closing gifts: Big-Box Mentality Just Doesn't Work For Us
- 09/19/07 04:31 AM
At a time when big-box retailers have all but snuffed out small mom and pop businesses, it has struck me that real estate is one of the last bastions of entrepreneurism. Now, I know some will point out all of the opportunities to become the next boy genius like Bill Gates, but what I am talking about are those businesses that are on the front lines helping Mr. and Mrs. Joe Public on a daily basis.For those of you old enough to remember, think about what was your favorite store when you were a child. Did you know the owner? Were … (2 comments)
closing gifts: Your Closing Gift Should Be A Memorable "Housewarming" Gift
- 09/18/07 02:29 PM
It has become real apparent to me since joining ActiveRain that each individual's idea of what makes a personal closing gift are as different as their choices of gifts for their spouses. Some might give a vacume cleaner to their wives and think that is personal. Wives might give their husbands an electric drill -- and they are probably delighted! I maintain that a personal closing, or better yet housewarming gift should be, well, uh... personal. To me that doesn't mean a gift certificate. That's not to say that a gift certificate from a megabox hardware store won't be appreciated. It's just … (0 comments)
closing gifts: If I'm Giving Advice, Am I Still A Newbie?
- 09/17/07 07:34 AM
This newbie (if I am still considered one) has reached the one-month milestone on ActiveRain, and I thought it might be a good time to give some feedback for those who are even newer than me. We all need something to look forward to. Since the middle of August, I have written nearly 40 blogs (some definitely better than others), accumulated nearly 10,000 points, made a number of friends and even sold some of my closing gifts. My website -- www.wevemovedgifts.com -- has moved up tremendously in Google, which prior to joining AR, was definitely not a twinkle in Google's virtual eyes. My … (5 comments)
closing gifts: Free Closing Gifts are an Email Away
- 09/17/07 07:18 AM
We are now half way through September, and there is still plenty of time to play "I Spy" to win free closing gifts. If you haven't seen You Can't Win if You Don't Play , get with the program! It's just a little fun respite and the opportunity to win a wonderful closing gift for your next home buyer. What's more, The Odds Are Great!!! And, if you don't win in September, you can still play every month. Yes, I know things are slow. But I am selling gifts, so I know you are still selling homes. Please take a look, AND PLAY! You … (0 comments)
closing gifts: Which markets are still showing signs of reasonable housing activity?
- 09/10/07 02:45 PM
Although I am not a realtor, I read real estate market news from around the country as I market closing gifts to realtors and lenders. Obviously, the evening news reports that housing is slow all around the country, but I have noticed that some markets are far harder hit than others. For example, I have been told by many sources that Florida is in rough shape. In an attempt to use my marketing efforts and dollars wisely, I am wondering if some of you ARers can tell me what the better markets are. I am not limited geographically in my approach to … (6 comments)
closing gifts: AR Fantasy Update
- 09/09/07 12:02 PM
Since writing my blog, " I'M RICH!!! THANK YOU ACTIVE RAIN!!!!" when I delighted in the fantasy of 44,259 AR members being online at the same time, another 2,728 have joined. WOW! Now if my customer list grew by the same percentage -- 6% per month or less -- I would be one happy newbie/entrepreneur. So, help me out. Don't let market conditions drive you -- Drive It. Go get 'em agents. Then buy closing gifts! From me! Ahhhhh. I needed that. Hope things pick up for all of us.
(http://www.wevemovedgifts.com/)
… (1 comments)
closing gifts: A New Perspective on Closing Gifts
- 09/07/07 04:10 AM
I have read a number of blogs about the pros and cons of giving closing gifts, and I am always amazed at those who don't give them. Many times the reasons are things like: "I've given enough if i provide excellent service." "My dentist doesn't give me a gift. Why should I give one?" Before anyone points out my obvious bias towards giving closing gifts -- after all I do sell them -- let me say that I got into my business as, yes, a means to make a living, but also because i think I offer an excellent product and provide … (37 comments)
closing gifts: Word Tracker (or a similar product) Is A Must For SEO
- 09/05/07 01:57 AM
In my never ending quest to develop the most search-engine efficient web page, I just went through an interesting exercise. I guess to many of you this is a no brainer, but to the technologically challenged of us out there, it might be interesting. I ran a free trial of Word Tracker on the key words I have been using for my website and blogs. (Please, whatever you do, don't say, "Hey lady, you should have done that a long time ago.") What I found out is that what seemed very logical key word choices when I first started my website and … (3 comments)
closing gifts: Trying to Get Smarter is Painful
- 09/04/07 04:19 PM
I read a blog last week that mentioned Google Analytics. I couldn't help but do a search on this to learn more. With all of the discussion on AR about Search Engine Optimization, it is probably worth your time, if you are interested in SEO, to google Google Analytics and learn more. This is a free tool that creates all sorts of reports about your website. It not only tells you how many visitors you have had in any given day or time period. It also tells you where they came from. You can also learn how many and which pages are … (2 comments)
closing gifts: I Will Blog For Food
- 09/04/07 06:41 AM
OK fellow ActiveRainers, come out and play. I feel like a barker at a carnival. The game is on. I SPY IS OFF AND RUNNING For FREE CLOSING GIFTS As I've said before, the odds are much better than Lotto. Might as well have a little fun doing your time in the workaday world. And the prize is good anytime you are ready. Come out. Come out whereever you are. … (2 comments)
closing gifts: Do You Expect Customer Service?
