Real Estate Technology Toolkit

5 Marketing Mistakes You Can Avoid

Rich Schiffer, REALTOR, e-PRO (Weichert, Realtors) — Fri, 11 May 2007 17:44:50 -0500

An article by Melissa Dittmann Tracey in Realtor Magazine Online got me thinking.

In my estimation, here are the most common ways I see people drop the ball with their marketing.

1. Typographical Errors in Marketing Materials. Nothing screams, "I don't deserve my commission!" louder than errors in flyers, MLS descriptions, etc. What kind of "due diligence" are you rendering to your client if you don't try to use proper grammar or spelling.

The Funny Thing About Typos and
The Importance of Grammar are two articles that discuss this point.

2. Poorly Written Driving Instructions on MLS or other marketing materials. Telling someone to go "West on Route 30..." if you don't know where they are starting from will not get them to your property every time. Give them a reference point to start with. Try, "From routes 30 and 100, travel west on 30..." If you can't direct people to the property, you will have very few showings.

3. Lack of Follow up with Leads. If you don't follow up with leads, especially from open houses, you are reducing your visibility in the market. If your seller lowers the price of their listing, or has the property staged, call all the prior open house guests to let them know, and invite them to the next open house.

4. Failure to Network. If you don't realize that networking is a key aspect to this business, perhaps you should try a new career path. Let other agents in your office know what your buyers are looking for, and what your sellers have. Let them help you satisfy your client's needs. And when they do, acknowledge their efforts with a referral fee, or at least return the favor.

5. Barking up the Wrong Tree: Make sure to market to potential buyers. A flyer for a 2.5 Million dollar listing with a 5-car garage, posted on the bulletin board at the local dollar store might not be very effective. Distributing the same flyer at the annual classic car show would probably be much more effective.

Please feel free to comment and share about the common mistakes you have seen.

Technology Toolkit Training: Blogging

Rich Schiffer, REALTOR, e-PRO (Weichert, Realtors) — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 08:21:52 -0500

by Rich Schiffer, REALTOR, e-PRO

(This article is part of a training series presented for real estate professionals, whether new to the industry or experienced, to help them discover, understand, and benefit from the tools that are available on-line. For access to the full series, join the ActiveRain Technology Toolkit Training group. If you have not yet joined the ActiveRain Real Estate Network, you may do so here.).

Blogging

Search engines look for words that match the search terms. Without going into the complexities of Search Engine Optimization (SEO), simply understand this: The more words in an article that match the search terms, the better it will score in terms of relevance. Blogs are basically long strings of text woven into a web which the "spiders" of the search engines examine for searches. The more relevant to the search, the higher up on the list of "organic results" the article will be. Some vendors will boast of their ability to improve your rank on Google's searches -- for a price. In my opinion, this is simply not a necessary expense, since many consumers trust "organic results" even if sponsored results appear ahead of them on the list. I dont mean to imply that all SEO companies are not worth their fee -- in fact, Active Rain member Mary Mcnight's company, RSS Pieces provides an outstanding service, tailored to the specific needs of REALTORS that is the best I have seen in a long time.

Blogging Resources

There are many blogging resources available. Some platforms can be added to agents existing websites, others are stand-alone websites, and still others are third-party platforms that allow for publication to their membership base, as well as "syndication" across other websites. Here are a few of the resources I recommend:

I highly recommend the book "Realty Blogging"
by Richard Nacht and Paul Cheney

This book explains many of the reasons that blogging is such an effective way to reach real estate consumers, and offers many guidelines for getting started effectively and efficiently. Some tips on how to write to optimize your search engine results are included as well.

The ActiveRain Real Estate Network

ActiveRain combines a free blogging platform with an on-line social network specific to the Real Estate Industry. With over 60,000 members, and an easy to use system that is free to all Real Estate Professionals. All you need to invest is your time to write. How much time? That will be determined by your specific blogging plan -- part of your complete marketing plan.

Localism.com
Localism is the consumer portal to all the local content produced by ActiveRain members. Consumers can search for local area information, and ask questions of local professionals. Anytime you post a blog on Active Rain that is specific to a local region, the post will automatically be populated out to the localism.com website. What type of articles should you write? That will be dictated by your goals, and the coverage area(s) your are targeting.

http://www.mybloglog.com/

This site provides a "widget" (a special mini-computer program) that you can add to any blog. This allows you to track who reads your articles, and tells you what search terms they used to find your article in the first place. Knowing how consumers find you can help you write articles that will get even more of them to come to you.

There are groups of extremely helpful bloggers out there that have a lot of valuable things to contribute as you explore the world of blogging. A few groups on Active Rain I can recommend are:

Curiosity and Confusion are your friend...

One of the greatest resources you have is your own curiosity, coupled with the human capacity to learn. If you are confused or have any questions don't hold them inside. Ask your questions -- even if all you do is enter your questions into the search feature -- you may find the answer and more in the results. One great way to ask your question, and increase your blogging skills simultaneously is to ask the question in the form of a blog post. Your answers may come from the least expected places...

Rich Schiffer is a REALTOR, a certified e-PRO, and a Technology Coach, Consultant, and Trainer.
For information on his consulting services click here.

8 Things You Already Do That Should be in Your Blog

Rich Schiffer, REALTOR, e-PRO (Weichert, Realtors) — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 21:18:20 -0500

by Rich Schiffer, Weichert Realtors

I have talked to a lot of Realtors in my area. Because of my passion for Internet Marketing Techniques, the conversation often comes around to blogging, and how it can fit with your marketing plan.

More often than I expected, the response from them is something like this:

"I don't have time to write," or
"I don't know what to write about."

Here is what I tell them:

"You are already writing what you need to have as content on your blog. The things you prepare for your clients already -- those are what you need to be posting on your blog."

Here are 8 examples of what I mean:

Market Analysis Reports. You already take the time to research the market conditions in the areas your clients are buying and selling in. Rather than just telling them, or showing them a printout of your findings, put your analysis on your blog. (Don't forget to categorize it correctly, and tag it with the appropriate terms, though!)
Property Descriptions/Marketing Materials. You already write up a description of the property for the MLS. Use that description as a basis for a blog article about your listing. Enhance it with links to information about the school districts, municipal data, etc. (Remember to include a link to your Market Analysis Report for the neighborhood, from #1, above, as well!)
Property Reviews. You show listings to your clients and then discuss them. Hopefully, you provide the listing agent with honest feedback. I see nothing wrong with posting a "property feedback" review, summarizing what your client's liked and didn't like about the property. (Be sure represent only the appropriate level of "feedback" so that you don't jeopardize your client's negotiating position, of course.) Here is an example of one of these: Market Analysis -- West 22nd Street, Chester: Good Investment Potential, or "Starter Homes"
Property Pictures. You already take photographs of your listings. Include these photos in your blog posts from #1, 2 and 3, above.
Open House Invitations. You already spend time writing ad copy and creating flyers for your open houses and brokers' tours. Post this information on your blog, as well. (Be sure to include a link in the invitation post to the Property Description post from #2, above, and pictures too!) Having your laptop open to the post at the open house, and inviting your guests to leave feedback comments is a great way to provide added value for your sellers as well.
Information for Buyers. You already give advice to your buyers. You educate them on the home-buying process, refer them to mortgage professionals, and answer their questions all along the way. Put some of your most commonly answered questions into a blog post. Then, when you have another client ask a similar question, you can point them to the blog article to support your answer. You can provide links to your other articles, as well, and outside articles that may be of interest -- links to information about the schools and regional entertainment may be of interest for Relocation clients, for example. Here is an example: Darby Borough Description
Information for Sellers. Like #6, above, but advice for your clients on the other side of the table. Links to other professionals you recommend are useful, too (Stagers, Movers, Contrators, Home Warranty Companies, etc.) Here is an example of one such article: What To do Before You Sell
Share What you Know. Many of you already serve as Mentors or Trainers for the new agents in your office, or for your team members in general. Buy putting your wisdom down in writing, in the form of a blog post, you not only make it easier to train your new agents and team members, but you also help raise the standards of the profession. (It is a great way to network with peers outside your region, as well -- it may be what attracts that next referral...) Here is an example of this kind of article: Absorption Rate: What it is, and Why you Should Know it

