There are many applications available to add your real estate listings to Facebook. So many in fact, it becomes very time consuming to look at each one and figure out which one best suits your needs. The purpose of this post is to save you time and aggravation by sharing my research as a real estate virtual assistant. 1. Realtor.com Realtor.com has a free Facebook application that pulls your listing information from Realtor.com and adds it to your Facebook profile in a box on your left sidebar and in a tab. All you need is your MLS ID and you are good to go. The one drawback to this application is when visitors click on your listing they are taken to the Realtor.com page and away from your Facebook profile. Once on Realtor.com, a visitor may never get back to your information. You can download the application at www.SeeMyListings.com.

2. My Real Estate Listings This application is powered by www.previsite.com. The Facebook application is free, but you must subscribe to Previsite. Included in your yearly subscription is a camera kit to do your own virtual tours, a web based platform to upload, organization and management of your images. You can add floor plans and hotspots, send your tours to facebook, twitter, send video tours to youtube, get traffic statistics, email/share the tour, print flyers, etc. A yearly subscription is $579. This application received rave reviews from the agents using it and listings are displayed in an attractive manner. When accessing the application you must sign up for a Previsite account first. I was sent to a Login page with no ability to create an account. Extremely frustrating to say the least!!

3. Center Stage For Real Estate This application is from Clientopoly. It displays your listings and even sold properties, publishes updates to your page and automatically generates a flyer/web page. There is a 30 day free trial and then a $96 annual subscription. Listings are displayed nicely and when clicked on a custom flyer displays. This application can be added to a Page, as well as your Profile. 4. My Agent Desk You must be a member of My Agent Desk to use this application, but membership is free to Real Estate Professionals. Listings are added to a box in your left sidebar and to a Tab. The listing display page is not terribly exciting nor is the property flyer. I wasn’t impressed by the typos on the Info tab. Here is a full flyer view. 5. Real Estate Agent Widget This application gives you a separate, professional Real Estate Agent profile with the ability to add your Real Estate listings directly to a Facebook personal, business or fan page. The widget is eye catching and one I thought looked promising. But there are 2 reviews on their page and neither is complementary. Complaints are the widget is too far down on the wall and the subscription is difficult to cancel. You go to http://socialrealestatetools.com to subscribe. The cost is $129.99 annually. 6. Mighty Agent Listings You must have an account at www.MightyAgent.com. Mighty Agent creates single property websites for your listings. There is a $195.00 set-up fee and a $39 month fee for 2 agents (I'm guessing a Team). Property domain registration and sign riders are also available. The summary page of listings is the nicest looking that I have seen. When you click on the listing it brings up a full page property flyer customized to the agent. Here is an example: http://selwithdel.com/?mlsnum=3850719. 7. Real Estate – Realtor Listing Application This application is from www.elistit.com. It provides a slide show in the left sidebar of your Profile plus a summary page that will show all your listings in a wider column then the Narrow Box. It will also show your contact information and your company logo. Elistit offers a 14 day free trial and then it is $99 annually. I couldn’t get any pricing info until after I signed up for the free trial. 8. Real Estate Agents Listing Application Real Estate - Agents Listing Application by SocialRealEstateTools.com lets you add your property listings and manage a professional real estate profile. This service works by combining a feature rich editor for your real estate profile and property listings for sale with custom built Facebook apps and features. This is the same application as #5 with a different name. 9. See Live Listings When I clicked on this app, I got a blank page. This is what Julie Woodward-Trenker had to say: “Well I filled this out except that everytime I confirm my information, the page defaults to listing me as a Spanish Tutor instead of Residential Real Estate Agent. What's that about?????” 10. USAHomeSearch If you have an account with www.USAhomesearch.org, you can post your listings to your Facebook profile page. I couldn’t get my login to work and there are many requests for help on the Wall for this provider. I couldn't find a sample of a summary page. 11. Agent Nation The AgentNation Facebook App integrates with your AgentNation real estate listings, virtual tours, and blog displaying them on your Facebook Profile. AgentNation offers virtual tours, property flyers, Google street views, Realtor.com integration, unlimited hosting, video creation and hosting, and Facebook integration for $89 a year. There is an impressive introduction video that is worth taking a look at, https://www.agentnation.com. The summary page is easy to read and here is a sample of a virtual tour, http://www.agentnation.com/vt/1118. Well, my friends, your real estate virtual assistant has done her homework and compiled this extensive list of applications to help you decide how and where you want to display your listings on Facebook. I hope it saves you much time and aggravation so you can get back to your job of selling real estate. If you are confused, have questions or want help with your Facebook and social media presence, give me a call or shoot me an email. I’m here to help!!

