8 Things New Users Should Know About RPR
If you're new to RPR–welcome aboard! RPR is committed to helping you become a more efficient and more skilled real estate agent. We know you have a lot riding on your next deal (maybe your first!), which is why we built the nation's largest property database. RPR provides the data, tools and reports to help you wow your clients and close more deals. Designed exclusively for REALTORS®, RPR is included in your NAR membership dues, and requires no extra fees or upgrades. Simply go to narrpr.com and get the login process started. In no time, you'll be searching properties, creating reports and delivering data-rich, high-quality, professional-looking materials to your clients.

Elevate Your Real Estate Marketing Success with an Elevate Educational Boot Camp
It's no secret that brokers and agents need to continually self-educate in order to stay competitive and tackle new technology, but not all education is made equal. Busy real estate professionals can easily waste time and money on "educational" training programs that are nothing more than thinly masked sales initiatives that provide little actionable takeaways. Luckily, there's the educational field team of Elevate to save the day and ensure that brokers and agents walk away with tips, tricks and strategies that can easily be implemented the moment they walk out of the room. What started with a single Social Media Boot Camp has grown into a nationwide phenomenon due to the Elevate Field Team's high-energy, interactive educational style. Brokers and agents alike are treated to an experience designed to inspire and empower, led by a group of industry professionals who help turn marketing "toys" into "tools." Although the Elevate name may be fairly new to the real estate space, the founders and stakeholders behind the company are seasoned professionals coming from top technology companies, franchise organizations, and investment firms who've joined together to develop Elevate, the highly anticipated CRM and digital marketing solution that recently hit the real estate market. But no technology can succeed without strong education, training and understanding, which is where the Elevate Boot Camp series enters. Collaborating with MLSs, mortgage companies and brokerages across the country, Elevate's Boot Camp series has evolved to include a variety of one-hour, two-hour and half day educational sessions, including the ever-popular Social Media Boot Camp, Secrets of Lead Generation Boot Camp, and the hot NEW Broker-Only Mastermind. Custom deep dives are also available on such hot topics as Facebook intensives, developing engaging content for consumer audiences, agent recruitment and retention strategies, and developing a website designed to capture and convert. Want to see if a boot camp is coming to your area? Visit tryelevate.com/events for the upcoming schedule, or call 844-812-8914 to inquire about booking a boot camp in your office or MLS. Bondilyn Jolly is the Managing Partner at 3sixtyfive.agency. You can contact her at [email protected]

The Power of Knowledge and the RPR Learning Menu
It's June, and that means it's graduation season. Congrats to every member of the class of 2019! Chances are you've recently seen some grad caps flying up in the air, or at least seen some photos on social media. However, educational ceremonies aren't the only place you'll find the iconic grad cap image; it also resides on RPR as a symbol for the new RPR Learning Menu. (You can file that one under a "we see what you're doing there" segue.)

What to Do If Your Broker Won't Train You
A high split or training opportunities? As veteran agents know, most brokerages won't offer both. It's a tradeoff you make when choosing where to hang your real estate license. However, some rookie agents, distracted by the gleam of a generous split, choose to pass by firms that offer training--and find themselves in over their heads in an industry that's brand new to them. That's the predicament one new Realtor found himself in recently. For advice, he wrote to Vivian Olodun, a real estate consultant and former Marketing Director for a major brokerage in southeast Florida. "Your broker is there to support you on very specific things. They're not there to babysit you, and you don't need a babysitter," Olodun says in the video below. "You can do this."