By posting these type of things that you already do, you get several benefits:

Increased Internet Presence. Consumers will have a better chance of finding their way to you when they do their search for information. If your market analysis of the neighborhood they are thinking about moving into pop up in the first page of Google's search results, don't you think your likelihood of being contacted by them when they decide to call a Realtor has increased?
Increased Credibility. You will be able to more quickly establish your credibility in the consumers' minds. When they ask you a question, and you direct them to an article you published about the topic, the level of respect they have for you as an expert in your field increases.
Decreased Redundant Efforts. You will be able to decrease the time you spend answering commonly asked questions. Instead of giving the "long version" of the answer every time it is asked, you can summarize the response, and give a link to the more detailed answer in your blog.
Increased Integration of Marketing efforts. By integrating your marketing efforts (print materials directs to email, which links to website, which links to blog, etc., etc.,) you will actually increase the effectiveness of each individual method. Instead of simply throwing a marketing campaign out into the waters like a fishing line, by integrating multiple methods, you weave those lines into a net, which will catch more fish, with less effort than the individual lines would.
Timeless Marketing: Unlike direct mail, which may hit the trash can sooner than you like to think, blog posts are eternal. The article you write about your farm area may be what attracts a prospect to call you today, tomorrow, or whenever they are doing their Internet-based search. This gives you the ability to make a first impression time and time again.
Increased Hats. In addition to the variety of hats you already wear for your clients, you can officially call yourself a blogger, as well -- and all you had to do was keep doing what you already do, just modify where you file it.

Marketing Unique Properties: Know Your Target Market.

Rich Schiffer, REALTOR, e-PRO (Weichert, Realtors) — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 13:49:13 -0500

By Rich Schiffer, REALTOR, e-PRO

(This article is part of a training series presented for real estate professionals, whether new to the industry or experienced, to help them discover, understand, and benefit from the tools that are available on-line. For access to the full series, join the ActiveRain Technology Toolkit Training group. If you have not yet joined the ActiveRain Real Estate Network, you may do so here.).

The Declaration of Independence put to words a concept that resounded with Truth - "...that all men are created equal..." - but this simple truth unfortunately cannot be applied to Real Estate. I am not talking about the professionals within the real estate industry -- I may have my opinions about some practitioners, but I admit we were all created equal. What I am referring to are the properties we are called upon by our clients to market.

All properties are not created equal.

Many agents fail to realize this, and apply the same methods of marketing to every type of property they represent. Some properties, by their very nature, however, require something different. The underlying goal of the marketing is still the same - get the product into the awareness of potential buyers - but the methods for achieving the goal must change to fit the target audience. Unique properties require a unique marketing plan.

Historic Properties are a perfect case in point.

First, let me acknowledge that different areas of the world define "Historic" in different ways. Along the Brandywine Valley, in southeastern Pennsylvania, for example, a 1750s farmhouse might come to mind. In San Antonio, Texas, it might be an 1830s horse barn. In Fairbanks, Alaska, it might be an 1897 Trading Post. In European communities, with a much longer history, the age of the property might be counted in centuries, while a 50 year old property in parts of California might qualify as a local landmark.

Setting aside how the local market defines "historic properties," we can say with a high degree of certainty that the potential buyer for a 250 year old property fits an entirely different "profile" than the typical buyer of a comparably-sized piece of new construction, or the average resale property.

Much research has been done to assist Realtors with understanding the profile of potential buyers. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) conducts an annual survey of transactions, compiles the demographic data, and develops the "profile" of that year's buyers. Realtors across the country use this report, and other similar industry reports to help them understand the future direction of the market. This allows agents and brokers to target their marketing, positioning themselves to capitalize on emerging trends.

Other industries follow their buyer profiles very closely, as well. If the 19-27 year olds show the highest gain in disposable income, it stands to reason that a lot of consumer advertising will be aimed at that age group. If a large number of older adults are about to reach retirement age, developers may begin to build more active adult communities, to meet the future need. This sort of demographic trend-watching is often key to the ongoing success of any company.

Understanding the importance of market trends is only one aspect of successfully marketing a product. That understanding has to be coupled with Practice, and Creativity.

Here is a comparison of common marketing practices, and how they might differ when marketing a unique property:

Marketing Practices:	Traditional Property	Historic Property
Internet Marketing:
Local MLS	Standard	Longer listing contract - marketing times may be considerably longer than the average days on market
On-line listing syndication services	Standard - listing posted to multiple high-traffic consumer sites	Enhanced features wherever possible
Email flyers	Standard - emailed to prospective buyers and local area agents	Purchase targeted email distribution lists
CraigsList, etc	Standard - with on-line flyer	Enhanced where possible
Property-specific Domains/websites	Static Property Information with lead / call capture	Enhanced -- Interactive, with frequent updates
Virtual Tours/YouTube videos	Slide-show style, sometimes full video	Enhanced, DVD quality video where possible
Blogs - Personal and Property-specific	Property Descriptions, Neighborhood features, etc	History of the property, etc.
Social Networking Platforms	Standard	Focused - Targeting Specific Demographic Groups.
Print Marketing:
Signs	Standard Yard Signs	Enhanced, higher quality, durable (lighted, when possible)
Mailings	Standard - local market area ("Just Listed" Postcards, for example)	Broader mailings - to target buyer profile, possibly international buyers
Flyers/Brochures/Property info sheets	Standard single-page info sheets	Premium Quality, bound material DVD/CD ROM also
Newspapers(classifieds, open house announcements, etc.) Magazines	Local Area Distribution (house-hunter mini-mags)	Targeted Financial and Society Media also (WSJ, NY Times, LA Times, etc.) Specialty Magazines (Preservation Magazine, Old House Journal, etc.)
Face-to-Face Marketing:
Open Houses	Standard - inviting neighbors, local home buyers, brokers, etc	Invitational Events (cocktail parties, art shows, charity fund-raisers, etc.)
Sphere of Influence ("Do you know anyone looking for a ___")	Personal contacts - clients, family, friends, co-workers, etc.	Targeted outreach networking - doctors, lawyers, historic societies, film-makers, local politicians, etc.
Peer-to-Peer	Brokers Tours - Include Lunch, for example	Broker invitational - wine and cheese reception, for example.

On the surface, the methods may appear the same, but with an historic property, the search for the potential buyer may be more - much more - broad than the coverage area of the local MLS. Specialized websites, tightly focused on-line social networking groups, and niche print publications may be needed to get in front of the buyer. To reach that buyer, a little creative, outside-the-box thinking may also be required.

One of my favorite creative strategies is the Charity Art Auction.

