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Random Monday Thoughts - A little later than normal

By
Services for Real Estate Pros with ActiveRain

The absolute key to generating leads online is an IDX platform that kicks butt. If you don't have one that is generating leads for you right now, chances are you will never be abe to generate leads with your current set up. This is the first thing to invest in if you are trying to utilize the internet to generate leads for your business on your own.

The amount of money our government spends is ridiculous. Trillions? Name me anything else that is talked about in trillions? Stars maybe? Grains of sand?

Can't wait to spend ten days with my son the next two weeks. We have at least a few Mariners games in our future. Hopefully the Moose won't be the highlight of our trips to Safeco Field and the M's will actually score a run or two (not likely, I know.....)

Did you write one (or five) hyper local post(s) this week? Didn't have the time? Ever considered farming out that writing to a local college kid? I hear you can find rather exceptional writers on Craigslist who are willing to generate pretty good content at a very afforable rate. (You'd post in the 'gigs' section under 'writing'). I wouldn't suggest you completely replace your own blogging with this kind of content, but it could make a good supplement to what you write about each month.

If I want to put my wife to sleep, all I have to do is put on a movie.......she's out like a light. Want to put me to sleep.....make it a Lifetime movie!

I have an obsession with shoes. I can't get enough pairs of shoes. I'd buy a new pair every day if my wife would let me. When I was very young, we (my brothers and I) got one pair of shoes for the school year. When basketball season came, we got a second pair of shoes, but couldn't wear the basketball shoes for anything but basketball games and practice, until after the season. Once the season ended, then we were allowed to wear our new basketball shoes for school. By that time, the first pair was pretty beat up. Looking back on it, I now realize how lucky I was to get the basketball shoes at all. Years later, I would come back to my mom's house (I think it was during college, and my shoe obsession was in full swing) to find that she had given away about 10 pairs of my shoes to friends of my little brothers (she didn't think I wore them anymore.....which I probably didn't....much). Their families were in a similar situation to what we were when I was young. I missed those shoes, but I know those kids probably felt as good wearing their new shoes as I did once basketball season ended wearing mine. She doesn't remember doing this. Did I mention how great my mom is?

It was 80 degrees here in Michigan on Sunday.......of course I went golfing. I was disappointed to realize that taking a whole winter off had not improved my game at all. Looks like it's back to practicing.......bleh! Why can't I just be a natural? Life's not fair, is it?

Have you considered offloading tasks that don't actually produce income? Every VERY successful agent I know is able to determine what tasks make them the most money and focus on those tasks. Anything else is handled by someone who specializes in that task and is paid to specialize in it. Figure out where your own business could benefit from delegation.

Does anyone have a really cool business card? Something different maybe? I've seen thousands of business cards in my life and still to this day, only one person's sticks out at all as something unique. Surely someone out there has a purple cow business card.

I was never a hockey fan growing up, being on the west coast and all. But the 'Golden Goal' concept (also used in Soccer) to determine the winner in Overtime is so stinking exciting........unless your team isn't the one that scores it. If that's the case, it's one of the most deflating moments in all of sports.

Posted by

Bob Stewart
ActiveRain Ambassador

 

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Shannon Milligan, Richmond VA Real Estate Agent/Associate Broker
RVA Home Team - Richmond, VA
RVA Home Team - Winning with Integrity.

Before I became an agent I was an assistant and I wrote blogs for that agent. Then, in between, I ended up doing some "consulting" and was blogging for two people. Now I just do it for myself, but it was a great way to learn the business AND to make a little extra cash while being a stay at home mom!

Apr 12, 2011 12:43 PM
Virginia Hepp - Mesquite NV REALTOR
Desert Gold Realty - Mesquite NV Homes For Sale - Mesquite, NV
Mesquite NV Homes and Neighborhoods - Search MLS

You are so right about a good IDX solution - our little mls is not included in Market Leader or anything else, so I have to make do with what I have - mostly manual.  :(   It works, but would be so much better if it had a system with it.

