I was browsing a few national real estate Web sites the other day, paying particular attention to articles on technology.  The overwhelming number of them seemed to focus on what's "cool," actually using the word in their titles.  The same holds true for some national tech columnists in the real estate magazines I get.

As for most of the tools mentioned in the articles?  They might be "cool," but I do not know of a single agent who uses most of them....and I hang out with over 200 top agents who use applicable technology in their businesses daily, my CyberStars®!

I had a visceral reaction: when it comes to today's technology, I do not really care that a particular tech tool is cool!  I want to know about tech tools that help me meet the needs of today's consumer.  I want tools that help me build a more profitable business.  I want tools that make me money, save me money and save me time!

In other words, tell me about tools that work, tools that other top agents use and that can improve my life!

So...in my campaign against pure "cool," let me mention a free tool that really works: Issuu.com.

Leigh Brown of RE/MAX Signature Properties, Concord, NC, is one of my CyberStars®.  She attended our annual CyberStar® Summit in Scottsdale a few weeks ago.  Our two day gathering exits so that we can share what works.  Leigh learned about Issuu.com during one of her fellow CyberStar's® presentations.  Upon returning home, Leigh tried it out and is now a raving fan.

I have written about Issuu.com on my blog, and you can find out more about it there, but there is really nothing to it.  You take any file you create in Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Quark, Publisher, etc., save it as a pdf file, go to Issuu.com, click on "Upload Document," and the rest is automatic.  You choose whether to have it appear as an eBook, magazine, newspaper or one of several other formats.  The result is a document that is stored on Issuu.com and that can be viewed full screen, downloaded or emailed.

You can see outstanding example of using Issuu.com here.  It is one of Leigh's eBooks, her home buyer's book.  Leigh built the presentation using local market date in Word and then did the design work using Quark.  She saved the Quark file as a pdf and then uploaded it to Issuu.com.

Look at it.  I think you will agree that the eBook format makes a much better presentation than would a paper presentation.  It has impact, and you score points with sellers and/or buyers when you send them to your Issu.com presentations.  Why? You are using the technology that most of your buyers and sellers use: the Internet.

OK, I'll admit it: Issuu.com is indeed "cool."  Unlike most of the "cool tools" mention in so many articles however, it is easy to use, impressive and it will make you money!

Do I practice what I preach?  Sure....you can see my Issuu.com eBook on the benefits and requirements of CyberStar(r) membership here.  I also upload the PowerPoint presentations I give to real estate gropus around the country, sending out the URL to attendees so that they can review what we covered.

So...when it comes to using today's tech tools, "cool" is not the only criteria for choosing one.  Make sure it will make you money, save you money and save you time...then get it and use it!

It's a great day here on the lake in Reston...I hope it's a great day wherever you are, too!