income generating activities"

A real estate agent could be - "I help real estate investors looking for great deals to find the best deals by providing up to date information on new listings and property valuations on a daily bases"

A lender may be - "I help first time buyers who are trying to decide if they can buy their first home to find the right financing option for them"

You are now telling the person exactly what you do, who you do it for and the benefits. The chances are they will know someone who is in that exact situation and this will start the conversation. They may ask for your card so that they can either call you or pass it on to a friend. Now you are using your USP!

Remember your Online Real Estate Assistant is an integral member of your Team and is committed to helping you to grow your business!

I can do everything that an in-house assistant can do, except bring you your morning cup of tea!

SHARON SENGER

The British Virtual Assistant

Specializing in Transaction Coordination | Marketing | Database Management

Sharon Senger & Associates, LLC | PO Box 1564 | Woodinville | WA 98072

Business: (206) 497 2826 |Email: Sharon@SharonSenger.com

www.TheBritishVirtualAssistant.com

DON'T JUST FEED THEM GET THEIR FEEDBACK!

Sharon Senger (The British Virtual Assistant) — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 19:49:03 -0500

A brokers open is a good way to gather feedback on your new listing. Create a small questionnaire card that you can give them when they arrive to preview the property. Let them know that it is their ticket to leave the home (LOL). By making it anonymous you may get more honest answers. Have a bowl for them to leave their responses as they exit the door and don't forget the extra pens!

Below is a suggestion of the type of questions you can use for the card, keep it short and simple:

123 Home Road

Your expertise and opinion would be invaluable to myself and my clients.

Please take a moment to give us your honest feedback with regard to this home.

Pricing _____Excellent ___Good ___Fair ___Poor

Exterior Condition _____Excellent ___Good ___Fair ___Poor

Interior Condition _____Excellent ___Good ___Fair ___Poor

Comments __________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

This information can then be shared with your clients especially if there are items that need to be repaired or you need price opinions.

Remember your online Real Estate Assistant is an integral member of your Team!

I can do everything that an in-house assistant can do, except bring you your morning cup of tea!

SHARON SENGER

The British Virtual Assistant

Specializing in Transaction Coordination | Marketing | Database Management

Sharon Senger & Associates, LLC | PO Box 1564 | Woodinville | WA 98072

Business: (206) 497 2826 |Email: Sharon@SharonSenger.com

www.TheBritishVirtualAssistant.com

DO YOU KNOW YOUR NUMBERS?

Sharon Senger (The British Virtual Assistant) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 08:42:01 -0500

Buyers and sellers want to work with agents who they believe are knowledgeable and who can show they are successful. A great way to demonstrate to potential customers that you are that agent is to keep track of your success rate.

Agents will quote the market averages for their area but how many know what their numbers are? A great question to ask the seller if you are in competition for the listing is does the other agent know their own personal statistics.

You need to track:

Average Time on Market for Your Listings
Ratio of Sales Price to List Price

These are powerful statistics so use them to build your business and personal marketing campaign.

If you would like help to record your numbers email me at info@SharonSenger.com for a copy of the work sheet and start tracking your numbers today.

Remember your online Real Estate Assistant is an important member of your Team!

I can do everything that an in-house assistant can do, except bring you your morning cup of tea!

SHARON SENGER

The British Virtual Assistant

Specializing in Transaction Coordination | Marketing | Database Management

Sharon Senger & Associates, LLC | PO Box 1564 | Woodinville | WA 98072

Business: (206) 497 2826 |Email: Sharon@SharonSenger.com

www.TheBritishVirtualAssistant.com

THANK YOU EVERYONE ON ACTIVERAIN

Sharon Senger (The British Virtual Assistant) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 09:28:04 -0500

I just wanted to say thank you for making my fifth blog "Are You Farming Your Past Clients?" a featured post. I must admit that I was nervous about blogging wondering how my views would be received. I need not have worried everyone has been so friendly and helpful.