Partnering with a local charity, the local historic society, and local art school or gallery, an event is planned. (This takes time to do right, and is one of the reasons that a listing contract for this type of property should be for a sufficiently long term.)
Deep-pocketed potential donors are invited to the event, which raises funds for the selected charity. At the same time they are bidding on select artworks, they are also viewing the home.
A thank-you letter to attendees reminds those in attendance that the property itself is also for sale, and that if they or any of their family or friends purchases the property, the seller will make an additional donation (in the buyers' name, perhaps?) to the charity in the amount of ______ (a fixed dollar amount or a % of the sale price, whatever the seller agrees to.)
An event like this also helps build a database of potential attendees for other events, and targeted mailings.

Other Resources for Marketing Historic Properties:

Social Networking:

Active Rain Real Estate Network, targeted user groups:

- Historic Homes
- Heritage Properties, Historic Sites and Antiques .

MySpace: http://groups.myspace.com/HistoricHomes

Targeted Websites / Publications:

HistoricProperties.com

$50 per listing (3 photos, 3 months)

$75 per listing (9 photos, 3 months)

$150 per week ("Featured Property" exposure)

www.preservationonline.org, http://www.preservationnation.org, www.nationaltrust.org

(Preservation Magazine, published by National Trust for Historic Preservation)

Readership: More than 500,000 readers, average age is 55 years old; average household income is $113,000. They upgrade historic properties for modern living (83.3%); invest in historic commercial and residential real estate (45.3%); and remodel rooms, floors, plumbing and roofing (44.9%).

$525 for 70 words of copy and a photo.

http://www.oldhousejournal.com

(Old House Journal Magazine - Readership: 700,000+, bi-monthly distribution.

$525 single ad with photo -- $800 for "spotlight" ad.

Ad Rates include listing on Historic Properties.com (see above.)

Local Organizations:

- http://www.preservationalliance.com (Greater Philadelphia regional partner of National Historic Trust)
- http://www.cchs-pa.org (Chester County, PA Historical Society)
- http://www.delcohistory.org/orgs.htm (List of Delaware County, PA Historic Organizations)
- http://www.preservationpa.org (State-wide historic preservation)

Technology Toolkit: Lead Generation and CRM with Text Messages

Rich Schiffer, REALTOR, e-PRO (Weichert, Realtors) — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 16:01:43 -0500

by Rich Schiffer, REALTOR, e-PRO

(This article is part of a training series presented for real estate professionals, whether new to the industry or experienced, to help them discover, understand, and benefit from the tools that are available on-line. For access to the full series, join the ActiveRain Technology Toolkit Training group. If you have not yet joined the ActiveRain Real Estate Network, you may do so here.)

Everyone seems to be familiar with the image of teens texting each other across the table. Advertisments now regularly depict people using text messages. Faster than email, this method of communication has become accepted and adopted into the mainstream.

But "texting" is not just for awkward teens that lack the self-confidence to talk face-to-face. Business and industry are quickly incorporating text messaging into their corporate communications bag of tricks.

CTIA-The Wireless Association® released their Wireless Industry Survey Results back in April.

Some highlights of the survey include:

Text messaging is enormously popular: more than 48 billion messages were reported for the month of December 2007 alone. That's 1.6 billion messages per day! (an increse of over 150% over last December.)
Factoring in the number of phones in use, that breaks down to about 190 text messages per user, per month!

It doesn't take a statistician to tell that this means that your clients and (prospective clients) are probably using text messages to some degree, and to keep pace with them, you may need to, as well.

There are two affordable ways that a real estate professional can tap into the power of text messaging -- not just as a communication tool, but also as a tool to market your listings and increase your business.

Texting Lead Circulars by Real-Closer.com For a one-time setup fee of $20, an agent can set up auto-responders for up to 10 Listings for 6 months. After the 6-month trial period, it costs only $60 per year, for an unlimited number of auto-responders. When a potential buyer requests additional info, the information the agent has set up is automatically sent to them via text message, and the system forwards the prospective buyers's cellphone number to the listing agent.
Teleflip.com Perhaps you are working at your desk, and get poor cell signal while indoors. You can use your email to send a text message to someone. Each carrier has established the equivalent of an email address for each cell phone number. All you really need to know is the phone number. To send an email that will be received as a text message, use the phone number as the email address -- like this: 6105062663@teleflip.com
The handy, free service from teleflip.com will rout the message to the appropriate carrier. Replies will go to your email inbox.
If you use an email drip campaign manager like InterSend, you can combine it with the teleflip service, and set up an "email" campaign specific for text message users. Keep the messages brief, like "Want to see some houses this weekend?" or "Are you still thinking of Selling your home?" or "Let's schedule a time to review what's happening in the local market."

Rich Schiffer is a Licensed Real Estate Agent, a REALTOR, a certified e-PRO, and a private consultant for real estate agents that need help catching up with today's technology. Additional Technology ToolKit Training is also available in an Active Rain Group by that name. Check it out.

Technology Toolkit Training: Keeping in Touch with your Client - eMail "Drip" Campaigns

Rich Schiffer, REALTOR, e-PRO (Weichert, Realtors) — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 10:21:43 -0500

by Rich Schiffer, e-PRO

(This article is part of a training series presented for real estate professionals, whether new to the industry or experienced, to help them discover, understand, and benefit from the tools that are available on-line. For access to the full series, join the ActiveRain Technology Toolkit Training group. If you have not yet joined the ActiveRain Real Estate Network, you may do so here.)

This training series intends to help real estate agents understand the tools available on-line to help them market their business using cost-effective methods, to increase the return on investment (ROI) of marketing budgets. This particular article contains an introduction to several online services that can help a real estate agent follow-up with and provide additional value to their clients and prospects, at minimal or even no cost to the agent. Read on for details...

A successful follow-up campaign will target your audience with a message that is relevant to their needs. Many top-producing agents utilize an e-mail "drip" campaign to keep in contact with their clients and prospective clients. Think of a dripping faucet...steady...regular...a contstant reminder to call the plumber. The concept is similar -- using email, you steadily, regularly, leak little bits of information to your contacts, constantly reminding them to call you when they (or their family and friends!) need a real estate professional.

"Statistics show that 80% of people purchase after the 5th contact yet 90% of sales people give up after the 2nd contact ... they're wasting thousands of dollars in sales opportunities." - SmallBusinessNews

Problem: Targeted e-mail campaigns can be time-consuming - writing content that is relevant, timely and interesting to your contacts can conceivably take up valuable time you could otherwise spend doing what you ultimately get paid to do: buying and selling real estate.

Solution: Use a "Virtual Assistant. (VA)" One of the trends examined in The Swanepoel Real Estate Trends Report (an annual report on residential real estate trends) talks about how Realtors are using Virtual Assistants to aid them with such tasks as "Staying in Touch" with clients, prospects, and leads.

Problem: Virtual Assistants can be costly. (In my experience, VAs have charged $45 to $60 per hour.)

Solution: There are several online systems that offer automated, customizable email campaigns at affordable prices. Within a very short time, you can set up any of these systems to automatically follow up with your contacts, so you never have to worry about letting someone "slip through the cracks." (If you want to save yourself even more of your time, and money is not a concern, you can always pay a VA to do the setup for you!)

Here are 2 Drip Email systems you can use:

ConstantContact.com
Fully customizable email campaigns for $15 to $150 per month (depending on the size of your e-mail distribution list)
InterSend.com

Fully customizable email campaigns, with professionally written templates, and sample campaigns and reports specifically tailored for real estate clients. $29.95 per month.