 

Are there any college kids/writers who have an AR account?

Apr 12, 2011 02:38 PM
Linda K. Mayer
License # 01767321 - La Verne, CA
Realtor, SRES, SoCAL, A REALTOR YOU CAN TRUST

Shoes, shoes, shoes... I still swear I will get that pair of Louboutin's and Jimmy Choo's before I die.  I'm gonna wear them even if I'm 80 years old just to prove I can!

BTW:  Missing Kelan's blog again!  Maybe after your time together...

Apr 12, 2011 02:50 PM
Marina Brito
RE/MAX Premier - Fairfax, VA

Bob,

Regarding IDX being the best source of leads, I agree.

But, just like with a website, having one does not guarantee profitable traffic.   The best way to attract visitors is by offering valuable content such as good (and unique) area information, etc..  Once they are on the site, valuable content will also make them feel more at ease about browsing through the listings instead of going to a large aggregator to find the same exact listings.

Apr 12, 2011 03:34 PM
Maya Swamy
Funds Available - Long Beach, CA
Ph.D. Long Beach, CA - fundsavailable.com

About purple cow cards. I don't have a cow but purple and pink cards and signs too. Wanted to stand out.

Apr 12, 2011 05:49 PM
Paula Burt
REALTOR , SFR, RECS

Hey Bob!  Thanks for the great post here!  I need to do new biz cards and I got some great ideas going from reading the comments.  I had already made up my mind to "leverage" myself by hiring a part-time virtual assistant to handle some of the more mundane chores of handling my online lead system and fielding some calls sometimes. We're doing our first orientation/training Friday afternoon.  She's a personal friend who will be moving near to me in a few months, and has experience as a Broker's in-office assistant, plus she's so like me it's scary - like a clone, almost, so I know that she will handle things exactly like I want.  I'm really excited about this win-win situation.  I need help; she needs a little extra income.  Should be great!

Enjoy your time with your son!  Have fun!!

Apr 12, 2011 07:39 PM
Tonia Vickery
RE/MAX Desert Showcase - Peoria, AZ

Um, think you need to see somebody about that shoe thing? It seems a few others may have the same problem. Perhaps you could start an AR "Issues with Shoes" group. :-)

Tonia

Apr 13, 2011 03:32 AM
Donna Harris
Donna Homes, powered by JPAR - TexasRealEstateMediationServices.com - Austin, TX
Realtor,Mediator,Ombudsman,Property Tax Arbitrator

I only got one pair of shoes for the school year too... My daughter has 8 pairs of size 7's we're weening out, and 7 pairs of size 8's she's going into... and she has NO sandals for the summer. I've told people to stop buying her shoes!!

On the other hand, she has a major sock addiction!  She'll change her socks 2-3 times a day!

Apr 13, 2011 05:45 AM
Doug Bullwinkel
E Mortgage Capital, Inc. NMLS 1416824 - Roseville, CA
Mortgage Loan Officer NMLS #281609

Additional information in the IDX platforms and providers would be greatly appreciated.  Could you steer us to a blog on this topic??

Apr 13, 2011 06:11 PM
Barbara-Jo Roberts Berberi, MA, PSA, TRC - Greater Clearwater Florida Residential Real Estate Professional
Charles Rutenberg Realty - Clearwater, FL
Palm Harbor, Dunedin, Clearwater, Safety Harbor

A golfer! That is always a positive and perhaps that with the combination of real estate explains this random though post! Glad to hear your weather is getting up there in the 80's again!!!!

Apr 14, 2011 01:57 AM
Barbara-Jo Roberts Berberi, MA, PSA, TRC - Greater Clearwater Florida Residential Real Estate Professional
Charles Rutenberg Realty - Clearwater, FL
Palm Harbor, Dunedin, Clearwater, Safety Harbor

A golfer! That is always a positive and perhaps that with the combination of real estate explains this random though post! Glad to hear your weather is getting up there in the 80's again!!!!