My goal in writing my blog is to give information that can be used to help you build and grow your business. I am still searching in the dark a bit to see what is going to be of interest, so if anyone has any suggestions then please feel free to leave a comment.

Again, thank you everyone for your kindness and as always wishing you all "A Million Dollar Cash Buyer".

Remember your online Real Estate Assistant is an important member of your Team!

I can do everything that an in-house assistant can do, except bring you your morning cup of tea!

SHARON SENGER

The British Virtual Assistant

Specializing in Transaction Coordination | Marketing | Database Management

Sharon Senger & Associates, LLC | PO Box 1564 | Woodinville | WA 98072

Business: (206) 497 2826 |Email: Sharon@SharonSenger.com

www.TheBritishVirtualAssistant.com

ARE YOU USING SCATTERGUN MARKETING?

Sharon Senger (The British Virtual Assistant) — Fri, 26 Jun 2009 15:29:42 -0500

I am sure some of you have heard of "reverse target marketing"! If not then read on:

In reverse target marketing we start with your listing and then we work in reverse to find a buyer.

For instance:

You have just taken a new listing. It is a one bedroom condo in the middle of the city, or a five bedroom four bath house in the suburbs or a farmhouse with 30 acres. So how will we find a Buyer?

First we sit down and write the profile for the perfect buyer for your listing. I know that some of you are going to say hey the single person can buy a five bedroom house. Yes I know but we need to place our money on the hot favorite not bet the outside odds.

Then we build our targeted marketing campaign to attract that perfect buyer. We write the advertisement and then advertise in the publications that the ideal buyer reads. For the "Just Listed" postcards we select the price range and demographics for that buyer. When marketing the property we always keep the profile of the perfect buyer in our sights.

Marketing companies are forever attempting to target consumers using exactly the same procedure. So instead of using Scattergun Marketing get on Target!

Remember your online Real Estate Assistant is an important member of your Team!

I can do everything that an in-house assistant can do, except bring you your morning cup of tea!

SHARON SENGER

The British Virtual Assistant

Specializing in Transaction Coordination | Marketing | Database Management

Sharon Senger & Associates, LLC | PO Box 1564 | Woodinville | WA 98072

Business: (206) 497 2826 |Email: Sharon@SharonSenger.com

www.TheBritishVirtualAssistant.com

WHAT IS THE ETIQUETTE FOR SOCIAL NETWORKING?

Sharon Senger (The British Virtual Assistant) — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 14:45:42 -0500

Having been brought up to know that one does not speak with your mouth full, always say yes please and no thank you and don't stare! I am now wondering what are the rules for Business Social Networking.

There are more and more online communities, ActiveRain, Twitter, Linkedin and Facebook to mention but a few. We all want to promote our business but what are the rules? Well here are my thoughts:

Introduce yourself first and do not assume everyone wants to be your friend.
If they decline don't take it personally, just know that we cannot be friends with everyone.
If you are going to post bulletins and share news make sure it is relevant and interesting.
Surveys can be helpful but limit them and share the results
Making rude or offensive comments, as my dear mother always says "if you can't say anything nice then don't say anything at all". However, a good debate is always acceptable.

I guess my point is treat people how you would like to be treated and you will reap the benefits both in growing your business and making new friends.

So what is your take on Social Networking?

Have a great weekend and wishing you all a "Million Dollar Cash Buyer"

Remember your online Real Estate Assistant is an important member of your Team!

I can do everything that an in-house assistant can do, except bring you your morning cup of tea!

SHARON SENGER

The British Virtual Assistant

Specializing in Transaction Coordination | Marketing | Database Management

Sharon Senger & Associates, LLC | PO Box 1564 | Woodinville | WA 98072

Business: (206) 497 2826 |Email: Sharon@SharonSenger.com

www.TheBritishVirtualAssistant.com

WHAT IS IN YOUR DATABASE DIAMONDS OR DUDS?

