The 10 Most Popular Articles from August

The final month of summer was a big one for real estate--Zillow put Market Leader up for sale, RPR launched a tablet app, and real estate pros were buzzing about that latest Inman Connect conference all month long. Seems like the industry as a whole could benefit from a little rest and recuperation during the upcoming holiday weekend!

While you're taking a little breather this Labor Day, don't forget dive into the following list of our most popular articles from last month. After all, everything we publish on RE Technology is about laboring less--by using technology to work smarter, not harder. So grab a stiff drink and a plate of barbecue and learn the latest tips and tricks to keep your business running smoothly in the months ahead.

1. How to Convert a Document to PDF in 3 Easy Steps
Need a quick, easy way to turn a document into a .PDF without having to pay for conversion software? You're in luck! If you have a Google account, you already have access to a free online tool that makes it a snap to change files to the format you need. Here's how.

2. Why You're Not Generating Real Estate Leads Online: A 5-point Troubleshooting Guide
It takes a lot of work to build and support a digital lead generation strategy. There are certain mandatory components of your online presence that must be fulfilled in order to effectively attract potential clients and capture their information. The worst thing you can do is to undermine the cumulative effect of your efforts by making one crucial omission in your online strategy. The following guide is for those who aren't satisfied with the volume of leads they are capturing online.

3. 8 Listing Presentation Tips
To convince potential home sellers that you're the real estate agent that will sell their home the fastest and for the highest price, you need to be prepared. Your listing presentation should highlight both your experience and your advanced marketing strategies. With that goal in mind, here are eight listing presentation tips that will help you WOW your prospects and win more listings.

4. Market Leader for Sale and Real Estate Websites/CRMs: What You Should Know
If you haven't heard, the acquisition baby of Trulia-then-Zillow, Market Leader, is for sale. But what does this really mean for real estate professionals, and especially Market Leader's customers?

5. RPR's New iPad App: What It Can Do for REALTORS®
It's been almost a year since Realtors Property Resource® launched its smartphone app, RPR Mobile™. This month, the company released a version of RPR that's optimized for iPad and Android tablets. With this latest iteration, REALTORS® can now access RPR® on all of their iOS and Android devices. Here's a closer look at how Realtors can leverage the app for greater business success.

6. Step-by-Step Guide to Targeting Your Facebook Ads
Facebook Ads are effective in large part because you can target your ad audience. It's easy to narrow down the number of people seeing your ads to only those most likely to become leads and then commissions. When you set up a new ad, one of the first steps is to define and target your audience. Let's get started.

7. 3 Mistakes Agents Make When Planning a Real Estate Farming Campaign
We regularly run across agents that are making critical real estate farming mistakes that end up costing them a bunch of money. They also hinder agents from getting new business. When you combine those two issues, the health of an agent's business can suffer. But if you start out with these three common mistakes in mind, you will be starting off on the right foot--and have the biggest chance for success.

8. August Checklist: Four Tasks Every Real Estate Agent Should Complete
As a Realtor, it may feel impossible to separate yourself entirely from your work. Your hours are irregular, your weekends are crammed with showings and open houses, and clients can call at all hours with requests. However, no one wants to work with an agent that seems exhausted or burnt out. This month, we're sharing tips on how to take a break from your business, so you can come back feeling rejuvenated and refreshed.

9. 4 Foolproof Tips for Building Your Sphere of Influence
While I happily sing the praises of prospecting phone calls and social media marketing, it can't be denied that real estate is a business built on relationships, and your strongest relationships, or your sphere of influence (SOI), are your most reliable referral source. Here are 4 foolproof ways to further build your SOI and get more real estate referrals.

10. Appraising Your Digital Property: Where Agents Should Be Online
Let's talk about property--digital property. These are virtual "places" like websites, social media and search portal profiles where prospects can find you online. Without a presence in the digital world, today's web savvy consumer will pass you by in favor of the competition. But when it comes to building an effective Internet presence, it's better to leverage a few web properties well than many poorly. Here's a rundown of which are most important.