Apr 14, 2011 01:57 AM
Jon Zolsky, Daytona Beach, FL
Daytona Condo Realty, 386-405-4408 - Daytona Beach, FL
Buy Daytona condos for heavenly good prices

It is ever evolving field, and IDX is also evolving. Nothing stays the same, and that's challenging

Apr 15, 2011 03:19 PM
DeeDee Riley
Lyon Real Estate - El Dorado Hills CA - El Dorado Hills, CA
Realtor - El Dorado Hills & the Surrounding Areas

Bob, Funny to read your thoughts  this week and see you also have a shoe obsession.  My son has one too and probably got it from his mom!  I can't got to the shoe store without coming home with at least 2 pairs.  Luckily, I am really busy and don't have time to shop anymore.  My son is making up where I've slacked off!!!  Happy Saturday!

Apr 16, 2011 12:24 PM
Lynn B. Friedman CRS Atlanta, GA 404-617-6375
Atlanta Homes ODAT Realty - Love our Great City - Love our Clients! Buckhead - Midtown - Westside - Atlanta, GA
Concierge Service for Our Atlanta Sellers & Buyers

Dear Bob -

You said -"Does anyone have a really cool business card? Something different maybe? I've seen thousands of business cards in my life and still to this day, only one person's sticks out at all as something unique. Surely someone out there has a purple cow business card."

And Elizabeth Byrne in Arlington, VA posted today using the same reference -must be a cross country book reading item!

Have a happy day -
Lynn

Apr 16, 2011 05:43 PM
Jason E. King
J. King Real Estate, Inc. - Columbia, SC

Bob,

  As always your post is great and well written. I wish I had that talent. I never had a shoe obsession, but I played sports. My Father always made me pay for my own. Track shoes, cross country shoes, baseball cleats. You name it. I think I worked harder to pay for my athletic hobby then gas and food. Man how times have changed.

Apr 18, 2011 05:57 AM
Dick and Dixie Sells
Sells Real Estate, LLC - Trinity, FL
Realtors, Tampa Bay Florida Homes For Sale

Thanks for the kick on the hyper local posts. I am back to doing that and know it will help. Loved the peek inside your life. Those Lifetime movies are long aren't  they? Have a good one today!

Apr 19, 2011 12:03 AM
Dick and Dixie Sells
Sells Real Estate, LLC - Trinity, FL
Realtors, Tampa Bay Florida Homes For Sale

Thanks for the kick on the hyper local posts. I am back to doing that and know it will help. Loved the peek inside your life. Those Lifetime movies are long aren't  they? Have a good one today!

Apr 19, 2011 12:04 AM
Jeffrey DiMuria 321.223.6253 Waves Realty
Waves Realty - Melbourne, FL
Florida Space Coast Homes

Change can always be tough...but if we all look at things with eyes wide open...it can be a great thing as well. Nice post Bob.

Apr 19, 2011 07:51 AM
Jeffrey DiMuria 321.223.6253 Waves Realty
Waves Realty - Melbourne, FL
Florida Space Coast Homes

Change can always be tough...but if we all look at things with eyes wide open...it can be a great thing as well. Nice post Bob.

Apr 19, 2011 07:51 AM
Sharon Alters
Coldwell Banker Vanguard Realty - 904-673-2308 - Fleming Island, FL
Realtor - Homes for Sale Fleming Island FL

Coolest business card I have seen ever and still have it - Joe Ferrara's that he gave me at the AR gathering at Hard Rock in 2008 at the NAR Convention. That was when we met you, Jon, Joe, Missy, Christa, Brad, and so-o many others. It was truly Rock Star Heaven! Second coolest was House Chick's. Hers was similar to Joe's, but his was the best. And he was such a super guy. Wasn't that a fun evening? Katerina and Nestor, TLW and BB, Cyndee, Teresa, Ines, Jeff, still remember it :)

Sharon

Apr 24, 2011 02:19 PM