http://realtyagents.com/ en LindaCDavis@comcast.net Copyright 2008 2008-04-12T19:24:00-05:00 http://realtyagents.com/more/custom-house-publishers/ http://realtyagents.com/more/custom-house-publishers/#When:18:24:00Z "Due to the results I get from my newsletter, it has become my primary print marketing effort.” ....Linda Davis I got into one of those little online debates last month.  It wasn’t a blog war but the words were a little more than lukewarm. The debate concerned farming and direct mail.  One generation Y’er on a popular website talked about getting a postcard in the mail and thinking, “How archaic and wasteful, I will NEVER work with that person”.  That annoyed me and I commented.  We then commented back and forth and others jumped into the debate. I don’t believe I changed the young man’s mind but he certainly didn’t change mine. I’ve been farming for almost 30 years and the cost and effort has always been worth it.  And yes, I keep up with the latest technology and write for a few blogs so it isn’t like I haven’t embraced Web 2.0.  2008-04-12T18:24:00-05:00 http://realtyagents.com/more/jott/ http://realtyagents.com/more/jott/#When:01:19:00Z Jott. The name itself is simplistic. Even the slogan says “Get Simple Back”. The more I use Jott, the more I am impressed with what it does. Jott.com is a service that allows a person to make a phone call from their cell phone and dictate a message. This message is then transcribed and sent automatically in an email. The email contains both the transcribed message as well as an audio file of the message. This in itself is impressive, but Jott has taken their product steps further. Blogging, Various Technology Tools 2008-04-07T01:19:00-05:00 http://realtyagents.com/more/supralockboxes/ http://realtyagents.com/more/supralockboxes/#When:23:26:00Z In the early days of real estate, there were no lockboxes.  In some parts of the country, some homes didn’t even have door locks!  And why would they.  Someone was always home.  The best security device was probably named Fido! FACT - There are an estimated 2,329,9501 annual burglaries nationwide, with an annual loss by victims of approximately $3.1 billion. FACT - A burglary takes place every 12 seconds and produces an average loss of $1,675 per event. FACT - This year, one in six homes will be burglarized.1 Burglars will spend no longer than 1 minute to break into a home. FACT - 60% of residential burglaries occur during the daylight hours. Here are a few easy-to-follow suggestions to keep yourself and your home or business safe: Keep the exterior of your home or business brightly lit at night. Burglars will be less likely to approach a well-lit area. Lock windows and outside doors whenever they’re closed. Don’t do the burglar’s job for him. Ensure that all entries to your home or business are secured. Burglars will generally try to enter your house unseen, favoring rear doors, and particularly sliding doors that are usually left unlocked. Secure sliding glass doors with a dowel in the inside track. Never hide a key outside your house. Everyone thinks to look in the same place for a spare key (including the burglar), so don’t leave keys above the door frame or under the doormat. Prune shrubs to keep them from concealing doors or windows. Stealth is the burglar’s best friend, and the more you do to remove that advantage, the less likely you are to be a victim. Source: National Crime Prevention Council & FBI 1999 Uniform Crime Reports Various Technology Tools 2008-03-29T23:26:00-05:00 http://realtyagents.com/more/using-ning-for-real-estate/ http://realtyagents.com/more/using-ning-for-real-estate/#When:00:18:00Z Build your own online community resource and social network Ning is promoted as a program that can help you create your own social network. This month Ning passed the 200,000 social network mark and is growing at the rate of over 1,000 social networks per day.  Ning wasn’t developed with real estate in mind, but I suspect it is a program that real estate agents will embrace once they discover it. I recently canceled a very expensive community website in favor of Ning at a fraction of the cost.  So far, the comments from the public about my Ning site have been favorable and I’m on my way to building my online community. 2008-03-23T00:18:00-05:00 http://realtyagents.com/more/agentoffice/ http://realtyagents.com/more/agentoffice/#When:12:07:00Z I believe the first real estate specific software an agent must invest in is contact management software. Bill Gates, in his book called “Business at the Speed of Thought” said “How you gather, manage and use information to serve the needs of your customer will determine whether you win or lose in your business.” I happen to think Bill Gates is a pretty smart guy.  I know he has more money than I do, so I try to pay attention to what he has to say. I believe the first real estate specific software an agent must invest in is contact management software. I bought my first contact management software back in the 80’s when I purchased a copy of “Howard and Friends”.  