For some agents (especially those new to the business, or those struggling in tight markets) even that level monthly expense might be tough to manage. There is a solution for that, as well - a free, co-branded system provided by Lowe's.

The Lowe's Realtor Benefits Program - created in partnership with the National Association of Realtors (NAR) - provides several great ways for you to keep in touch with your clients:

Free Direct Mail - Lowe's will send a 10% coupon to your clients, complete with your own message, logo, picture, and contact information.
HGTV E-Mail / Video Library - an email sent to your clients, (with your personalized message, logo, picture, and contact information) directing them to a free online video library full of helpful hints and tips for homeowners, along with an exclusive 10% discount coupon to be used at their local Lowe's home improvement store.
Monthly E-Mail Newsletter - this is an automatic monthly email that contains your with your own logo, picture, and contact information, along with tips on selling, buying and moving, information to educate your clients about innovative home products and projects around the home that yield a high return, important home maintenance tips, as well as periodic Project Starter Coupons for special savings at Lowe's. Each newsletter includes a link for clients to contact you directly via your e-mail.
In addition to these automated follow up programs, The Lowe's Realtor Benefits Program also offers Discounted Gift Cards - if you are a member of NAR, you can purchase Lowe's gift cards at a 5% discount (a $50 gift card as a closing gift, for example, would cost you $47.50)

It is important to remember, though, that even the greatest email follow-up campaign must be integrated with your traditional methods - phone calls, and face-to-face conversations.

"Technology will not replace agents. Agents with technology will replace those without it."

As with any other technology-based tool, these are designed to make your job easier, not do your job for you. You still need to be able to fulfill the consumers' expectations when they are ready to move to the next step. Your relationship with them still needs to be nurtured with a personal touch in order to foster their repeat and referral business. In other words, you need to respect your clients as people, not just as email addresses.

Core Skills for Every Realtor: 3 Ways to Motivate Clients

Rich Schiffer, REALTOR, e-PRO (Weichert, Realtors) — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 22:20:21 -0500

By Rich Schiffer, REALTOR, e-PRO

A lot has been written on the topic of Motivating clients. Here are a few examples:

Real Estate Strategies: Motivating Buyers David Britt, MBA wrote about his "broad brush" method for uncovering what motivates his clients, and presented 10 questions that can help you identify what makes your buyers "tick."
What motivates Buyers to buy? Gary White wrote about a sort of psychological, sociological, and demographic profiling technique that helps him identify the likely buyer for his listing.
It's A Buyers Market. So, When Are You Going to Buy? Lupe Soto writes about the market factors that are lining up that should be prompting buyers to pull out their checkbooks.
Motivating Sellers Bob Haywood demonstrated a very logical method for analysis of local market conditions that has current conditions and the realities of the current market hit home for sellers who are want to sell, but aren't very realistic about their expectations.
"Honey, Stop the Car!" The Importance of Curb Appeal.Lori Kim Polk presents a Stager's perspective on what motivates home buyers to stop the car and look at a house.
ADVANCED: PSYCHOGRAPHICS-UNDERSTANDING BUYER MOTIVATION Hal Douthit applies psychographics to real estate sales, and breaks buyers and sellers down into 5 archetypes, or "tribes"
What Motivates Buyers To Select You was written about the Business Travel industry, but author Russell Hart points out something universal:

1.Who are the people that view your product or service as important?
2.Why is it important to them?

"If you cannot answer these questions easily, you are going to struggle to attract clients."

As housing markets in many parts of the country shift into Buyers' Market conditions, the topic of motivating clients becomes ever more timely. (What makes a Buyers' Market? -- see Absorption Rate: What it is, and Why you Should Know it)

Here are some things that may help you motivate your clients:

Know your clients reason for doing this in the first place. Some clients have their own motivation, and need to be reminded of it only occasionally. Sometimes a subtle hint can suffice, though not always ("You want to be moved in before the baby is born, right?")
Be informed. Share what you know. Some clients need continuing guidance to keep their goal in focus. As you read local market reports and real estate articles, read them through the filter of "how does this apply to my clients?" Then, forwarding an article to a buyer with a note about how you see it applying to their situation serves to keep them focused on the desired result, and also keeps you positioned in their mind as someone who is really looking out for them.
Be the Expert. Some clients get scared by national news reports. Part of your job is to localize the national reports for them. Give them an analysis of how that report actually fits to the local conditions. The national average may be one thing, but the local conditions are far more important to them. They simply need a trusted source to educate them. Let that source be you.

Most people who know me, know that I am a strong proponent for using technology to our advantage, especially when it doesn't cost a lot of money. In keeping with that theme, here are some Technology Tools that can help you accomplish the task of motivating your clients:

To help you know your clients, and keep up with what they do, use free online tools like Digg, Twitter, Plaxo, and Google Alerts. (Set up a profile on Digg, Twitter and Plaxo, then invite your clients to join your "network." Set up a Google alert for each of your clients names, and their children's names -- you will be notified instantly anytime their name is mentioned on the Internet) Checking out your client's MySpace or Facebook page is a good place to look, too.
To help you be informed: read read read. Read industry publications (print and online), read the local papers, and use Google Alerts. (set up an alert to let you know anytime your market area or "hometown" is mentioned online.) When you see something that might be of interests, share what you know, and forward a link to it to your clients.
To be the experton your local area, write relavant articles about your market area for sites like Localism.com. Answer questions from consumers on sites like Trulia and ActiveRain's Q&A

6 "Technology Tools" to tap into the effectiveness of Internet Marketing

Rich Schiffer, REALTOR, e-PRO (Weichert, Realtors) — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 23:03:53 -0500

by Rich Schiffer, REALTOR, e-PRO

(This article is part of a training series presented for real estate professionals, whether new to the industry or experienced, to help them discover, understand, and benefit from the tools that are available on-line. For access to the full series, join the ActiveRain Technology Toolkit Training group. If you have not yet joined the ActiveRain Real Estate Network, you may do so here.).

There are many tools that a real estate agent can use for Internet marketing, and most of them can be done with little to no cost. No matter what your marketing budget is, these tools can be used to increase the return on your marketing dollars.

Here is a list of 6 Categories of general Technology Tools that you should be making use of, which I will elaborate on, in detailed posts in the coming days. Many of these issues were discussed in a recent report by The Strategic Issues Work Group of the National Association of Realtors®' Association Executives Committee. They were charged with identifying emerging trends that will likely impact our industry in the years ahead. The Online Trends and Consumer Trends they identified are the very topics this Technology Toolkit Training Series is designed to address

Blogs (sometimes called Web-Logs)
These are essentially articles that are published on the Internet. When a consumer searches for information on a particular topic, relevant articles that match the search terms rank very highly on the search results. Real estate agents can tap into this by producing articles rich with local content.
Social Networks
These "online communities" have created a degree of consumer-to-consumer and consumer-to-service provider communication heretofore impossible. These networks can be great sources of potential business. Many networks allow on-line discussions, and development of special interest "communities" or "groups" within the network, so users can further self-categorize themselves. This eliminates the need for costly market demographic studies, and allows the savvy service provider to create and effectively target their "niche" consumer.
On-line Classified ads
Many specialty sites allow posting free classified ads. Because of the decrease in distribution of newspapers, and increased reliance on the Internet as an information source, this becomes very important.
CRM (Client Relationship Management)
Because the "Google shift" brings the consumer to us potentially much earlier in their decision-making process than before, there is now a longer "incubation time" during which you need a systematic method for following up with leads, to develop the relationship with them potentially before you ever meet them in person. Email "drip campaigns" that automatically send periodic information to your leads can be instrumental in improving your Lead to Client conversion rates, as well as your repeat and referral business.
Video Tours
According to Realtor.com, the button that is used by searchers most often is the one that limits the search results to show only listings with "featured tours." Today's consumers want multi-media. Without it, your "product" might never be seen by them.
Website(s)
Agent branded websites (and non-branded sites) are increasingly important, as consumers want a personal touch, even if it is only on-line at first. There are many services that can build, host and maintain a quality website, Some can be costly, while others will easily fit the buget of a new licensee, who might not have a strong client base or marketing budget to start with.