Are you one of many who think social media is a Fad and you and your real estate business don't need to be there? I was! This video by Erik Qualman at Socialnomics.net will change your mind! As a real estate virtual assistant, I have been blogging for years and have understood the seo value of blogs. I also have personal profiles on the prominent social media sites, as well as created profiles for clients. But I have to admit, I did really GET social media. This video and a webinar course with Social Media Magic his opening my eyes. You will hear more about what I am learning and how to make money with social media.

I'm sure you have heard the quote 'Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.' I believe this is true. I also believe it has limits. One of the limits is copying text off the Home page of my real estate virtual assistant website without asking my permission. At first, I was not a happy camper as you can imagine. On taking a second look, it became hysterical. Here is why... I received an email from a virtual assistant friend of mine. I read:

Hello,

When I heard Gary Keller, author of the best-selling "Shift: How Top Real Estate Agents Tackle Tough Times" and owner of Keller Williams Realty, was going to be on "Good Morning America" last week, I was anxious to hear what he had to what he had to say about how people can sell in a buyer's market. I was not only surprised but shocked to hear Gary Keller recommend sellers be present during showings of their homes. During my 17 years as a licensed Realtor®, common wisdom was for sellers NOT to be home and it leave the showings up to the professionals. An example of why a seller shouldn't be present is when I was showing a young Navy family with 2 young daughters houses. We went in one house with the sellers there. I started a conversation with the wife and asked why they were moving. She said, "We just had our second child and this house is too small for us." Needless to say, my family with 2 daughters didn't buy that house. What do you think? Has conventional wisdom changed? Has real estate changed this much in the few short years since I opened my real estate virtual assistant business?

Real Estate Virtual Assistant Buzz:

Do you remember the brisk Buyers Market of a few years ago? Buyers were beating down your doors. Anyone who could breathe had a real estate license and was selling homes. Then the market went south. Buyers were no where to be found and your pipeline of new business dried up because you hadn’t been doing any marketing. You had neither the time nor the need to keep your name out there. A tougher real estate market requires getting back to basics and evaluating what works in our new reality and what doesn’t.

Brain Buffini has detailed detours on your road to success: The Five Detours on the Road to Success

1. Lack of Accountability Every human being does better with accountability because we truly cannot see our own shortcomings; outside perspective is the best way to gain clarity on our patterns.

2. Loss of Motivation Motivation, by its very nature, is designed to dissipate so we need to seek it out continually. As my friend and mentor, Zig Ziglar, says: “Motivation is like bathing. You have to do it on a daily basis!”

3. In Need of Direction Once you get things moving and gain some momentum you actually need more direction than you did when you were just starting out. This is borne out by countless people who work their whole life and have nothing to show for it.

4. Isolation All you have to do is watch the “Animal Planet” documentary on predators in the wild to know how detrimental isolation can be: Predators never attack the pack; they always look for the isolated, hurt, wounded, and lost, the ones who’ve stopped moving forward. Self-employed people are more predisposed to this isolation than anyone else.

5. Drift While “isolation” is a predator, “drift” is a killer; it’s the “silent assassin” because we don’t know how far and how fast we’ve drifted until something catastrophic happens. As you can see, the “Five Detours” are things we all face and it can be easy to get off track in both business and our personal lives. But let’s examine the solution side of things.

If there are detours, then rest assured there are also rules of the road to get you and your real estate business back on track.

Stay on Track with These Rules of the Road

1. Stay Accountable While it may not be natural to seek out accountability, let’s just have a look at what happens in its absence. Tiger Woods – the greatest golfer in the world – recently missed the cut at the British Open. Just so happens it was the first time in five years he didn’t bring his coach to a tournament.

2. Brainstorm and Network with Others We humans do much better when we mastermind together, which is why we facilitate networking at our events, as well as in our Coaching programs and Small Groups. Surround yourself with positive, resourceful, successful people, because they’ll lift you up rather than drag you down.