Chris Smith Will Be National Speaker for Homes.com
If you have been around real estate technology, you know Chris Smith. His career started in the days authoring and managing the B to B blog and social media for Realtor.com, followed by his recent success promoting both DotLoop and Curaytor. The agreement with Homes.com will have Smith touring cities such as Atlanta, Boston, Los Angeles, Chicago, New York, and other major markets to train agents on how to use real estate technology effectively in their business. Homes.com offers one of the most complete technology platforms for real estate agents and brokers today. Their platform ties together all of the ingredients that an agent needs to succeed including a website, CRM, CMA, drip marketing, online advertising, and more. Smith will be tying the content of his series, "Secrets of Top Selling Agents LIVE," with the executional capacities of the Homes.com platform. If you attended any of the live events that Smith delivered last year, you will appreciate that three hours with him is an awesome opportunity to learn the best practices that lead to success in real estate. Homes.com will be offering complimentary tickets to agents on a first-come, first-served basis. The first event will be the RE/MAX R4 annual convention at the end of February. Smith will be holding seminars in the Homes.com booth. Here's the full press release: Homes.com Partners with Sales Marketing and Social Media Expert Chris Smith Exclusive U.S. tour planned for "Secrets of Top Selling Agents LIVE" Thousands of real estate agents throughout the U.S. will learn how to take their business to the next level as Homes.com®, a top consumer real estate resource and leading provider of marketing solutions for real estate professionals, has announced an exclusive partnership with Chris Smith. One of the real estate industry's most proven sales, marketing and social media experts, Smith will host "Secrets of Top Selling Agents LIVE" events coast to coast.

Make the Most of the Summer Selling Season! (6/2)
Thursday, June 2, 2016 at 9:00 AM PDT News of this week's online training session is causing the real estate rumor mill to spin, so let me end the speculation right now... Yes, it's true. Thursday's webinar is going to feature 3 of the easiest-to-use campaigns we're ever discussed publicly. It's time to make the most of the summer selling season, which means you need to sell properties fast, find business in your sphere, and get more listings ASAP. Agents love easy, which is why we're expecting a huge turnout for this one. Here's just some of what we're going to cover with you: 3 New Sizzling Summer real estate marketing campaigns to fill your pipeline with red-hot leads while other agents struggle to gain traction An amazing new Facebook feature that is revolutionizing the way agents do property tours The little-known secret to bring life back into any expired listing, along with quick-and-easy scripts you can use to win the listing and close the deal Live Q&A session with two industry experts so you can get your most pressing real estate marketing questions answered Register now!

The Paperless Agent Launches New Digital Marketing Certification
Too many agents are guilty of breaking an unspoken promise to their sellers, according to The Paperless Agent. The company, which is owned by the leaders of GoodLife Realty, is "declaring war" on an antiquated industry practice at the root of this breach of trust. "When sellers list their home with an agent, they're expecting that the agent will market their home in a competent manner," says Garry Wise, co-founder of The Paperless Agent. "This implies that the agent is knowledgeable about what they're supposed to do, including how to market the home online. However, far too many agents just do the absolute minimum that everyone does--put the listing in the MLS and hope for the best. That's not an adequate amount of action." Relying on listing syndication doesn't gets you off the hook, either. While it may be enough to sell a home in some markets, it's still a passive method that does nothing to actively market your seller's property. "If sellers knew that's all agents did, they wouldn't be willing to pay those commissions," says Chris Scott, President of The Paperless Agent. "Ask the owner of an expired listing why their home didn't sell, and what do they say? 'My agent didn't do anything.'" The Fight for Higher Standards According to The Paperless Agent, this poor customer service causes a breach in trust that spreads across the industry and creates a negative reputation for agents everywhere--and that's why they're declaring war on the practice. The company is leading the fight through education, and recently introduced the Real Estate Digital Marketer (REDM) certification course to teach agents how to leverage digital marketing to promote and sell their clients' properties.

Secrets from a Tech Trainer
The key to success with any technology tool is using it properly. Smart tech companies have recognized this fact and offer substantive training programs to ensure adoption and product loyalty. Technology training specialists play a crucial role in keeping the company healthy and the consumers happy. We were interested in learning more about this side of our industry, so we interviewed a volunteer from zipLogix®, Product Trainer Cassandra Davis. Davis conducts regular live training sessions and user group forums for zipLogix® users, and works with brokerages and associations nationwide to provide tools to help real estate professionals leverage online tools and work toward paperless transactions. Here are some valuable takeaways from our conversation with Cassandra. 1) Why do you think it's important for real estate professionals to learn about the technology they use? It makes their lives easier. Of course, most agents know they can save time if they learn about shortcuts in zipForm® like the Fast Fill option, but few realize they can also access tools to reduce their risk and improve their client's satisfaction with the transaction until after they have attended a training. There are a lot of technology tools that can help agents through every file. Learning about the tools built in to the software they use every day can help agents improve the transaction experience for themselves and for their buyers and sellers. The training tools provided by zipLogix® can help agents to learn how to leverage the technology they already have, from reducing risk with saved clauses to face to face online meetings with zipConsult®.