Each of the above categories of Technology Tools will be detailed in future posts within the Technology Toolkit Training group. For access to the full series, and the detailed tips and strategies, please join that group.

Closing Thoughts

Internet marketing is a tool (collection of tools, actually) that can be used to enhance your business. It is not a magic pill, however.

To be fully successful, Internet marketing must be integrated into your marketing plan, right along with the traditional tools. You still need work your business, and get yourself in front of people, face to face.

The "first impression" that you make on a consumer might not actually be made in person, but the personal touch is still needed to solidify a relationship, build trust, and ultimately close the transaction.

A well-designed Internet marketing program may create a steady stream of leads, but you still need the skills to follow up with them to win them as clients.

Hone your skills, choose the right tools to get the job done, and remember:

"Technology will not replace agents. Agents with technology will replace agents without."

Technology Toolkit Training: On-Line Classifieds and Listing Syndication

Rich Schiffer, REALTOR, e-PRO (Weichert, Realtors) — Thu, 22 May 2008 20:29:28 -0500

by Rich Schiffer, e-PRO

(This article is part of a training series presented for real estate professionals, whether new to the industry or experienced, to help them discover, understand, and benefit from the tools that are available on-line. For access to the full series, join the ActiveRain Technology Toolkit Training group. If you have not yet joined the ActiveRain Real Estate Network, you may do so here.).

With nearly 84% of home buyers looking for their next home on the internet, there has been a big shift in what is considered effective use of advertising dollars. (Remember, there is a difference between marketing and advertising)

Today, internet advertising is often seen as much more effective than print advertising, for a few reasons:

The ad is distributed only to a targeted audience (Only people who want to see real estate ads, for example, as opposed to everyone who subscribes to the local paper)
The cost to place an Internet ad is lower (often free),
The content of the ad is more flexible (often including pictures, even video

Newspapers across the nation are struggling with diminishing ad revenues, and a recent Journalism.org article had a paragraph titled, "Advertising Woes--Real Estate is the Bleeding Edge" (The article is all about the Economics of Newspapers in 2008, and is a very interesting read.)

Now, the question is this:

How do I, as a Real Estate Agent,
with the limited budget and limited technical know-how that I have,
use this thing called "on-line advertising", and what will it cost me?

There are two methods you can promote your listings through online classifieds.

You can go to individual websites that offer a classified section, and enter the information directly through their website.
You can "syndicate" your listing to multiple sites at once through various vendors that provide the syndication service.

Each method has its place in your marketing plan, and should fit any marketing budget.

Individual websites can be a great source for very tightly targeted audiences, either targeted geographically, or needs-based. Some examples include:

Craigs List (The "granddaddy" of community-specific classified ads. Simple, free, and used by many, many consumers. I once got a call on a property 20 minutes after I posted it on Craigslist.)
OnlyOpenHouses.com - (targeting homebuyers by advertising your open houses -
Create a free account and begin listing unlimited open homes! Create a Free Account now.)
http://www.military.com - (targeting relocating military families, for example)
http://www.4horseproperty.com (targeting buyers of horse properties -- $30 for three months)
http://www.historicproperties.com (Targeting older home lovers -- $50 for 3 months)
Social Networking sites (like Facebook, Myspace, and others). Many of these networks offer a "marketplace" feature where you can post your listings at no charge, and have them "featured" for a nominal fee. (More on social networks in a future post)

(As you can see, the more narrow your target audience, the more likely it is that the price will go up for the ad.)

How do I select which sites to advertise on?

Go to any search engine (www.google.com, www.yahoo.com, www.ask.com etc.)
Use the same search terms that your prospective buyer might use. (Example, Golf Course Homes for Sale)
Visit the top sites and see if they offer a "place an ad" or "post a listing" link.
(In the sample search, the #1 position site, www.golfcourserealty.com, says, "Placing ads on GolfCourseRealty.com is FREE & EASY. You can post as many ads as you want, and we encourage you to do so."
Do this for as many sites and search terms as you are inclined. (Keep records of what sites you advertise on, because you will need to modify the ads if you have any price changes, or if the property sells.)

This can be a very time consuming process.

Services that "syndicate" your ad to multiple sites can save you a lot of time. Here are a few of the ones I recommend:

http://www.vflyer.com/ - great resource for creating property flyers. Very easy to use. The flyers get syndicated to multiple sites, and can be distributed to your prospective buyers via email, as well. (free for up to 5 active listings)
http://www.backpage.com/ - post your classified here, and it will be fed to the online classified section of many newspapers. (Free, with some paid upgrade features available)
http://www.ubadoo.com/ Ubadoo.com is a new syndication service. Like vflyer.com, above, they will syndicate your listings to multiple partner sites. (Free till End of June, then $30 per month for 4 listings) (If you sign up with Ubadoo.com, please email: rodfiore@comcast.net and let him know you found out about it in this article)
Some website providers, like the point2agent system automatically syndicate your listings for you, and provide you with the cut-and-paste html code to post the ad onto sites like craigslist or into your own blog. This is free for the first 6 months, then $9.99 per month after that for standard service, with premium levels available. Check out my standard version for an idea of how the site functions. (More about the point2agent system in a future post)

What sites do "syndication" services send the listing to?

The syndication services vary in what sites they export to, but for the most part, they will be sites with a lot of consumer traffic. Zillow, Trulia, Google Base, Oodle, Backpage, Lycos, Vast, Hotpads, Olx, Geebo, Yahoo and DotHomes are among the most popular sites.

Here's one more creative place to post your listings:

http://www.ebay.com/ - if you haven't checked out the real estate auctions on ebay, you should. They have a very creative way to auction a property. (buyers bid on the amount of the earnest money - the winner of the auction agrees to enter into an agreement of sale for the property, with that amount of earnest money.)

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Rich Schiffer is a Licensed Real Estate Agent, a REALTOR, and a certified e-PRO, and a private consultant for real estate agents that need help catching up with today's technology. Additional Technology ToolKit Training is also available in an Active Rain Group by that name. Check it out.

Lease Options: A Viable Investment Strategy in Today's Market

Rich Schiffer, REALTOR, e-PRO (Weichert, Realtors) — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 02:52:00 -0500

By Rich Schiffer, REALTOR, e-PRO

A couple of years ago, a client who was going through a divorce asked me to look for properties she could "rent to own."

At that time, the market was just beginning to shift in our area. Sellers were selling, and Landlords were Landlording. Very rarely did the two types overlap. Some agents would even categorize "rent to own" transactions in the same category as Santa Claus - something some people think exists, but is really just imaginary.