Sharon Senger (The British Virtual Assistant) — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 09:42:32 -0500

One of the most important elements of any business is their database. It is through a great database that businesses are built.

So what is a database? A database is a system that can be either stored on your computer or indexed manually. It allows you to organize and collect data and facts. It helps you find information faster, reorganize it easier and make changes as life changes.

Having a large database can sometimes be confusing but the trick is to put the information in order. So how do we organize our database to harvest the most from it?

Clients - these should be categorized into:

"A" Those who currently send you quality referrals on a regular basis.

"B" Those who would refer you if they knew you wanted referrals and were taught how.

"C" Those who might one day become "A" List i.e. current buyers and sellers.

"D" You know what it stands for and you know who they are!!!

Vendors/Service Providers - These are all the companies that you use during a transaction. They are the companies that you trust with a referral and who in turn will refer you. Again these can be categorized in A B C D.

Real Estate Agents - The agents that you have done business with and who when you get a new listing you can send an announcement and invite to your Brokers Open. Or if you are working with a buyer they can be a great resource if you are looking for a specific property, they may have a listing that fits your buyers' criteria. There are also the out of state agents who you can send and receive referrals from. We all know how this works here at ActiveRain!

Of course you can drill down even further and send targeted marketing pieces to specific groups. It is all in the organization so if you don't have time or the expertise then hire someone who does and reap the rewards of a "Diamond Studded Database".

Remember your online Real Estate Assistant is an important member of your Team!

I can do everything that an in-house assistant can do, except bring you your morning cup of tea!

SHARON SENGER

The British Virtual Assistant

Specializing in Transaction Coordination | Marketing | Database Management

Sharon Senger & Associates, LLC | PO Box 1564 | Woodinville | WA 98072

Business: (206) 497 2826 |Email: Sharon@SharonSenger.com

www.TheBritishVirtualAssistant.com

MY RULES FOR DELIVERING GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE!

Sharon Senger (The British Virtual Assistant) — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 12:31:04 -0500

Great Customer Service is where it all starts and ends!

With all the competition and technology that is available today Agents have to work harder and spend more to attract clients. As with my last blog "Are You Farming Your Past Clients?" it is more cost effective to receive referrals and repeat business than to attract new customers.

Savvy Agents know that if they provide great customer service this will give them the edge over their competitors and their business will flourish even in a down market.

These are the rules that I apply to my own business for online Real Estate Assistant services:

Make Service A Core Value - In my opinion real estate is not a sales industry, it is a service industry. Therefore, from the first time we meet the client customer service must be our priority.

Be Trustworthy And Honest - If your client thinks you are being dishonest then you will lose them. Tell them the truth, not what you think they want to hear.

Do Not Make Promises Unless You Intend To Keep Them - Reliability is the key to great customer service. If you say that you are going to send them the information immediately, then send it. Remember "Under Promise and Over Deliver".

Listen To Your Customers - When your client tells you exactly what they want or what their problem is listen. Then look to give them what they want or to solve the problem.

Deal With Complaints - None of us like to hear complaints. But remember "the customer is always right" even if sometimes they are not. If you can satisfy their complaint you will reap the benefits of good customer service.

Communicate Effectively And Frequently - How many times have you heard that they never hear from their Agent. You may be working hard but if you don't tell them then they assume the worst. When you do communicate make it short and to the point.

Ask And Use Feedback - This is important if you want to improve and excel at customer service.

These are my core values when dealing with my clients. What are Yours?

Remember your online Real Estate Assistant is an important member of your Team!

I can do everything that an in-house assistant can do, except bring you your morning cup of tea!

SHARON SENGER

The British Virtual Assistant

Specializing in Transaction Coordination | Marketing | Database Management

Sharon Senger & Associates, LLC | PO Box 1564 | Woodinville | WA 98072

Business: (206) 497 2826 |Email: Sharon@SharonSenger.com

www.TheBritishVirtualAssistant.com

ARE YOU FARMING YOUR PAST CLIENTS?