4 Ways to Help Buyers Prepare for Higher Mortgage Rates
After years of historically low mortgage rates, home buyers are seeing the tide turn and wondering how much higher rates will inch up. What advice should agents give them? 1. Plan ahead. In many markets, higher rates have arrived in tandem with inventory shortages, forcing buyers to think harder about ways to improve their negotiating position. The best first step? Encourage buyers to shop for a lender and secure pre-approval on a mortgage before shopping for homes. Of course, this will be more difficult if a buyer has any blemishes on their credit history. Even though higher interest rates could dampen refinance activity and free up more money for new mortgages, lending standards are expected to remain tight. Help buyers resolve any credit issues early to avoid future disappointments. 2. Submit a winning offer. In a rising rate environment, time means dollars. Encourage buyers to consider the potential cost of having their offer rejected and needing more time to find and submit a winning bid on another property. Viewed this way, a buyer may prefer to adjust their negotiating position and make their offer more attractive. For example, consider telling a seller that you'll accept a higher mortgage rate if rates change before you're able to lock. Sending a signal that you won't back out of a contract could tip the scales in your favor—and may ultimately cost much less than playing hardball while rates creep even higher.

5 Business-Building Tips for Buyer’s Representatives
Polishing your buyer-representation skills builds your reputation as a trustworthy, knowledgeable real estate professional who adds value at every stage in the home buying process. Here are five ways to grow your buyer-representation business. 1. Become a community expert Recognition as a community expert wins referrals and repeat business. You could create a blog to showcase both your business expertise and community knowledge. A blog builds credibility and keeps potential buyers coming back for news and information. Home-buyer seminars provide another opportunity to demonstrate your real estate expertise and community knowledge. Prospects can check you out before making a commitment and when they are ready to buy, your name will be at top of mind. 2. Build a team of experts Access to a team of experts is a double win for buyer agents. You and your buyers can tap into valuable knowledge and services and other professionals may refer business to you. Invest the time to learn what your community has to offer and research your team of experts.

10 Steps to Becoming a Successful Real Estate Agent
Working in real estate requires hard work and dedication, but the rewards are plenty. Real estate offers excellent income potential, flexible work hours and freedom to set your own pace. But working in this field is like anything else. You need the right education, training and drive to compete with the best in the biz. To get started, follow the steps below to ensure your future success and profitability. Step 1: Get a Good Education Knowledge is power, and the more knowledge you have about real estate, the more clients you'll obtain. Not only will more clients lead to more listings, it will eventually turn into more money. Following are the top real estate schools as ranked by the U.S. News and World Report: University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia: The Wharton School's real estate department offers concentrations in real estate at three levels: undergraduate, MBA, and doctoral. University of Wisconsin – Madison: Wisconsin's School of Business offers undergraduate, MBA and Ph.D. programs in business administration with a real estate concentration. University of California – Berkeley: The Hass School of Business offers undergraduate and graduate programs in real estate, including an MBA with a real estate concentration. University of Georgia: The Terry College of Business offers a real estate major for undergraduates in addition to MBA and Ph.D. degrees in the field. University of Southern California: USC's Price School of Public policy offers a Master of Real Estate Development degree as well as a certificate in real estate development.

The Value of a Swift Response
Here's another great retro article to celebrate the 4th of July. This one comes to you from Jose Parez. You finally decided that with prices still low, you are going to upgrade to that bigger house you and your husband have been talking about for years. Things are good with both your jobs and now is the time. You have heard from several people that XYZ Real Estate has a good reputation and you see a lot of their signs around town so you decide to start your search on their website one night after work. They have a nice site and you are getting excited about the listings they have in the neighborhood you have been wanting to move into. Saturday morning you decide that you want to spend Sunday looking at a few homes for sale in your dream neighborhood. You get back on XYZ’s site while you are having your morning coffee and put in a request to speak to someone about viewing homes tomorrow. It’s about 9 AM and you give them your cell phone number in case they call while you are out and about. Soccer, baseball, yard work, laundry, and grocery shopping chores are done by mid-afternoon. You and your husband finally sit down to relax before cooking dinner and wonder why you have not heard anything from XYZ Real Estate. You are both eager to look at homes tomorrow so you check your email to see if someone has gotten back to you. Nothing on email and nobody has bothered to call after several hours. Not impressed with the lack of response, you get back online and start searching for other companies. Does this happen every day in our industry? Unfortunately, it happens hundreds of thousands of times every single day!