3. Plan Daily Doses of Motivation Just think of your daily motivation like an essential vitamin, with nothing but positive, good-for-you side effects. Plan daily doses by listening to affirming CDs in your car or by reading good books – just a few lines here or there will go a long way.

4. Follow the System You know you’re in need of direction – everybody is. And we’ve developed a system that works. Now, I know that few people ever follow the system 100%, but what if that means you’re missing out on a 30% jump in your income?

5. Work with a Coach A Coach has the expertise, tools and strategies to help you get your business cranking. That accountability and direction will help you avoid drift – the deadly killer.

A real estate virtual assistant helps you stay on track on your road to success. We can create and implement the systems needed to accomplish your goals and keep you moving in the right direction. Contact us and together we will make 2010 the best year yet!

As a real estate Virtual Assistant my satisfaction comes from knowing I have helped make my clients not only look good, but exceed expectations and set themselves a part as leaders in their real estate community. Knowing this, you will understand why I was thrilled when my client, Mike Manosky with RE/MAX Huntsville, shared a compliment he received from a Craigs List user:

Hi Ruth Ann,

I just wanted to pass along this email I got last night off Craigs List. I really enjoy reading the copy you create as well. Thanks for all the great work!

Mike Manosky......

I am not looking to buy or sell a house, but I am retired and therefore have time to look at homes offered for sale. I must say that your description of this property was masterfully done and should bring you many inquiries.

It's such a pleasure to see well written ad copy at at time when some realtors don't even know how to spell or care enough to include a picture of the property! Hopefully your thoroughness and ability to paint such a positive picture of this home brings you much gratitude from the home's owners. Keep up the great work!

JK

Marketing of your listings or listing coordination an ideal task to outsource to a real estate virtual assistant, especially if you don't enjoy writing. You might be wondering how be can write aobut a hoouse we have never been in. What happens with Mike is he provides us with an information sheet he uses when he takes the listing, the MLS sheet and photos. You see the results.

Contact us today. We'd enjoy making YOU look good!

I feel part of my job as a Real Estate Virtual Assistant is to be on top of the latest marketing techniques. I take the time to educate myself in the latest tools needed to build a successful real estate business. I then share what I have learned with my clients to help them grow their businesses. I am currently taking a 4 week course with Social Media Magic learning how to create a strategic and comprehensive social media marketing campaign for real estate. Here is what I have gleaned from the first course… I’m sure you have heard the latest catch phrase, social media. Like me, you probably realize that social media has to do with sharing photos with friends, telling about the great party you went to last night and what you are having for dinner tonight. You may not understand what it has to do with your real estate business. Sure all the real estate trainers say you need to be on Facebook and Twitter, but what exactly IS social media and WHY do you and your real estate business need a presence there!! What is Social Media? Social media is a complex, organic online conversation between multiple people. The keyword here is ‘conversation’. In the old Web 1.0 Internet, you had no interaction or relationship with people. Your website is most likely is very static. The content doesn’t change much and there is no real time interaction. With the new Web 2.0, which social media is a part of, you are involving people in your business and empowering them to have a relationship with you. Social media is not just Facebook and Twitter. It does include social media networks, but also includes, blogs, microblogs, video and photo sharing, message boards, wiki, virtual reality, social gaming, podcasts and Real Simple Syndication (RSS). Why Do You Want to Participate In Social Media? <!--more--> Your clients and prospects are there and you want to know what they are talking about. Social media websites are the fastest growing category of the Internet and doubled in size in the last year.*

• 73% of Internet users have read a blog
• 45% have started their own blog
• 39% subscribe to an RSS feed
• 57% have joined a social network
• 55% have uploaded photos834 % have watched video clips

Of all social media site users:

• 33% use social media to research products before deciding to buy
• 47% are influenced by social media to buy specific brands
• 26% have decided not to buy a specific product because of social media
• Facebook has 600,000 new users DAILY!