I loved that funny little program but after Howard (and Friends) had a very long delay in adapting to windows, I moved on to AgentOffice. (The RE/MAX branded version was called Agent 2000 back then). For those new to contact management software (CRM), I’ve written about how I organize my database on my Real Estate Solutions Blog. 2008-03-16T12:07:00-05:00 http://realtyagents.com/more/logmein/ http://realtyagents.com/more/logmein/#When:23:34:00Z Sometimes you find a little program that makes your business life so much simpler.  LogMeIn.com is one of those programs.  Imagine that you live several miles from your office.  You’ve just driven home and realize that you forgot to copy some files from your office computer to bring home with you.  You could jump back in your car, drive back to the office… OR… sit down at your computer at home and go to LogMeIn.com, sign in and log directly on to your office PC.  Trip saved… Time Saved… Money Saved!  Did I mention that LogMeIn.com is FREE?  Read on....  Various Technology Tools 2008-03-14T23:34:00-05:00 http://realtyagents.com/more/waging-war-on-real-estates-discounters/ http://realtyagents.com/more/waging-war-on-real-estates-discounters/#When:16:03:00Z Waging War on Real Estate’s Discounters were words I appreciated having put in my mouth! Real Estate is taking a beating on so many fronts these days. As agents we need to be as prepared as possible for any and all hits on our business.  There isn’t a listing appointment we go on where the seller wants and expects us to work for little or nothing while providing top notch service.  Providing service like this is ok, if you are listing Mom’s house, but for any serious business person who plans to actually make a profit, it is important to be able to protect your commission. Bernice Ross is real estate trainer and coach who has put together a package to help agents ”unlock the door to a full commission.” The package consists of a 322 page book, 2-CD set and a fist full of handy index cards with scripts for combat!  I love the scripts!  In the contemplative moments prior to going into battle, I sit quietly focusing on my game plan.  I try to anticipate every objection the seller may throw at me and prepare for it by reciting OUT LOUD from the script cards.  Hearing the words roll off my own tongue a few times in practice makes it more believable and real to me when I have to retaliate in battle! Discount Brokers, Home Valuations, Market Conditions, Offline Marketing Tools 2008-03-07T16:03:00-05:00 http://realtyagents.com/more/neatreceipts/ http://realtyagents.com/more/neatreceipts/#When:20:19:00Z My job as Director of Education for my office and my love for technology keeps me on the lookout for anything that can be used in the real estate business.  I attend at least two real estate related conventions each year and I always come back with the same problem… I bring back stacks of handouts that I want to keep.  I use a lot of the materials I find for new classes.  I’ve always thought it would be nice to scan these handouts while I was at the convention and bring them home in PDF format.  Neat Receipts is the perfect solution!  Various Technology Tools, Paperless Transaction 2008-03-05T20:19:00-05:00 http://realtyagents.com/more/snagit/ http://realtyagents.com/more/snagit/#When:15:57:00Z For me, saving time can often be as good as saving money. I’ll admit that I find it hard to resist a a cool tech toy.  I probably buy more than my fair share.  The first time I attended the Annual National Association of Realtors® EXPO, I was close to hyperventilating as I scanned the rows and rows of new technology offerings for Realtors®.  I didn’t find SnagIt at the big show but it should have been there.  Snag It software wasn’t designed with real estate agents in mind, but it is a product that should be in every Realtors technology tool kit. Various Technology Tools 2008-03-03T15:57:00-05:00 http://realtyagents.com/more/market-snapshot/ http://realtyagents.com/more/market-snapshot/#When:20:19:01Z Prospecting for new business is much easier when you have value added tools to help attract consumers.  Market Snapshot is a prospecting tool for agents who do business online and have an organized follow up system to stay in touch. The program is truly meant to be used in conjunction with a marketing plan to attract and retain customers.  The beauty of the system is how it delivers, almost immediately desired information that is not easily obtained in such a simple format.  Yes, all the data can be found by visiting numerous sites, but nowhere that I know can it be found as attractive and timely as in this product.  Consumers as we know don’t look for information during business hours alone.  They frequently do their research when we agents are snug in our jammies! Positioning Market Snapshot to work while we sleep is probably a wise consumer service. Lead Generator, Market Conditions 2008-02-26T20:19:01-05:00