7 Tutorials for Creating Facebook Page Tabs
First lets take a quick look at the background: In early February Facebook announced: “On March 11, 2011, you will no longer be able to create new FBML apps and Pages will no longer be able to add the Static FBML app. While all existing apps on Pages using FBML or the Static FBML app will continue to work, we strongly recommend that these apps transition to iframes as soon as possible.” If you have ambitions to add your own custom pages to your Facebook business page there are now a number of credible options. Why would you want to do this? Because Facebook just made it easier to embed Google maps, videos, graphics and all sorts of other stuff including RSS feeds. Now you can include IDX searches! Because you can embed an iframe code from your IDX provider! But rather that just write just another tutorial, here is list of resources and tutorials that that are already written.

Using Email Contacts to Build Your Facebook Page
Facebook as added a great way for you to promote your Fanpage (Business Page) with your contacts. Now you can add your contacts from virtually any email program into Facebook.  Take a look at this video that I created:

Part 4: Want More Leads? Focus on Referrals!
When it comes to technology and the real estate agents, I believe agents want to use technology to its fullest extent to serve customers better and in the most cost-efficient way. But they have been overrun by technology. Some real estate agents are are searching for a technique, tool, software or system that will eliminate the task of prospecting, when in fact it will only eliminate prospects. It's time to get back in touch with some real, fundamental principles about the reality of prospecting. Tip #4: Generate more referrals

Zap the Generation Gap
Statistics tell us there are four generations in today's marketplace that are actively buying and selling properties. This generational dynamic requires sales professionals to become more aware of age preferences and core values as we strive to bridge communication gaps and improve our services. Our newest challenge is to meet this variance in demands by addressing each group's respective communication and service preferences using both traditional and electronic channels.

How To Take Listing Photos in Wintertime
Wintertime photography can be an intimidating endeavor to say the least. As winter life is really more about getting cozy with a hot chocolate, some popped corn, and a movie or three, it’s hard to get motivated to go out into the icy cold and shoot photos – especially photos of houses. Can you imagine? Standing outside shivering, trying to take pictures, while people drive by laughing at you from their warm cars… terrible.

What are QR Codes?
Want to stay on the cutting edge of technology?  Here is a cool new technology that has just entered the real estate scene. Imagine the small black and white box to your left could be used to translate your new listing properties details, photos and take homebuyers directly to your website? Meet QR codes. Small and powerful, mobile devices can scan the small code in seconds and get access the information they seek, right from their phones. It is quick and convenient. Techies and Smartphone users are embracing this new technology in droves. In response to this new technology and the benefits it holds for the real estate industry, here are some interesting things about QR codes. What is a QR code?

Have Writer's Block?
One question I get consistently any time I talk to people about real estate blogging is, “What do you write about and where do you find the time?” And a darn fine question it is. Actually, it’s two questions. We’ll attempt to tackle the first one now, ans the second one in a follow up article. What to write about Here is where I differ somewhat from many “blogging experts”. Personally, I don’t think a real estate blog needs to be exclusively about real estate. You don’t need to go all “hyper local” to have a successful real estate blog. “Blasphemy!” someone is saying.

MySpace - Stake Out Your Space
MySpace works similarly to Facebook, but the pages can be made fancier with themes, which can be downloaded for free, or purchased. It also appeals more to people who like to share information on music, hobbies, sports teams and TV shows. Where Facebook has more pull with college students and professionals, MySpace has more pull with teens and pre-teens. As a result, it is a goldmine for parents who have MySpace accounts used to monitor their children online. Through the process of checking on their children, they connect with other parents and find that MySpace is actually quite fun and easy—hence, the reason why they have amassed more than 100 million members.

