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10 Social Media Lifeskills for Real Estate Professionals
By NikNik · June 8, 2009 · 29 Comments
If you have kids, then you probably know that most schools teach character education along with the ABC’s and 123’s. And when I was teaching elementary school, there were 10 lifeskills in particular that I focused on with my class each year: integrity, active listening, effort, respect, caring, responsibility, cooperation, trustworthiness, courage, diligence.
These lifeskills set the stage for better communication between teacher and student, student and student, and even child and parent. The lifeskills provided me with the opportunity to help my students interact more positively, engage in cooperative learning, and problem solve when disagreements arose.
With the advent of new marketing techniques (namely social media strategies), it seems rather apparent that we should infuse the lifeskills we learned back in the day (when we began learning to better communicate and cooperate) within our current business goals and strategies. So I’ve taken character education full circle here by suggesting the following: “10 Social Media Lifeskills for Real Estate Professionals”.
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Apple or Windows? You Chime In.
By Chad A. Johnson · January 14, 2009 · 48 Comments
It has held true that none of my blog posts get as many comments as those that discuss Apple products as real estate technology solutions. The passion and devotion of the legion of Apple fans, not to mention the hordes of Windows users, has made for some spirited debates and turned many new readers on to MyTechOpinion.
In an effort to spark a discussion to rival any that we have had on MyTechOpinion, I would like to try something a bit different. A sort of editorial piece if you will.
I will ask a question, provide a few pieces of information to fuel the discussion and then allow you to weigh in. My hope is that different opinions and points of view can be presented in a way that will shed new light on the subject, as this is a question that has bewildered me for years.
With that said, here we go:
Is the Apple computer really as superior to a Windows computer as many Mac users would have you believe?
Finding Tweighbors on Twitter
By NikNik · January 6, 2009 · 14 Comments
You’ve arrived! You’re on Twitter, you’re tweeting, but are you strategically growing your network? And I’m not talking about following all of someone else’s followers. It’s definitely valuable to learn from your peers, but following every other agent in the Twitosphere is not necessarily going to help you build relationships and grow your network within your own market area.
There are some great techniques and tools, however, which you can employ to get to know the twits in your neck of the woods. And once you find and follow these local twits, it’s your job to befriend them with your interest based experiences, professional expertise (transparently), and above all…being helpful. Be a friendly conversationalist, gradually gaining trust and building relationships…that may lead to offline connecting and potential sales leads when the time is right.
Kickstart Your Blog Community with Facebook Connect
By NikNik · December 17, 2008 · 32 Comments
My household lives and breathes tech, so I’m sure it comes as no surprise that we take advantage of every opportunity to geek out. In fact, I take the kids to the “Gym Park” (as we call it) so I can burn off my diet of ice cream and peanut butter via kickboxing, the kids get to run wild in Fitzone, and most importantly…Reggie can stay home and DIG! He’s the best Webdigger I know. And if left completely alone on a Saturday morning can turn up some valuable Webgems! This Saturday morning was no different. And when I got home Reggie was working away on integrating Facebook Connect with both MTO and the Cyberhomes Industry Blog.
Market Like a Rockstar with Animoto
By Reggie · September 28, 2008 · 5 Comments
Showcasing your listings online can be expression of your personality and marketing savvy. You know this, that’s why you showcase homes, maybe even the surrounding community in a special, attractive and unique way…right? The only problem is, some marketing avenues can be costly and time intensive. If you are looking for savvy cutting-edge video from stills, try a service like Animoto for Business.
Animoto has become famous for its upbeat party-style slideshows that feel like a celebration. This effect is caused by a combination of hip production effects and stylish copyright free music integrated with your still photos. I guess it could also be caused by the founder’s previous experience producing for MTV and VH1.
Are you missing lead generation opportunities with your IDX MLS search tool?
By Reggie · June 22, 2008 · 17 Comments
As a real estate agent over the past few years you’ve been hearing more and more about buyers turning to the internet as part of the home search process. According to the California Association of Realtors, in 2007, 72% of home buyers actively used the Internet for home search. Which means that you should be looking for new and innovative ways to enhance the online consumer’s shopping experience on your Website or blog. Great user experience doesn’t mean you need to sacrifice strong lead generation tools. Quite the opposite, you need the perfect combination of both.