- 09/04/07 06:26 AM
Call me silly, but I still expect great cutomer service from the peope with whom I do business. After all, I bend over backwards for my customers. Why shouldn't I expect the same? Well, what I want is very different from reality. Why is the hair on the back of my neck standing up as I write this rant? I have already spent two days sitting and waiting for my cable provider to fix the service to my home. On the first day, a technician was supposed to come to my home between 8am and 11am. I was told I had to … (2 comments)
closing gifts: I SPY IS OFF AND RUNNING For FREE CLOSING GIFTS
- 09/02/07 02:01 AM
Looks like we've got some gamers out there who want to win a free closing gift! My new contest "I Spy" already has a number of entries and there's a lot of time to enter through the end of September. If you didn't see the original blog, take a look at You Can't Win if You Don't Play Hope you have fun with this. And Good Luck!! … (1 comments)
closing gifts: You Can't Win if You Don't Play
- 08/31/07 03:04 AM
I've been on AR long enough now to have learned about stickies and blogging, Google Analytics and tags, conversions that have nothing to do with religion, and, oh yes, why I want to be a millionaire. So, it's been fun. And after one contest under my belt, I'M GOING FOR THE STICKIES, and I want to STICK YOU! Each month I will be running a contest on my website -- http://www.wevemovedgifts.com/ -- called "I SPY Contest." Catchy name, eh? (and original too) It's really easy to play -- the rules are on the site's I SPY page. One winner will be selected each month … (5 comments)
closing gifts: And the WINNER Is....
- 08/31/07 02:33 AM
We now have a winner of the contest I blogged called "These odds are muuuuuch better than Lotto". Congratulations to Jim Gordon, a realtor with Sibcy Cline Realtors in Hamilton, Ohio, who has won 50 WeveMovedGifts.com personalized change-of-address cards for his next closing. Jim, with as many points as you have on AR, it's no wonder you won!!!! You're on all the time. Now, here are just a few particulars -- hard for me to believe, but there were only 20 entries out of the 25 openings in the contest. I'm guessing that many of you thought the contest was over and therefore … (2 comments)
closing gifts: SHOW TIME - BY POPULAR DEMAND
- 08/29/07 03:36 PM
Thanks to some very nice ActiveRainers who have been trying to show me the ropes over the last week or so, I have been encouraged to show pictures of the closing gifts I am marketing at www.wevemovedgifts.com. I have an extremely nice nucleus of customers who order repeatedly from me -- the best testimonial I can give you. I hope you like what you see and will give me a try. Please see my website for pricing information. And, keep in mind that I ship faster than a speeding bullet! Thanks for the look.
… (3 comments)
closing gifts: When is a closing gift not a gift?
- 08/27/07 07:02 AM
As someone who sells closing gifts (http://www.wevemovedgifts.com/), I get a number of questions about what I feel should guide the decision as to what to select for a client gift. For me, the answer is simple - it should be personal and meaningful to the home buyer or seller. Then it is a great closing gift, while at the same time creating a memorable connection between the client and their real estate agent. Now since all of my closing gifts are printed, it gives room to put just about anything on them, which creates pretty enticing promotional space for a realtor or … (3 comments)
closing gifts: Help! My tongue is stuck to the roof of my mouth.
- 08/27/07 02:24 AM
Until recently, when an ActiveRain member clued me in, I thought stickies were how your tongue and fingers felt after licking a lot of stamps and envelopes. I've been there, done that, more than I care to remember, so the task of preparing mail was my association to stickies, not Internet marketing techniques. But it did give me pause to think about the high rate of postage and my previous blog Let Professionals Do Their Jobs. Preparing and mailing large volumes of mail is also something better left to the professionals. Anything incurred as addtional fees is well offset by obtaining the … (1 comments)
closing gifts: I Put the Bruno Mali Shoes on OJ
- 08/26/07 01:04 PM
If it's true that "a picture is worth a thousand words," then I hope you will find that the following photos support the opinion I presented in my blog, Let Professionals Do Their Jobs . Can individuals sell their homes FSBO? Sure they can. Are they somehow better off for doing it? I don't think so. Likewise, we can all handle a camera to some extent. And it is critical that realtors have some expertise in this area. But when it is time to present those images, make sure they look good. I am certain it will have a bearing on the success … (1 comments)
closing gifts: These odds are muuuuuch better than Lotto -- Part II
- 08/23/07 12:31 PM
The odds of winning a free closing gift are great for those who took me up on my offer earlier today. As I always say, "It ain't over until the not-so-fat lady sings. Take a look at These odds are muuuuuch better than Lotto
… (5 comments)
closing gifts: These odds are muuuuuch better than Lotto
- 08/23/07 09:49 AM
Are you a gamer? Well, here's something for fun. (And I am assuming it's kosher on ActiveRain.) The first 25 agents to send me an email through my ActiveRain profile will be entered into a drawing for a free closing gift -- a set of 50 personalized change-of-address cards featuring an artistic rendering of their client's home -- for their next closing. I'll even pay shipping! I'll give you guys until August 30 to respond. If I get fewer than 25 emails referencing this offer, I'll draw from whoever did respond. It could be fun! … (12 comments)
At a time when big-box retailers have all but snuffed out small mom and pop businesses, it has struck me that real estate is one of the last bastions of entrepreneurism. Now, I know some will point out all of the opportunities to become the next boy genius like Bill Gates, but what I am talking about are those businesses that are on the front lines helping Mr. and Mrs. Joe Public on a daily basis.For those of you old enough to remember, think about what was your favorite store when you were a child. Did you know the owner? Were … (2 comments)
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