How Can Social Media Benefit My Real Estate Business? Implementing a social media marketing strategy will

• Provide exposure 63% of business owners increased exposure to their business through social media marketing
• Increase traffic 80% of business owners increased traffic to their website and 67% increased email/newsletter lists
• Build new business partnerships 62% of business owners closed new business and established new business partnerships
• Increase leads 50% of business owners increased the number of new leads

5 Step Process to Increased Business with Social Media There is a 5 step process to increasing your real estate business through social media. 1. Develop a Social Media Marketing Strategy Create a strategy to: give exposure to your services, to create new business by converting prospects into clients, to reinforce credibility and retain clients and improve search engine visibility. 2. Establish your social media presence with profiles on various social media networking sites. 3. Expand your reach by inviting prospects to join your networks. 4. Nurture relationships by updating your profile and joining in discussions. 5. Properly maintain your presence through consistency. Top Social Media Websites for Your Real Estate Business

• Twitter (www.twitter.com) – 86% of users of social media are here

Twitter is a microblog with posts limited to 140 characters. Here you can share timely information, promote contests, share useful links, personify your brand, build credibility and follow competitors

• LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com) – 78% of social media users are here
• Facebook (www.facebook.com) – 77 of social media user are here

With LinkedIn and Facebook you can share photos, video, audio and links. Send private messages and instant messages. Join groups and gain fans. You can create a page to promote your business. Point fans to your blog and encourage and join in discussions. Dominant Niche Sites

• www.Biznik.com
• www.Plaxo.com
• www.FastPitch.com
• www.ActiveRain.com
• www.Localism.com
• www.Meetup.com
• www.Yelp.com
• www.Trulia.com
• www.Zillow.com

Like any marketing strategy, social media marketing for real estate takes a commitment. Anyone can setup a profile, but it is what you do after that that counts. Did you ever create a geographic farm? To be successful in a farm you couldn’t mail one flyer or one postcard. But planted many seeds and your success came after many months of working in that farm. It wasn’t a one shot deal. Social media is virtual farming. You are planting seeds through conversation and interaction. Like your geographic farm, it will take time to produce results. But your consistent efforts will result in increased leads, increased exposure, and increased business. And the good is your consistent efforts can be outsourced to a real estate virtual assistant who understands social media marketing! * All statistics provided by SocialMediaMagic.com.

Are you good at generating Internet leads for your real estate business, but having difficutly converting those leads? It is easy to get yourself into a vicious cycle. Business is slow. You spend money on marketing. You generate leads. You diligently follow-up on those leads. You get busy with new clients. Then don't have time to follow-up on leads and business is slow again. Don't fret! There is a way out of this cycle!

A skilled real estate virtual assistant can respond to and nurture your Internet leads until they become ready, willing and able buyers. The leads can be pre-qualified by your lender, sent relocation information, put on drip email campaigns, set up on automated property searches, sent newsletters, called at pre-determined intervals, and made to feel like they are your only client and you haven't even talked with them yet.

Watch this power point presentation below and see how a real estate virtual assistant helped Leigh Brown with RE/MAX Signature Properties in Charlotte NC take her Internet business for 6% to 24% of her total business in one year.

Have questions about how a real estate virtual assistant can help you convert more leads. Contact us at info@myreassistant.com. We are glad to answer all your questions.

This cold and bitter first week of 2010 is a great time to create your 2010 Marketing Plan. Most of us hate sitting down and spending time on such an exercise, but putting goals and strategies in writing greatly increases the chances of reaching those goals. The tough real estate markets we have seen in the last couple of years make it even more critical that we evaluate what marketing has worked and not worked to stop spending money with no return on your investment. 

Grab a cup of coffee or hot tea along with your laptop or a pad of paper and let's start strategizing how you can increase your production in 2010: 

Print Marketing

1. Update business cards/stationery/marketing templates with social networking and home buyer tax credit info.
2. Sponsor a home buyer workshop.
3. Join a local networking group.
4. Mail hand written thank you notes to clients, prospects, agents and vendors.
5. Create a neighborhood newsletter or online networking website for your farm or neighborhood where you live.
6. Get involved in the Chamber of Commerce.
7. Join Realtor national networks.
8. Support a local charity and sponsor a fund raiser. 