In that market, rent-to-own might have well been imaginary. I could not find the right situation for her, and she ended up moving in with her mother.

Now, nearly 2 years later, the market has shifted. Many properties are staying on the market much longer than in the past, and many people that would have been buyers back then, are finding themselves forced to rent for a while longer, till their credit scores meet today's tougher standards.

This is exactly the market conditions where a Lease Option makes sense - for both the tenant/buyer and the landlord/seller, creating a potential for a real WIN-WIN situation.

Here's the scenario:

Agent is working with Client A that has insufficient credit to qualify for a mortgage, but has decent income and moderate savings.
Client A applies to rent a property, but is denied by landlord because their low credit score represents an uncomfortable risk level.
Agent is also working with Client B who wants to invest in real estate.
Agent creates a win-win situation, by finding a property that the investor could purchase and rent to Client A
Agent looks for properties that listed for sale which meet Client A's needs. Client B might even attend the showing, also.
Client A agrees to rent the property from Client B, contingent on Client B purchasing the property.
Client B agrees to sell the property to Client A, contingent on Client A purchasing an "Option" and agreeing to a monthly option fees, in addition to the monthly rents.
Client A and Client B negotiate terms - of the lease, and the potential re-sale down the road.
Client B negotiates sale terms with the Seller. If no agreement is reached, the Option money from Client A is returned.
Client B settles on the property. Client A settles in the property.
After the agreed lease term, Client A has the option to purchase the property from Client B, at the pre-negotiated Price.

Here's how the numbers might work:

Purchase Price of Home:	$160,000.00
Advance Option fee from Client A:	$3,200.00	(2% of purchase price for example)
Cash From Seller	$16,000.00	(10% down-payment)
Mortgage Amount	$144,000.00	(90% LTV in this example)
Interest Rate	7.50%
Monthly Principal & Interest Payment	$1,000.00	(estimated)
Monthly Expenses	$300.00	(Taxes, Insurance)
Monthly Rent	$1400.00
Monthly Option Fee	$100.00
Pre-negotiated Resale Price	$166,400.00	(4% appreciation, in this example)

If Tenant exercises the Option, and purchases at the end of the year:

Purchase Price of Home:	$166,400.00
Total Option fees applied:	$4,400.00
Additional Cash from Tenant/Buyer	$11,800.00	(Option + Cash = 10% down)
Mortgage Amount	$ 149,760.00	(90% LTV in this example)
Interest Rate	6.50%	(estimated, of course)
Monthly Principal & Interest Payment	$950.00	(estimated)
Monthly Expenses	$300.00	(Taxes, Insurance)
Buyers new Monthly Payment	$1250.00

The Landlord's Cash on Cash Profit:

Cash out at purchase	$16,000.00
Annualized Cashflow	$1,200.00
Equity at Resale:	$22,400.00
Gross Profit	$7,600.00
Marketing Fee paid to Agent's Broker	$1,400.00	(one month rent)
Transaction Fee Paid to Agent's Broker	$2,000.00	(broker fee, pre-negotiated)
Net Profit	$4,200.00
Return on Investment	26.25%

If the tenant does not exercise the purchase option, the Landlord pockets the $4,400 in option fees collected, making his Gross profit $5,600, with no Transaction Fee to the Broker, keeping his ROI the same. In this case, I intentionally set it up that way, to reduce the landlord's temptation to attempt to influence the tenant's choice whether to excersize their purchase option.

So, in this situation,

Client B stands to make over 25% on his investment.
Client A gets a place live when other landlords turned them away, and potentially a home of their own.
The original seller got what they wanted (their house sold),
The Agent's Brokerage gets paid for 2 or three transactions.
- Initial Sale ($4,800 co-op fee, for example)
- Rental placement ($1,400)
- Potential Resale transaction ($2,000)

In effect, this goes beyond a WIN-WIN situation. All four parties involved benefitted from this type of transaction, making this a WIN-WIN-WIN-WIN situation.

So...Yes, there is a Santa Claus.

There is also a Risk Clause:

Every situation will be different, and each potential property being considered for a transaction like this must be evaluated in the light of local conditions, market rents, and projected appreciation. Not every transaction will go as projected, and investors need to know that as with any investment, there is a chance that you could lose money on a deal like this if market conditions change for the worse. The advantage to the Lease-Option is that the added payments from the Tenant/Buyer serve as a hedge against some of that risk.

Before jumping headlong into this type of transaction, agents should be warned: The required language of the contracts used to set up the Lease Option will vary from state to state. You should of course consult an attorney to ensure that the specific contracts you use meet your state's requirements.

EDIT --

NOTE TO ALL: My scenario outlined a situation with three consumers: Seller, Investor/Landlord, and Tenant/Buyer. If you remove the Investor/Landlord, and the Seller agrees to the Lease-Option deal, it can be even more profitable to the Seller, (presuming they don't need the sale to pay off a mortgage, and renting won't violate the terms of their mortgage). Here again, though, each situation has to be thoroughly evaluated (by thoroughly I mean by the appropriate licensed professionals) before any action is taken by either party to the transaction.

Rich Schiffer is a Realtor serving Investors, Tenants, and Homebuyers in Delaware County, PA.

Technology Toolkit: Videos -- The Cure for the Common Slideshow.

Rich Schiffer, REALTOR, e-PRO (Weichert, Realtors) — Sun, 04 May 2008 00:11:21 -0500

by Rich Schiffer, e-PRO

(This article is part of a training series presented for real estate professionals, whether new to the industry or experienced, to help them discover, understand, and benefit from the tools that are available on-line. For access to the full series, join the ActiveRain Technology Toolkit Training group. If you have not yet joined the ActiveRain Real Estate Network, you may do so here.).

In 1981, the world was introduced to music videos, courtesy of MTV.

Ever since then, the music video format has risen in popularity, and has crossed over into many genres of entertainment media -- even many political ads seem like nothing more than music videos with a purpose. Even video games sometimes seem to emphasise the music just as much as the images and the action.

Q. Why are they so popular? Why do music videos seem to pop up in so many aspects of our lives?

A. There is a simple concept in education that goes something like this: By engaging multiple senses in the education process, we can increase the ability to recall the subject matter. Sesame Street, and other children's programming have used this technique for decades. Professional speakers have long known that audio-visual aids, can serve to increase the attentiveness of the audience, and thereby increase the chances of the message getting conveyed effectively.

Q. What does this have to do with Real Estate?

A. Consumers want multi media. According to sources at realtor.com, the button that gets the most clicks is the one that essentially says "show me only listings with virtual tours" Combined with the fact that multi-media is a more effective way to communicate a message, this should be a "no-brainer." We need to be marketing our products and services in a multi-media format.

Authors Note -- There are many providers of virtual tour services, some that are expensive, and some that are quite affordable. Some of these are not much more than a slide-show, with music and a voice-over. In a future post I will review several of these services. What I want to introduce you to in this post is a different type of service: Animoto.

Animoto is in essence, a music video production tool. Anyone with access to a PC and some digital images can produce a professional quality music video. Here is a sample of one of mine:

The site is unbelievably easy to use, and even more unbelievably affordable:

30-second videos can be made completely free of charge.
"full-length" (i.e. longer than 30 seconds) cost $3.
An all-access pass (ability to make unlimited full-length videos) costs $30 per year.

If you sign up for Animoto through one of the links in this post, you will receive a $5 discount toward your all-access pass, so that already low cost is even lower!

