Virtual Views - The View From Here : May 2008

Since my job as a virtual assistant is to help you save time and enjoy life a little bit more,  I thought I would introduce you to a fun time saver: Twitter.com.

It seems in our daily fastpaced lives, there is just never enough time to stay connected with co-workers, friends and family. Some of you may want your clients and customers to see you in a more personal light. Twitter.com may be the answer for you.

Real estate is a very people-person and relationship driven industry.  It is also a very demanding and time consuming profession, no matter which field of real estate you specialize in.  Twitter.com may help you stay connected with those you work with everyday but just never seem to be able to have the time for a "water-cooler" chat. Twitter.com can help you to keep in touch without interfering in your heavy work schedule.

People like to know their real estate agent is a real person, too. Twitter.com can help your clients and customers see you as a real person. Speaking of clients and customers, Twitter can also be used as a client service to keep clients and customers updated on their transactions. You can also post a quick note regarding the lastest interest rate or the new listing you just signed.

Not all agents have Top Producer or Wise Agent which allows clients to sign in and view the status of their escrow. Some agents do not like to use this feature because if you do not use it to its fullest extent and keep it updated, it could be more hinderance than help.  So, let your imagine go as how Twitter could work for you as a business tool.

Twitter gives you a unique approach to keeping in touch. The look and touch is similar to a blog but the posts are very short (140 characters). Twitter is not another blog but a fun way to keep in touch with all of those people in your life with one easy short post.

Twitter is easy to join and setup is a breeze.

I recently joined Twitter.com and am looking forward to using this latest internet tool to keep in touch with my friends, family, and clients.

Here is what the New York Times has to say about Twitter:  "It's one of the fastest-growing phenomena on the Internet" and those at Time Magazine felt that "Twitter is on its way to becoming the next killer app."

Let's all Twitter, hope to see you there

    
 

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Pamela Cendejas

The secret to contact management is not so much which database system you use, but how current the information is and how you use it.  

Here are a few tips:  

Scrub it: People move and phone numbers change. Go through your contacts and update or delete as needed. Keeping your contact system up to date is a must if it is going to be effective in your business.  

Organize: Assign categories to each contact.  This way you can find a contact even when you don't remember their name. Categories can also be used as a "tickler file"  

Fill in the blanks: Use your management system for more than just an address book. Most systems have data fields for kid's names and important dates like birthdays.  Use them. If you sold them their current home, be sure to put the closing date in the anniversary section.  

Notes: When entering contact data, note when you met the person and why you are saving their information.  

Social Networks/Blogs: If your contact is part of a social network or has a blog, be sure to get this information. This will help you keep up with what is going on in their lives and get to know them better.  

Read: When you click on a contact name, be sure to read your notes and track your communications with them before you make a call or send an email.  

Automate: Set automated emails for drip systems, birthdays and other important dates. Use a contact management system with a calendar that will prompt you to make important phone calls, send newsletters, etc.  

Back-Up. If you are not using an online contact management system, be sure you perform a back up whenever a change is made.  

Use a Virtual Assistant: Maintaining a contact management system can be time consuming. Realtors do not make their living in the office performing administrative duties, so delegate.

    
 

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Pamela Cendejas

Did you ever clean out your desk drawer only to  find a napkin, some post-its and business cards with a name and phone number on them but you don't remember "who or when"? Well, the same thing is true for the other desk drawer; someone has your business card or your phone number on a post-it but they can't remember "who or when" either.
 
If you want to be successful in the real estate field, you must remember to remember and you must become remember-able. To put that statement is simple terms: Follow-up! You can use snail mail, email or the phone, but you must follow-up!
 
Snail Mail: Buy some simple "thinking of you" and "thank you" cards. At your next open house or while you are still in the parking lot, sign every card. Now stamp them, put your return address on the envelope (now they are ready for the mailbox). The next time someone calls you, (and while they are still on the phone) address a card to them and put it in the mail. The receiver will be impressed with your thoughtfulness and promptness.
 
Email: When you meet someone, always ask for their email address as well as their phone number. Set up your prospect in your automated email system and set your preferences. If you are currently working with a buyer or seller, email them every time you do something on their behalf. They will love the great communication.
 