Listing Coordination and Marketing

1. Add to all your websites.
2. Create virtual/video tour to add to all websites.
3. Syndicate listing with use of Postlets.com or similar software.
4. Enhance listing on Realtor.com with headlines, text descriptions, video, additional photos, call to action promotion.
5. Upload to Craigs List weekly.
6. Create Facebook page.
7. Tweet with Tweetlister.com
8. Blast email your database.
9. Post on your blog. 

Email Marketing

1. Send high quality email birthday and anniversary cards.
2. Send weekly/monthly email newsletter.
3. Offer free online Webinar for first time buyers, tax credit, short sales, etc.
4. Email local Weekend Events tips.
5. Email local holiday events.
6. Email home maintenance tips.
7. Offer raffle or drawing with other local businesses.
8. Send local interest rate and financing news.
9. Invitation to your social networking profiles.
10. Ask for testimonials on your social networks. 

Website/Blog

1. Use a keyword search tool and confirm your keywords and metatags are relevant.
2. Offer free IDX home search.
3. Offer free listing alerts.
4. Offer free market analysis.
5. Write about other local businesses on your blog.
6. Comment on other local blogs.
7. Create niche website or blog.
8. Add Facebook Connect to your blog.
9. Create ebook and require name and email to download.
10. Host a contest with local businesses.
11. Post to blog 2-3 times per week using relevant keywords. 

Sphere of Influence

1. Send something of value monthly.
2. Send hand written birthday and anniversary cards.
3. Hold client appreciation event.
4. Give free pumpkins at Halloween.
5. Give pies at Thanksgiving.
6. Send Santa letters
7. Give a calendar.
8. Hold drawing to get email addresses.
9. Send monthly or quarterly market reports.
10. Call and ask for referrals quarterly. 

Social Networking

1. Join Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn.
2. Comment on 3-5 posts daily with links to your blog or website.
3. Create Facebook page for your business.
4. Add video testimonials to your business page.
5. Comment on local business pages.
6. Update your status daily.
7. Use software such as Ping.fm to post to all social networks at one time.
8. Use Twitterlocal.net to connect with local people.
9. Send birthday wishes to friends. 

Contact us today. Let's put your real estate marketing plan together NOW and make 2010 your best year ever!!

Now that you have learned the basics of tweeting on Twitter, Why Tweeting On Twitter Is Good For Your Real Estate Business, its time to learn about some of the not so obvious features to make your tweeting life easier. 

1. Advanced search. 

Twitter likes to hide some of its best features, such as the ‘Advanced Search'. Scroll down to the bottom of any Twitter.com page. Click on ‘Search' then click on ‘Advanced Search'. Here you can search specific people, date ranges, places and phrases. 

2.  Tweet by texting. 

Twitter limited tweets to 140 characters so they could be sent as a short message text service (S.M.S.). When you login, go to ‘Settings', then ‘Devices' and add your phone. The Twitter interface will add buttons next to each user you follow so you can turn update on or off. You'll want to use this feature sparingly so you don't run up your bill. 

You can tweet form your phone by texting a message to 40404. 

3. Twitter/Facebook integration. 

If you use both Twitter and Facebook, You can add only one status update and have it go to both networks. Go to Twitter.com/widgets/facebook and click on ‘Install Twitter in Facebook' and work your way through the configuration. 

This will work in both directions, but it is a good idea to send your tweet to Facebook. It takes fewer steps and you know you are within your 140 character limit. 

4. Favorites. 

Want to save a tweet? Mouse over it and a star-shaped icon appears. Click the icon and it will link to Favorites on your Home page. 

5. Share photos. 

You can't send photos, but you can send a URL for a photo hosted on a website. TwitPic will store your photos and create the URL. Go to TwitPic.com, use your Twitter user name and password and upload your photos. Share your photo by going to the photo page on TwitPic and tweeting from there. 

6. Desktop apps. 

Instead of going to Twitter.com to send tweets, you can use a desktop app which is more like using AOL Instant Messenger.

For Windows users, Digsby displays Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and your email accounts in a long, tall window. Mac users will want Twitterrific. 

TweetDeck works on Windows and Macs and displays in multiple columns. 

7. Phone apps.

There are numerous apps for smartphones. Try Twitterberry for Blackberry devices and Tweetie for iPhones. These applications make it easy to post photos from your phone. 

That's my story and I'm sticking to it! 

Learn how a Real Estate Virtual Assistant can change your life!