The process of creating Animoto videos is simple.

Upload your photos (or import them from sites like flickr.com)
Select your music (an uploaded mp3 file, or select from their library)
Write a description of the video (include your required contact info, if you are advertising a listing!)
The Animoto software does the rest -- actually matching the speed, effects and movement of the video to the tempo of the music!

The 30 second videos are viewable only on Animoto's site, but the "full-length" videos come complete with the "embed code" for posting to blogs (as I did above), a Quicktime download, and the ability to automatically export to youtube.com. Additional features are in the works, as well!

These videos can be used in a number of ways. Here are some that I have used:

take snapshots while previewing a listing. Compile a video to send to your potential buyers.
take snapshots during your first visit to a potential sellers home. Compile a video, and show it to them on your laptop during your listing presentation.
take snapshots of the neighborhood, and send it to relocation customers, or include the video in your blog about the neighborhood.
Send a copy of a listing's video to agents that show the property, when you request their property feedback.
Send a copy of a listing's video to all the open house guests.
Give a copy of the listing's video to the new owners at or shortly after settlement.

Use your imagination!

Technology Toolkit: Social Networking for Real Estate Professionals

Rich Schiffer, REALTOR, e-PRO (Weichert, Realtors) — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 19:36:31 -0500

(This article is part of a training series presented for real estate professionals, whether new to the industry or experienced, to help them discover, understand, and benefit from the tools that are available on-line. For access to the full series, join the ActiveRain Technology Toolkit Training group. If you have not yet joined the ActiveRain Real Estate Network, you may do so here.)

Social Networking

Seen by many as the backbone of "Web 2.0", social networking has changed the way internet users connect with, and routinely communicate with each other. This includes that way consumers connect with service providers.

What are the potential uses of Social Networking platforms for Real Estate Professionals?

Internet Presence -- By maintaining profiles on various social networks, and actively using the tools available on each platform, you serve to increase your "presence" on the Internet. Each network you use essentially creates another pathway that consumers can potentially follow to your doorstep.
Targeted Prospecting -- By searching the profiles of other members of the network, you can vastly improve the effectiveness of your prospecting. For example, you could specifically target only members that identify themselves as Engaged, or those interested in investing in real estate.
Building Rapport with clients -- You can use the social aspect of these platforms to find out what interests and hobbies your clients share. More importantly, you can share yours. Simply stating what your favorite movie is on your profile for example, may not seem like much, but it it may just be the thing that has a prospective client contact you.
Keeping Informed -- Many platforms allow users to subscribe to topical discussion groups. This can be a great way to keep informed on news in your industry, as well as consumer sentiment. By being well-informed, and up-to the minute, you can share that knowledge with your clients, and you can improve your perceived value as an expert.
Attracting Referrals -- by actively participating in the on-line community, you also establish relationships with people that may become referral sources for you. Contributing to on-line conversations, and posting relevant information, you create a firm foundation for future real-word business relationships to develop.
Directing Traffic -- beyond a simple Internet "presence," networking sites allow you to create pathways to direct people to your own website. The more networking platforms you use, the more likely your chances of seeing increased traffic to your website.

What Online Networking platforms should I use, and what should I do on them?

Social networking sites exist for many niches. Most broad-based networks have a feature that lets users create customized communities or groups to share information with friends. Agents can use these sites to create a profile for themselves, so that users of the network can find them and communicate with them more easily. This is value in and of itself, but the deeper value lies in searching the profiles for signs of interest, and reaching out to them first (in a way that is within the site's guidelines, and applicable Do Not Call and anti-SPAM laws, of course.)

As with any advertising an agent does, there may be state laws regulating what must appear in your advertising. Be sure to include all necessary information in your profiles on these networking platforms, since they can certainly be seen as interaction with the public, and thereby as advertising.

ActiveRain Real Estate Network is a networking site for real estate professionals. Currently, there are over 100,000 members. Active Rain provides a free blogging platform, the ability to send and receive referrals from other professionals, and the ability to answer anonymous questions posed by consumers. Local content posted on their blogging platform is posted to localism.com, their consumer portal, making it very easy for local prospects to contact you when they are searching for local information.

Myspace is the granddaddy of social networks, with over 300 million profiles which you can search, finding your target market is fairly easy. Members can also post classifieds. (Listings, available rentals, etc.)

Facebook originally for college students and graduates only, it is now free to anyone. Facebook also has a Marketplace, where you can post your listings, and looking through the "housing wanted" ads, will garner a few potential buyer or rental leads. A new addition to the site allows you to advertise within the network. Facebook is actually made up of many networks, each based around a company, region, or school. Their platform enables anyone, anywhere, to build complete networking applications that you can choose to use. Users can fine-tune their experience on Facebook by choosing applications that are useful and relevant to their needs. The site has more than 60 million active users.

LinkedIn is a business professional networking site. Of all the networking sites out there, I see this one as having the greatest ability to facilitate referrals from the people you do business with. Great for hooking up with luxury home buyers and potential relocation clients. It has more than 17 million registered users spanning 150 industries and more than 400 economic regions.

Gather is an innovative networking platform with a business model that provides rewards and incentives for active users. Very easy to publish articles to thousands of users.

Fast Pitch is a site designed to link users needs with other users business offerings. There are both free and premium levels of membership.

WannaNetwork is a site designed exclusively for real estate professionals to network. Listings can also be posted. There are currently about 16,000 users.

A word about On-line Networking and Etiquette:

To be successful at on-line networking, you have to remember the following:

Think of online networking as very similar to face-to face networking. Be respectful and appropriate to the conversations. Don't simply interrupt a conversation to tell someone about your great website (unless the original topic was great websites, of course)
If you are using a social site, be sociable. You don't want to gain a reputation for sending people unsolicited commercial messages, a.k.a Spam. All the time you spend creating and maintaining your presence on the network could get flushed away if you get banned for spamming. Let the people you interact approach you, instead of you soliciting them. Be a ready resource, but don't be "that guy." You know -- "That guy" who always tries to sell something with every breath...it isn't appreciated by consumers in the real world, and the same is true on-line.
The most successful on-line networking efforts will be the ones that you integrate with face-to-face efforts. Invite people you know to join the networks you are on, and invite people you "meet" on-line to meet with you in person, when appropriate.

Do you need Virtual help?

Rich Schiffer, REALTOR, e-PRO (Weichert, Realtors) — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 21:52:17 -0500

Confused About Internet Marketing?

Web Site Worries?

Let me help.

Put my knowledge to work for you.

There are several ways we can work together:

"Virtual Coach"
As your personal "Virtual Coach," I will show you how you can do it yourself. Included with this will be a one-time 6 hour session of hands-on coaching. I will introduce you to the web-based services that are least costly, yet have high potential to produce results for you. We will spend an entire day together. By the end of the day, we will have set up your Website, created a Blog, syndicated your listings across multiple platforms, created a presence on several networking sites, and crafted a plan to help you integrate your on-line marketing with your overall business plan. After the initial session, I will continue to provide on-going monthly support, and provide you with helpful updates, tips, and reviews of new services. The fee for the 6-hour coaching session and monthly followup is $180. (If you are located outside of the PA/NJ/DE area, this service is not available at this time. See Virtual Trainer, below.)
"Virtual Assistant"
If you don't picture yourself taking the time to handle the "tech stuff" on your own, I can do it for you, as your "Virtual Assistant." I will do the work for you, on an ad hoc basis, with a fee based on a menu of services. (Contact me to request the fee schedule)
"Virtual Partner"
If you want someone to completely handle the web-based marketing of your listings, without the ad hoc fees per listing, this may be your best choice. You will receive the benefits of the "Personal Tech Coach" and the "Virtual Assistant," without any "up-front" fees. This would be processed similar to a referral fee and would be a mere 5% of your commission at settlement. If your listing does not sell, there is no fee.
"Virtual Trainer"
If you are outside of my local area, you can still get the "hands-on" training of the Virtual Coach service, but in a small group setting. Conducted in a group setting, the training is ideal for Brokerages, sales teams, and associations. 10-20 agents per 6-hour class, $150 per attendee.