Confused by Social Media Lingo?
By 2010 Generation Y has come to outnumber Baby Boomers and 96% of them have not only joined a social network, but also spend considerable time using it. We also wanted to share some of our thoughts and experiences in using social media for our business. As you read through this guide, we hope that you will find the information useful in forming your business's social media plan. Why do I take the time to use social media like Twitter and Facebook? Because after spending considerable time learning and using social media, I can safely say that we should expect our lives to radically and exponentially be changed by social media and social networks over the next few years. Many traditional forms of media that we have been using for decades are being eclipsed with a growth in membership numbers and adoption rates that we have never experienced before. Consumers no longer want or trust advertising to the same levels they did a decade ago.

8 Days Until Agent Reboot Denver - Next Stops Las Vegas, Portland, Houston
Inman News hosts a number of real estate technology seminars called Agent Reboot.  These seminars are power-packed, low cost, local events for real estate professionals. Agent Reboot's are only one-day long, but it is a fast-paced program designed to equip agents with the latest in business development, technology and marketing skills to help them be more successful. Agent Reboot is being offered in 12 cities across the United States. Agent Reboot offers a training day for a newer agent or a seasoned pro. Local real estate agents and REALTORS® are expected to attend each event. Highlights of each event include a networking power-hour and expo featuring cutting-edge real estate technology vendors. Top 5 Reasons You Should be at Agent Reboot 1. 95% of our attendees said Agent Reboot met or exceeded their expectations.* 2. 98% of our attendees said they would recommend Agent Reboot to a colleague.* 3. Learn the latest in social media, tech tools, mobile tips and more! 4. Free Inman News 30-Day Social Media Plan! 5. Free t-shirt & complimentary breakfast! *based on 2010 survey results from Agent Reboot San Francisco attendees

How to Create a Facebook Fan Page
Many of our subscribers have shown a high level of interest in learning more about Facebook Fan Pages. In response to this feedback, we have researched and provided the following step-by-step approach to setting up a Facebook Fan Page. We hope you enjoy! Without a doubt it can be tricky to locate the “Add a Facebook Page.” To jump straight to this page, and avoid the multi-step navigation process outlined below, here is the link: http://www.facebook.com/pages/create.php. If you cannot access the “Create a Page” link above, follow the below steps. 1.) Go to the home page of your personal Facebook page, and click the Account button on the top right hand corner of the screen.

A Customer Service Confluence
There has been this weird confluence of customer service experiences for me over the last few days. It’s like a disturbance in the nexus of the customer service universe. I’m a big fan of great customer service. I love being on the receiving end of it, and I try to make premium customer service the primary focus of our real estate brokerage. There are several stories of customer service experiences strewn about this blog, from the great — the Broadmoor Hotel and a mattress store — to the not so swift horrific at Nationwide Vision. And then there was this…

Step 1: Generate More Buyer Leads with Photos
In an effort to empower real estate agents to convert online listings to leads, REALTOR.com published the 6-Step Online Optimization Plan. This report covers the following topics: Intro: Get more buyer leads from your online listings Step 1: Generate more buyer leads with photos Step 2: Get more calls with Persuasive Property Prose Step 3: Capture more buyers with full-motion home tour videos Step 4: Getting online home buyers to your Open House Step 5: Your social network is still your #1 profit center Step 6: Increase exposure, increase buyer inquiries Following the introduction to this report, step one outlines the power of photography.  Once agents can harness imagery in their listings, lead conversion is easier. Taking professional house photos that can impact the sale of a home both on the Internet and in print. Taking great pictures of a house isn’t just worth a thousand words as the old saying goes, in this case it will impact thousands of dollars in commissions. Photos may have the greatest impact on the sale of a home. This guide will show you how to take photos that will grab the attention of consumers and/or become better at directing a professional photographer. Key steps: Understanding the impact photos can have on every phase of the home selling and buying process Taking pictures that sell Bonus tips for generating leads with photos Continue reading to learn more about these key steps...