Phone: Starting with the letter "A", work your way through your contact database and/or your personal phone book. Each day as you go into the office, make 5 phone calls. This easy method will keep you in touch with clients, prospects and personal acquaintances. Don't forget to ask if they have any real estate questions or needs or know of someone who does.  Note: A very successful agent once said that 5 phone calls a day can generate enough leads to give you a six-figure income every year, no matter the market conditions.
 
Follow these three easy steps and you will find that your new real estate tagline will be "The Great Communicator"
 
Although real estate is a "people business", most agents do not keep in touch with those they meet; estimated at about 80%.  With our modern technology, this is a really sad situation.
 
Have a full day and running out of time? Contact your Virtual Assistant.  She can manage any of these tasks for you. People today are more interested in being communicated with than they are concerned with who put the stamp on the envelope, hit the send button or made the phone call. What they want is to be remembered and when you remember them, they will remember you.  No more "who or when".

    
 

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Pamela Cendejas

Real estate agents are always looking for innovative ways to present themselves without breaking the bank.   

Do you sometimes wish that you could do a great commercial about yourself, your business or an outstanding listing?  Well, now you can!  Mini web commercials are a new and unique approach to marketing in the real estate industry and pack a big punch by leaving a lasting impression on those who view them.  

Sites such as Imprev.com or onetruemedia.com offer tools that will help you design your own web commercial. Some of these sites are free or offer a free trial. If you then decide you like the product, you can sign up for a paid membership. Some sites also offer to host the commercial for you or allow you to link the commercial to your website.  

Web-Commercials are an economical way to make yourself and your listings stand out from the rest.  

A picture is worth a thousand words (click here)  

I think after viewing that short presentation, you can see that a web-commercial can be a great marketing tool for you.  

If you check out the sites mentioned but don't have the time to go farther, there really is no need to wait.  Just contact your virtual assistant and have them put together a web commercial for you. They can distribute your commercial for you, as well.

    
 

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Pamela Cendejas

80% of buyers begin looking for a home on the internet and 80% of those buyers will not look at a listing if it does not have a virtual tour. Most buyers will bypass a listing that only has one or two photos or pictures that make the home appear unattractive. In today's market, you do yourself and your seller a disservice if you do not post their listing with a virtual tour (or at the very least several pictures).  

Today's sophisticated internet savvy buyers are really easy to please when it comes to virtual tours.  All they really want is see is quality photographs presented in an eye-appealing format. You do not have to present a 360 degree style tour; a slide show will work just as well and sometimes better if it is presented properly. Buyers just want to preview the home so they can decide if they want to make an appointment to see the home in person. 

A home that is poorly presented in photographs may not receive the same amount of showings as one that is well presented on the internet. So, here are a few tips:  

1. Use the right equipment; don't use your cell phone camera. A good point-and-shoot digital camera will work. A camera with a wide angle feature is best. Use a tripod for clearer shots and always set your resolution to its highest settings.
2. The time of day is very important when taking exterior shots.   Mid-day is usually best.
3. When taking interior shots, turn on all the lights and use your flash.  This technique will eliminate most shadows and the room will appear much brighter.
4. Be objective.  Look at the room through the camera's eye.  If the beautiful plant looks like a weed, move it. Realtors advise clients on how to stage their homes for market.  Take your own advice and stage the room for the best photograph. Be just as careful outside. Remove the car from the driveway and the garden hose from the yard. Be careful not to get pictures of the garbage cans or telephone poles.
5. Take lots and lots of photos. With LCD display, you have an idea of how the picture will come out but this is not a guarantee.
6. Take pictures of all the rooms as well as pictures of the front and back yard. Be sure to get focused shots of any of the homes outstanding features (inside and out).
7. Take a distance shot of the front of the house from across the street. Watch the tilt of the camera. You don't want more street or sky than house. If the property is part of an HOA, be sure to get pictures of the common areas and amenities.
8. Enhance and edit your pictures. Use a photo editing software to crop photos and adjust the brightness or contrast.
9. Put them all together and begin posting them on your website and in your MLS. Better yet, create a slide show.
10. Hire a virtual assistant to edit your pictures, create a slide show and post it for you. Oh, by the way, if you are a poor photographer, admit it and hire someone else to take the pictures.

    
 

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Pamela Cendejas