How did Google get where they are?

Rich Schiffer, REALTOR, e-PRO (Weichert, Realtors) — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 10:35:02 -0500

by Rich Schiffer, REALTOR, e-PRO

(This article is part of a training series presented for real estate professionals, whether new to the industry or experienced, to help them discover, understand, and benefit from the tools that are available on-line. For access to the full series, join the ActiveRain Technology Toolkit Training group. If you have not yet joined the ActiveRain Real Estate Network, you may do so here.).

Google recognized the importance of providing what consumers want (information), when they want it (immediately), and how they want it (free). Then, Google created a business model that actually profits from providing a free service.

The genius behind Google's profit model is that they profit not because of the service they provide, but because of who they provide the service to.

Ultimately, Google has two products: Their on-line services, and the users of their on-line services. They give their on-line services to consumers free of charge. They profit by selling advertising space, just like magazines, newspapers, radio, and television. Merchants pay to have their message seen by Google's users, which estimates say are 50% to 90% of Internet users.

The "Google Shift"

In the days before the "Information Superhighway" of the Internet, to determine what segment of the population wanted your product, so that you could increase the effectiveness of your marketing efforts, you would have to hire a market research firm to conduct taste-tests, product trials, and consumer surveys. These are still valuable services for many types of products and services. But now, with the advent of on-line search engines, a shift has happened, bringing consumers and merchants together much earlier in the process than ever before.

It used to be that people would be sitting at home, in their car, at work, or wherever, and they would think to themselves, "Hmmm....I think I need a ____________." Then, they might or might not go out and actually buy it, but usually, some time would pass, and they might even forget about it altogether. Then, at some point, they might see a commercial, or a billboard, or even a display in a store, and think, "Oh, yeah. I really could use one of those." Still, they might or might not actually buy one. Then while looking at one on a shelf in the store, a friendly sales clerk, says, "May I help you, sir?" Now, they are finally interacting with someone that might be able to help bridge the gap between interest and purchase.

In today's world, consumers have largely shifted from that mode, and practically stand up and shout, "I want to buy a _____" or, "I am interested in _________." Whenever a consumer types a search phrase into an Internet search engine, they are putting themselves into a self-selected target market group. Countless "social networking" platforms exist where the consumers create a profile, complete with lists of their likes and dislikes, hobbies, occupations, and a wealth of other self-divulged personal information.

What the "Google Shift" has done is to enable merchants and service providers to identify potential customers much earlier in the process than ever before, and without expensive advertising campaigns to draw them into stores. Television advertising campaigns now have begun to reflect this shift as well, and have become more about supporting "brand awareness" and less about the products themselves. As a result, the "incubation period" -- the period from first contact to closed sale may be much longer than it ever used to be. This creates the need for service providers to develop additional core skills -- namely effective, follow-up and the ability to anticipate needs. (A whole new class of software has been developed over the past 15 years or so to assist with that task: "CRM" or "Contact Relationship Management" software. -- Look for future articles on that topic)

On-line Marketing can be ultra-Personalized to the Consumer

By design, Internet search engines keep statistics on everything possible. By tracking the search habits of users, they are able to provide merchants with the opportunity to appear in front of very finely targeted groups. For example, an advertiser could produce an Internet ad, and pay to have it appear only on the screens of searchers that have searched for the term, "Luxury Homes" and also previously searched for the term, "Classic Car Storage."

Traditional retailers put "impulse items" near cash registers, so while you wait, you might be tempted to add that magazine or pack of gum into your cart. Some on-line shopping websites have gone a step farther, essentially putting a customized selection of products at the checkout to very effectively boost sales. At sites like amazon.com, before finalizing their order, shoppers will see something like, "Shoppers who bought the book you ordered often also ordered __________." This is a perfect example of the type of highly-targeted target marketing available with on-line marketing.

NEXT: 6 "Technology Tools" to tap into the effectiveness of Internet Marketing

Testament the Power of Blog Comments: "Cochin-Goraka" points to AR posts

Rich Schiffer, REALTOR, e-PRO (Weichert, Realtors) — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 12:32:56 -0500

by Rich Schiffer, REALTOR, e-PRO

I once reported on how amazed I was at the effectiveness of blog comments in improving your placement on Google's organic search results.

The Hidden Value of Comments: "You Spilled Google Juice all over my Blog!"

I recently encountered this same phenomenon, not because a prospect was diven to my blog because of a comment, but because I was in the consumer's seat, and was driven to a blog because of a comment. Let me detail my experience for you, so you can see just how effective Active Rain blogs and comments are in producing high rankings in organic searches.

ActiveRain uses a bot-blocking system that requires the user to enter in the text they see displayed. When recently posting, I came across a verification word I had never seen. Curious, I did a Google search for the mystery word, "cochin-goraka" fully thinking that I might find a dictionary.com or wikipedia.com link near the top of the page.

Instead, I found, in the #3 position, a link to an Active Rain blog! Curious, I followed the link and found an article by our beloved Rich Jacobson ~ ActiveRain Community Builder. His posted article was not written about cochin-goraka; it wasn't titled, tagged, or otherwise linked to anything related to it either. It was simply, "Testimonials in the Rain" - What's YOUR Story?

Why then did it show up in the coveted #3 position on the 1st page of a Google search?

Because later, (in a parenthetical comment) he asked "What the heck is cochin-goraka?" And Celeste "Sally" Cheeseman (RA) Century 21 Liberty Homes *Hawaii* quite politely provided an answer.

Next, I noticed that the #4 result was ANOTHER Active Rain Blog! Low Rolling Resistance Tireswherein at least two comments proposed "daffynitions" for the heretofore little-known fruit.

The lesson to learn here about blogging is twofold:

Other people's comments can serve as a magnet to pull consumers to your blog.

Conversely, your comments can similarly help drive consumers.

Disabling comments on your blog shuts down that potential flow of readers to your blog.

The ActiveRain blogging platform is clearly an effective tool to enhance your "presence" on the Internet in a cost-effective way.

I have "tagged" this article with cochin-goraka. It will be interesting to see what the Google search results for "cochin-goraka" are after the search engine spiders have had an opportunity to parse this post.

UPDATE: The spiders have hit the web, and already, this article is now the #1 organic result for "cochin-goraka" and what had been the #3 is now the #2, likely because this article linked to it, thereby adding to the "relevancy" of the article. Less than 3 hours after posting!

UPDATE: Google is dynamic. Ever-changing. Now, 3 days later, this post is way back on page 6 of the organic results listl, but the original AR posts mentioned above, that mention Cochin-Goraka are still on the first page.

Rich Schiffer is a REALTOR, a certified e-PRO, and a Technology Coach, Consultant, and Trainer.
For information on his consulting services click here.