Sharon Senger (The British Virtual Assistant) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 13:11:29 -0500

One of the great resources for building your business is past clients. It is amazing how many agents do not keep in contact with the people that used their services and enjoyed the experience. According to the NAR Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, 43 percent of buyers and 41 percent of sellers found their sales associate through a referral from a friend or relative.

Market research has also shown that it costs more to get a new customer than it does to keep an old one. They are sold on your service and expertise. These people already know you, like you and trust you!

So what are the key elements:

Deliver great service
Maintain long-term contact
Ask for the referral

Sounds simple! But hands up who has a system that delivers all of the above?

If you do not have a system then you are missing a great opportunity. If you do not know how to set up the system then hire someone who does, the investment will more than pay for itself.

Remember your online Real Estate Assistant is an important member of your Team!

Watch for my next blog: Delivering great service

I can do everything that an in-house assistant can do, except bring you your morning cup of tea!

SHARON SENGER

The British Virtual Assistant

Specializing in Transaction Coordination | Marketing | Database Management

Sharon Senger & Associates, LLC | PO Box 1564 | Woodinville | WA 98072

Business: (206) 497 2826 |Email: Sharon@SharonSenger.com

www.TheBritishVirtualAssistant.com

DO YOU KEEP TRACK OF YOUR ROI?

Sharon Senger (The British Virtual Assistant) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 10:28:40 -0500

Do you know how many leads your marketing dollars produced? It is a bit like throwing spaghetti at the wall, not all of it will stick!!!!

One of the ways you can keep track of what is working is a very simple spreadsheet:

Promotion/ Marketing	Time Frame	$ cost	Leads received	Listings/ Sales	Commissions	Cost of transaction	Evaluation
Newsletter	1 year	$XXX	4	2	$XXXX	$XXXX	Effective
Farm Mailer	Quarterly	$XXX	5	1	$XXXX	$XXXX	Met objective
Magazine Ad	1 block ad	$XXX	0	0	0	-	Not effective

Your Virtual Assistant can set this up and keep track of the information so that you will always know the numbers and where your dollars are working.

This is just one of the forms that your online Real Estate Assistant can produce to keep your business on track.

Remember your online Real Estate Assistant is an important member of your Team!

Sharon

I can do everything that an in-house assistant can do, except bring you your morning cup of tea!

SHARON SENGER

The British Virtual Assistant

Specializing in Transaction Coordination | Marketing | Database Management

Sharon Senger & Associates, LLC | PO Box 1564 | Woodinville | WA 98072

Business: (206) 497 2826 |Email: Sharon@SharonSenger.com

www.TheBritishVirtualAssistant.com

HAVE YOU SEEN THE LAST FIGURES FROM TRULIA?

Sharon Senger (The British Virtual Assistant) — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 10:03:25 -0500

According to Trulia "nearly 1 in 4 homes currently for sale have had their price cut at least once - for a shocking total of $27.4 billion off original list prices (that's more than the GDP of El Salvador)! So what does that mean for Joe Home-buyer? It means he (and you) can probably get a great house for a much lower price than one might expect with just a little research and negotiation."

Here are the numbers that Trulia have just issued:

Percent of current listings with price reductions
1) Jacksonville, FL - 36%	7) Honolulu, HI - 31%
2) Tucson, AZ - 32%	8) Minneapolis, MN - 31%
3) Boston, MA - 32%	9) Austin, TX - 30%
4) Los Angeles, CA -32%	10) Washington, DC - 30%
5) Columbus, OH - 31%	11) Baltimore, MD - 30%
6) Dallas, TX - 31%	12) Las Vegas, NV - 30%

Remember your online Real Estate Assistant is an important member of your Team!

Sharon

Source: Trulia 6/11/2009

I can do everything that an in-house assistant can do, except bring you your morning cup of tea!