Auto Focus
The phone has stopped ringing… It’s been a week… 2 weeks… business is unusually slow.  Do you over react? I’ve discovered a growing phenomenon of sales professionals who seem to have “lost their way” as a result of a changing economy.  At one point, vision is clear and the path to success stretches on to a predictable future.  Then, for no apparent reason, when the phone stops ringing… nothing feels or appears normal.  The unexpected down time disrupts the energy and brows crease in concern.  Surely, there is something to blame - a cause that created this unnatural effect. A typical response to the stress may be the impulse to “change” everything… update the web site, revise the logo, streamline services, add benefits, expand ad copy, buy better equipment, hire or fire staff… the list goes on.  The sense of “losing the market” grips firmly onto the salesperson’s perspective creating an unfocused, sporadic knee jerk reaction to what might be a simple issue. The level of self imposed panic increases in direct relationship to the percentage of income earned from commission sales.  The number of phone calls symbolizes the business barometer.  When it flat lines – there’s trouble on the horizon. Well…not necessarily. Consider how a complex camera assembly works.  Professional photographers understand the image needs to be isolated and brought efficiently into focus by the maneuvering of levers and dials.  A non-professional usually purchases a camera that has “auto focus” where the camera is programmed to zero in on the image and like magic; the camera adjusts and clarifies the field.  Simplicity at it’s best.  That’s because a set of instructions and logical processes are already programmed in the camera. Auto focus is a concept you can apply to your business process by understanding that shifts in the market are bound to occur.  Learn to adjust smoothly and effectively.

How to Target Your Marketing Efforts and Master Your Business Niche
If you want to make more money in today’s competitive environment, then you need to master your business niche. Let me show you a perfect, prime example of niche marketing at its best: The AARP card appeared in the mail again. This time I actually opened the envelope and reviewed the material included with the invitation to join. Offers of insurance, magazines, on-line registrations and general information related to aging spilled out across the table. Everything in the packet maintained the specific intent of enticing a middle age person to join the group dedicated to senior citizens. A scant five years ago, I wouldn’t have acknowledged the promotional material. It would have been swept into the nearest garbage can as I briefly wondered why this organization wasted its marketing dollars on me. Now, as I scan the introductory letter, the supporting messages delivered in the envelope are beginning to make sense. I’ve discovered that the magazine is dedicated to providing me with information on medical advancements for cholesterol control, suggestions to slim the middle age bulge and tips to improve my memory. That last one caught my attention. Startled, I realized that I aged into the targeted demographic of The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) and didn’t feel it coming on. When, for god’s sake, did I stop being 35? AARP knew it would happen and patiently primed the pump for several years as it waited for me to emotionally recognize that my body and brain would change. My perspective would alter and this organization graciously waited until it was needed. Now, that’s niche marketing!

Smart Networking Using Facebook
So maybe you've heard of Facebook, but feel like it's a little late to jump on the band wagon.  The truth is, depending on your age demographic, there are a ton of people who do not know what Facebook is. No matter how many times it is referenced, can you honestly say you are familiar with it? If so, do you know how to utilize Facebook for more than just your family and friends? If not, you are missing out on a great new advertising tool for your real estate business. Terri Murphy's Tuesday Tip "Smart Networking Using Facebook" is a short video that begins by explaining what Facebook is, and then how real estate agents can benefit from it. Continue reading to watch...

Seven Ways to Differentate Your Service
Terri Murphy, a leading real estate speaker, trainer and coach, is providing an excellent Tuesday Tip program over on YouTube. This is part 11 of the 52 week series. In this session, she discusses the 7 pieces of Differentiation—Product, Price, Process, Relationship, Experience, Technology and Marketing. Today, consumers use the internet throughout their lives to become informed about products and services before engaging a company or supplier. This is especially true of real estate, where consumers jump immediately from print to the web to learn more about properties. When we refer to Print, we are referring to all types of print—business card, yard sign, newspaper ad, magazine ad, flier, park bench, billboard, etc. Everything that you do to market yourself in business today is a path to your online business strategy. In real estate, your Product is the service you provide to buyers and sellers. How do you differentiate your service? Good service is typically measured in terms of responsiveness and the quality of your responsiveness. Be sure to let your clients know how they can communicate with you—email, text messaging, phone calls, website, online chat, etc. Moreover, let them know the hours you work and who to contact as a backup when you are not around in an emergency.

