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How NOT to Promote Your Real Estate Business!

By
Services for Real Estate Pros with myREassistant.com

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,

This website is stealing some of your content : http://colvas.com/default.aspx. The person left in the links that lead back to your website. I also found my content on this website. I have copied the pages of the site with the stolen copy to a pdf as proof in case there is a denial.
Upon reading this email, I don't mind telling you I was pissed!! I visited the the site mentioned above and low and behold there are the first two paragraphs of my website copied word for word.

The screen shot below was taken February 22, 2010...
Take a look at the Home page of my website and you will see what was lifted from me.

Colvas-small

At this point, I am still very annoyed but then I clicked on the link in the second line: 'real estate virtual assistant' and it goes to a page on MY WEBSITE: http://myreassistant.com/what-is-a-va. Seriously!! Now I can't stop laughing and every time I tell this story to someone I laugh harder. I don't know if I should be angry this person stole my stuff or thank her for the backlink to my website.
Funny or not, the bottom line is don't 'borrow' someone else's work without asking permission! It is not a good way to promote your real estate business and the person may not be flattered!!

Comments(4)

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Randy Ostrander
Lake and Lodge Realty LLC - Big Rapids, MI
Real Estate Broker, Serving Big Rapids and West Central MI

Yikes...Not even a good thief. I have seen people borrow pics from expired listings but this takes the cake.

Mar 03, 2010 09:12 AM
Deborah Byron Leffler BzyBee Real Estate Lady!
Keller Williams Realty Boise - Nampa, ID

LOL....and everyone one gets justice in the end!   that is funny actually...although I would have not been happy at all if some one had lifted my copy!!!

 

Mar 03, 2010 09:14 AM
Retired from ActiveRain
Baker, OR

Since this real estate "professional" is unethical and either too lazy or unable to create his or her own copy you can bet this person won't be in the virtual assistant business too long.  Good post and word of warning to others thinking of doing the same thing.

Copy from one, it's plagiarism; copy from two, it's research. ~ Wilson Mizner

Mar 03, 2010 11:28 AM
Ruth Ann Macklin
myREassistant.com - Virginia Beach, VA
Real Estate Virtual Assistant and CDPE

This VAs justice is looking like a fool. I haven't even asked that she remove my verbiage. It has more impact being left in palce with the link to my website. I am taking some pleasure in the comic relief she has provided.

Mar 03, 2010 03:33 PM