SHARON SENGER

The British Virtual Assistant

Specializing in Transaction Coordination | Marketing | Database Management

Sharon Senger & Associates, LLC | PO Box 1564 | Woodinville | WA 98072

Business: (206) 497 2826 |Email: Sharon@SharonSenger.com

www.TheBritishVirtualAssistant.com

HOW TO OBTAIN GREAT TESTIMONIALS!

Sharon Senger (The British Virtual Assistant) — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 11:24:54 -0500

One of the great resources for building your business is a well written testimonial from a satisfied client. When searching for an Agent both buyers and sellers are looking for confirmation that this agent has the expertise to help them and are trustworthy. Being endorsed by past clients is a great way to build your credibility.

Here is a suggestion on how you can use a happy customer to build your business:

After the transaction has closed use your Virtual Assistant to conduct a "Satisfaction Survey". This should be done over the phone with a predetermined set of questions that will give an overall satisfaction rating and things they loved about working with you. Once the survey is complete the Virtual Assistant will draft a testimonial based on the responses they received. A copy is sent to the client asking for their approval and permission to use for marketing purposes.

This can now be used on your website, personal brochures as well as any other marketing material. It confirms to potential buyers and sellers that you have the expertise to get the job done and that past clients were delighted with your service.

Using your Virtual Assistant to produce the testimonial will allow you to keep selling and prospecting.

Remember your online Real Estate Assistant is an important member of your Team!

I can do everything that an in-house assistant can do, except bring you your morning cup of tea!

SHARON SENGER

The British Virtual Assistant

Specializing in Transaction Coordination | Marketing | Database Management

Sharon Senger & Associates, LLC | PO Box 1564 | Woodinville | WA 98072

Business: (206) 497 2826 |Email: Sharon@SharonSenger.com

www.TheBritishVirtualAssistant.com

Are you spending too much time in business support and not enough time in business development?

Sharon Senger (The British Virtual Assistant) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 13:49:05 -0500

Are you spending too much time in business support and not enough time in business development?

I was reading a recent post by Gary Woltal regarding the question "To Have An Assistant, Or Not Have An Assistant, That is the Question".

After reading the comments posted by my ActiveRain colleagues it seemed that there are a number of agents that realize they need help but were reluctant to hand over control. Others felt that their business although good at the moment could change at anytime due to the current economy, others have just had bad experiences.

Below is a check list of things that need to be done for a new listing and then there is database management, transactions to monitor, not to mention producing blogs and marketing pieces.

Arrange for stager or other service providers required prior to listing property
Arrange virtual tour/photographer
Order yard sign
Compile home books
Buyers' agent packs
Add new listing/contact into Top Producer 7i or other CRM system
Input new listings into MLS and manage updates/changes
Upload required documents i.e. sellers disclosure/lead base paint/legal description
Design a professional flyer or brochure including description and features of property
Prepare and distribute "Just Listed" postcards
Upload virtual tour and photo gallery
Upload listing to your website
Create online e-flyer and distribute
Check and enhance listing on all relevant websites i.e. REALTOR.com, Trulia, Craigslist etc
Set up and implement weekly sellers' feedback report for showings and agent feedback
Set up tracking for all website activity and include in weekly sellers feedback report
Advertise and prepare material for both broker's and public "Open House"
Prepare media advertising for local newspapers and magazines

These are just some of the task that you could be delegating to your Virtual Assistant which would leave you time to devote to business development. There are some very talented Virtual Assistant resources here on ActiveRain as well as obtaining references from other agents. You can hire different Virtual Assistants for different areas of your business based on their expertise. They will help you grow your business and support you in your business goals.

If your business slows down, then we will understand that you may need to let us go.

I can do everything that an in-house assistant can do, except bring you your morning cup of tea!

SHARON SENGER

The British Virtual Assistant

Specializing in Transaction Coordination | Marketing | Database Management

Sharon Senger & Associates, LLC | PO Box 1564 | Woodinville | WA 98072

Business: (206) 497 2826 |Email: Sharon@SharonSenger.com

www.TheBritishVirtualAssistant.com