Don't Make Them Wait!
You finally decided that with prices still low, you are going to upgrade to that bigger house you and your husband have been talking about for years. Things are good with both your jobs and now is the time. You have heard from several people that XYZ Real Estate has a good reputation and you see a lot of their signs around town so you decide to start your search on their website one night after work. They have a nice site and you are getting excited about the listings they have in the neighborhood you have been wanting to move into. Saturday morning you decide that you want to spend Sunday looking at a few homes for sale in your dream neighborhood. You get back on XYZ’s site while you are having your morning coffee and put in a request to speak to someone about viewing homes tomorrow. It’s about 9 AM and you give them your cell phone number in case they call while you are out and about. Soccer, baseball, yard work, laundry, and grocery shopping chores are done by mid-afternoon. You and your husband finally sit down to relax before cooking dinner and wonder why you have not heard anything from XYZ Real Estate. You are both eager to look at homes tomorrow so you check your email to see if someone has gotten back to you. Nothing on email and nobody has bothered to call after several hours. Not impressed with the lack of response, you get back online and start searching for other companies. Does this happen every day in our industry? Unfortunately, it happens hundreds of thousands of times every single day!

5 Tips for Using Landing Pages
With a growing emphasis on serach engine optimization (SEO) technology, real estate agents and brokers can be tunnel visioned, buying the latest and greatest technology to drive traffic to their landing pages, or webpages. Certainly SEO technology and other lead generating services are invaluable to marketing real estate websites, virtual tours, property listings and other online landing pages. However, in a recent blog post on Search Engine Land, Christopher Wallace addresses a common problem he sees today: the inability to convert site visitors into leads. Instead of merely pointing out the obvious problems that lie with driving thousands of visitors to your real estate websites and then sitting back while they move on, Christopher offers five tips to keep your online visitors around. 1. Simplify your content 2. Shorten your lead forms 3. Use your analytics to drive decisions 4. Keep the conversion path in mind when using images 5. Leverage landing pages for extended user engagement Instead of wasting time trying to get more people to click on your site in search engines, focus your efforts on ways to better convert the traffic you're already getting. *Editor's Note: A landing page is any online webpage that generates and drives traffic for marketing purposes. For example, if you advertise your real estate services online with a Web banner that if clicked on will direct online visitors to your website, that is a landing page. If you have an active blog and you use it to provide useful information to potential clients, this is a landing page.

Belly Dancing: Market Your Personal Brand!
No matter where a real estate agent or broker goes, marketing advice is all around! There are constructive lessons about personal branding to grasp in every life, outside your office or the real estate industry. You just need to look for them! Lisa Barone discovered a prime example of personal branding in the oddest place: her belly dancing studio! In a recent blog post for www.CopyBlogger.com, Lisa explains the key marketing strategies her bellydancing instructor demonstrated to create a personal brand that inspires attention. One of the common downfalls in marketing your brand, even in the real estate industry, is that people often use marketing technology to boost their image by bragging about themselves. This is not a marketing trend Lisa Barone or RE Technology recommend. The lesson from this blog post is to learn to harness technology and basic marketing strategies to create a successful brand, one that is not associated with ego. Lisa states four tips for how to establish your personal brand: Claim your niche Create your character Treat people like humans Make your brand accessible  Continue to read Lisa's blog post...

Potato Chip Marketing!
What’s the #1 secret successful agents and brokers are using to THRIVE in this complex market? The answer may surprise you…It’s Potato Chip Marketing (a.k.a. The 7 Steps to Highly Effective, Low-Cost Marketing—No Matter the Market Conditions!) What is Potato Chip Marketing? And why does it matter to YOU? Today, more than ever before, it is absolutely necessary that you understand the difference between advertising and marketing. You may THINK you know and understand that difference. But after working with hundreds of agents and brokers from around the world, I’ve realized that most people don’t understand the REAL difference—the millionaire-making difference. Here’s what I’m talking about…

20 Affordable Online Marketing Tips for Your Real Estate Business
This week I attended C.A.R. EXPO’s Tech Tuesday. I had a great time moderating a panel on blogging for real estate, but I was also asked to present “20 Affordable Online Marketing Tips for Your Real Estate Business.” I found it really hard not to dance, but I did manage to rap a little Beastie Boys!