If you think you may already have such a tool, ask yourself the following questions. Do you offer consumers the ability to visually search neighborhoods on an interactive map interface? Do you combine home details with state-of-the-art tools such as Google Street View? How about providing school and community information tightly bound with home details? Do you offer consumers more than one way to keep updated on new homes in your area? Have I peaked your interest?
Recently I had the privilege of Interviewing Robert Luna, Director of Business Development for Diverse Solutions about their blistering hot IDX MLS search tool titled dsSearchAgent. With Robert, I focused my questions on lead generation, RSS and Read full story
How to Add Podcasting to Your Real Estate Blog
By NikNik · June 14, 2008 · 31 Comments
You may have noticed we recently made a commitment to podcasting here at MyTechOpinion. If not, look just below each of our posts and you should see the podcast player. Podcasting is simply a way of distributing digital media over the Internet using RSS. And for real estate agents who are looking for that next social medium to boost their blog success, perhaps podcasting is just what you need.
Podcasting can enhance your blog content and your online visibility. Strengthen the bond you have with your current audience, as well as reach a new audience. And, give your blog readers the flexibility to listen and obtain your expertise on the go! Podcasting is even an affordable and pretty seamless option when it comes to integrating a new social media tool to your blog. So let’s get you started already!
Get equipped! Prior to your first audio podcast you will need the following equipment. Read full story
22 Reasons to Use Twitter for Business and Pleasure
By NikNik · May 29, 2008 · 41 Comments
Last week I was invited to take part in a top secret Twitter Mission. I received a request from JulieTweets to arrive at a red door in San Francisco by 12:30 sharp! Thanks to GPS (asking the parking attendant) I found it promptly! Anyway, once I arrived I was greeted by one cool cat and 3 hot babes with cupcakes. I was in for sure now! The hot babes (savvy production crew) proceeded to set me up for video interview. Come to find out, I wasn’t the only top secret twit invited to the red door. JulieTweets informed me that Twitter is compiling video interviews of all sorts of Twits to use in an upcoming marketing campaign. I quickly let her know that I’d be fine sharing the spotlight (not really) if she hooked me up with a Twitter shirt. Gosh, imagine what I’d do for a pair of jeans!
So for those of you that are not familiar with Twitter (come out from under your rock), it’s a cross between blogging and instant messaging. Also referred to as micro-blogging. Each tweet or post must be 140 characters or less. You can add more value to each tweet by including links to helpful blogs and Websites, your wacky pictures and videos, etc. And each tweet is centered around answering the question, “What are you doing?”
To be honest, I poo pooed Twitter for some time. I just didn’t need (or want) another social networking tool to contend with. I can admit when I’m wrong. In fact, because Twitter updates in real time I’m able to reach an on audience on the spot. Besides being just fun…Twitter is a valuable safety tool as well. If you haven’t heard about the student who Twittered his way out of an Egyptian jail, read this. You may not be visiting any foreign countries in the near future, but you can use Twitter at home to let loved ones know where you are and if any unfavorable persons are bothering you. (EX: Unfamiliar meeting locations, Open Houses, etc.)
Here are 22 reasons Read full story
Focus Your Social Media Marketing
By NikNik · April 16, 2008 · 22 Comments
Ever find yourself in Facebook’s spine and wonder how the last 3 hours flew by and all you have to show for it are a couple of pokes and Funwall messages? It’s happened once or twice to me. Real estate professionals have a complex task when it comes to staying focused in the distracting world of social media. First and foremost, understand why you are there and develop a personalized strategy.
Social Media Marketing (SMM) is taking off as a standard soft sell approach to Internet Marketing. That doesn’t mean that some marketers don’t take advantage of networks and become annoying spammers. It’s the best social media marketing gurus that can effectively target, communicate, and appeal to a desired audience.
Social Media Marketing takes place at all your favorite social networking sites: Facebook, ActiveRain, RealTown, LinkedIn, MyBlogLog, Flickr, Digg, Stumbleupon, Twitter, YouTube, etc. These social media sites usually incorporate some form or mashup of Read full story
Save Money On Your Technology Purchases
By Chad A. Johnson · April 13, 2008 · 12 Comments
I am what you might call a “bargain hopper”. It gives me great pleasure in knowing that I purchased something at the lowest possible price.
The slowing of the real estate market and the economy as a whole has made everyone a bit more frugal and willing to go to a bit more effort to find a great deal.
Allow me to show you a few tricks to saving money while still keeping on top of the latest real estate technology.
Discounts on Computers
First of all, never pay full price on a computer. In fact, don’t even settle for a sale price. A simple Google search and a bit of good timing can save you so much more money.
When making an online purchase, have you seen Read full story
8 Essentials for the Mobile Real Estate Agent
By Reggie · May 6, 2007 · 8 Comments
To be effective, the mobile real estate agent should incorporate many different technology tools into his/her business. But what technology is best? What is really going to make you more efficient in the field? Below I have listed my favorite technologies for mobile Real Estate agents on the go:
Tablet PC **Updated 6/2008**
Real Estate agents will find that Tablet PC’s have many advantages over the traditional laptop. Most notably the ability to reduce the amount of paper you burn through. With a tablet PC, Real Estate agents can sign important documents such as listing and purchase contracts, emails, and notes onscreen in their own handwriting. This often times eliminates the need for printing entirely. Simply email or fax the document directly to the party in question. In regards to brand and model, I like the convertible HP tc4400 (Core Duo) and Lenovo ThinkPad X61. Both models are ultra-lightweight, provide outdoor viewable displays and manage to provide long battery life. They also have strong wireless and Bluetooth capabilities. The X61 is slightly lighter and also comes with Active Rotate which uses an internal accelerometer to dynamically determine the tablet’s angle and adjust the screen position. This may prove useful when handing your PC over to those buyers in your next contract signing.
VREO Real Estate Dashboard
Real Estate Dashboard is a critical component to truly going paperless. Sure there are tools such as Microsoft Journal that can be used, but they fail when it comes to security. With VREO Real Estate Dashboard, the Real Estate agent must use a password, and all files are created in a proprietary file format. Signatures are then flattened onto their corresponding document, and then allowed to be sent via integrated email or fax technology. Read our previous post here.
TransactionPoint
TransactionPoint is the ultimate piece of Real Estate technology for automating the entire real estate transaction from listing a property to closing the deal. TransactionPoint is integrated with ZipForms for easy form creation. TransactionPoint will also store other transaction related documents for easy retrieval. You may also benefit from reduced liability for E&O (Errors and Omissions) insurance, as TransactionPoint saves a permanent record of emails and other communication in the communication log
Digital Camera with Wide Angle Lens **Updated 6/2008**
homes they sell. So why use a marginal camera for those photos that help sell the home? Real Estate agents should look for a quality digital camera. I recommend the incredibly light Canon Rebel XTi with wide-angle lens. The camera takes great high-quality photos. The Rebel boasts a huge amount of features, but presents them in a very easy to understand interface. Works with PictBridge compatible printers such as the i80 referenced below.
SmartPhone **Updated 6/2008**
With the Blackberry, Treo or Windows Mobile device Real Estate agents can streamline their business greatly by taking advantage of wireless MLS capabilities, free business and local search tools, mobile calendar & email, calculators, etc. Personally I’m a fan of the Blackberry Curve 8310. Mainly because of overall size, full QWERTY keyboard and outstanding email capabilities. The 8310 also includes GPS capabilities and 2 mega-pixel camera with flash. If you’re looking for a 3G network…you’ve still got a few more months for the Blackberry Bold. Needless to say Treo and Windows Devices are also very popular. I really believe you should hold each of the phones before you purchase.
3G Wireless Access
Real Estate agents spend a great deal of time accessing online information via MLS, CMA utilities, buyers tours, email, door-to-door directions, fax to email solutions and more. So why wait until you get back to the office. Real Estate Agents who embrace this technology will uncover many time benefits. Read our article here for items to consider when selecting a service.
Mobile GPS **Updated 6/2008**
As the mobile real estate professional you need to know where you are going 100% of the time. That’s why a mobile GPS utility may prove useful. I recommend the Garmin Nuvi 880. With this unit you’ll surely get from point A to point B, but you may also save time with its integrated traffic tuner capabilities. You can even keep both hands on the steering wheel with the Hands-free feature for Bluetooth phones, and text-to-speech control.
Mobile Printer **Updated 6/2008**
This piece of real estate technology will surely impress real estate agent’s on-the-go that require a printer for photos and more. I recommend the Canon PIXMA ip100, as it comes with the ability to print high-resolution at up to 9600 x 2400. Speeds are around 20 pages per minute b/w and 14 color. You may want to connect using the IrDA port from your tablet pc…at a range of up to 10 feet. Even print directly from your PictBridge compatible digital camera. The Canon ip100 can also accommodate a car adaptor for power or take advantage of the portable kit which includes rechargeable Li-On battery and holder.
