Give It Up? 24 Hours? I'll Need Rehab!

Can you stretch your imagine, I mean REALLY stretch it to imagine living without your computer for an entire day?

This includes:

• NO web surfing
• NO email
• NO online working
• NO Twittering
• NO MySpace
• NO Facebook
• NO IM
• Don't Even Check Your Calendar!

Are you up for the challenge? Great! Tomorrow is Shutdown Day. The idea of Shutdown Day project is simple - just shutdown your computer for one whole day of the year. Instead of hanging off a keyboard all day involve yourself in some other activities: sports, gardening, fun stuff with friends and family - whatever, just to remind yourself that there still exists a world outside your monitor screen.

You can sign up for the challenge on the Shutdown Day site, http://www.shutdown.org/. Prove to yourself, and the world that you can do it. Enter photos and videos about your challenge. As an added incentive you have a chance to win prizes!

Go ahead...Just Do It...as a great shoe company always says...it is Saturday anyway....you need a break!

We will meet back here Monday to talk about rehab.

Is This a Marketing Nightmare?

New tax assessments were mailed out a few weeks ago here in Alex Bay. I've been told property around here hasn't been assessed in years. As people opened their mail you could hear a collective groan across the village that evening. Suddenly homes are popping up for sale faster than the tulips are coming up. I don't know if the drastic tax increase caused this but it is certainly suspicious. As I watch graceful old homes being sold now my heart aches that if this tax increase is truly causing this market deluge then it is a shame.

As real estate professionals what can we do to get people the most money for their homes in situations like this? What are the most effective marketing techniques we could use in times like these? Direct marketing? Probably not since everyone is in the same boat, neighbors are selling too! Internet marketing seems to be the answer in this type of market. Let's explore all the options. Of course the MLS is the standard. I don't know of any MLS that isn't on the internet today. Every company should have a website that advertises all of the company's listings. Each agent should definitely have a website. There are many free portals available to advertise - Google, Craigs List, Postlets, and LiveDeal. For approximately $10 you can create a property specific site. Many cities have advertising outlets that allow you to advertise properties at little or no cost. In Louisville, KY a site called louisvillemojo.com allows agents to advertise listings at no cost. A local agent there tells me he gets good results from the ads he places there.

Also explore alternative advertising. I live in an area that is home to many retirees that winter in Florida. In the case here in Alex Bay I would recommend that local agents advertise throughout Florida in the top marketing venues there. In other areas look to the population to direct your marketing efforts. Know your market, know their lifestyles and if they are mobile then market to the areas they move through in their travels. Your local population makes life-long friends as they move throughout the country in off-seasons. These friends could be the next resident of your community!

Explore and experiement with your marketing. You've only got new business to gain! If you need assistance with marketing contact Jeri, The Secret Assistant. Jeri@TheSecretAssistant.com

Life of a VA & Casual Fridays

Ok....it has been a long time since my last post. Time is flying by, which is a good thing! My clients are busy, despite a slowing market. Listing are at an all-time high, which is normal in this type of market so we are beginning to fine-tune some expired campaigns as those will be forthcoming soon. Watch for upcoming blogs on expired campaigns.

Today I want to talk about the life of a VA. I got the funniest cartoon from a dear friend, changed it up a bit so I wanted to share it with you. So many people think I work in my PJs and bunny slippers day-in and day-out, which I don't...only a couple of days a week. No, seriously, it is wonderful to be able to work from home but I've found out the day I don't get dressed is the day the doorbell will ring and I'm mortally embarrassed to be caught in my bunny slippers and sleep shirt! So, for all of those people who think web cams are great...NO! That would entail not only getting dressed, but brushing my hair and possibly putting on makeup too. Might as well go back to the corporate world...ha! So..to further our industry I'm promoting casual Fridays in the VA world....

Testimonial to Direct Mail Marketing

I am a firm believer in "mix" marketing and I stress this to all of my clients. I have seen many good results from mixing direct mail marketing with email marketing. This was once again shown to be true recently when I heard that a realtor in Colorado had published a magazine, inserted in the newspaper and as a result had more listings than he could handle! So many agents are getting out of print advertising...this agent seized the opportunity and filled the gap in the market. Why don't more agents realize the no one has a choice to receive mail from the US Post Office? Why not send direct mail where you know that you have the chance that your name and face will be seen for a few seconds? Do this frequently and you will be remembered! Email is a choice. I can choose whether or not I want to receive your email. I can block your mail, I can delete your messages. It is a VERY good possibility that your beautiful email stationery will never been seen by 50% or more of the people you send it to, therefore your name and face will not be something they will remember when it is time to buy or sell a home. Think about it. It is logical...mix your marketing!!

Reason # 1,290,948 To Be A VA

This week I found another reason I love being a VA. Yes, I love being able to work in real estate, an industry that I love. I love being able to work from home and not having to worry about driving through any lake effect snow and possibly not making it home. I love being able to walk to the post office everyday and wave to my neighbors and stop and smell the roses along the way during the spring. But this week I found another reason to love being a VA. My husband left for Afghanistan this week for a year long deployment. It was nice to know that I didn't have to go into an office the following day and face everyone. It was great to be able to let the answering machine take the unimportant calls for the day. It was a great week to be a VA. It also made me appreciate all of the wonderful clients I have. They offered me wonderful words of encouragement and support and let me take time off to spend time with Rodney before he left. I work for the best agents in the country! I love each and every one of them!! They allow me to do the job I love. To all of you out there....you are the best!!

At this point I've heard from Rodney, my husband, and I know he has made it safely to Afghanistan. Only got 363 days until he comes home!

Are You Afraid to Hire a Virtual Assistant?

Don't Be Afraid of Virtual Assistants!!!

Click on the photo for more information

Lead Management Goes Virtual

Today there is not a need for an agent to spend hours hovering over a computer waiting for a lead from one of many websites to come flying in. What? That is not what you are reading in every trade magazine and hearing at every seminar. Every top coach, speaker or real estate guru stresses the importance of acknowledging a lead the second it hits your inbox. Not only do they want you to do that, but they want you to do this with a personal touch. Boy! What a tall order. When will you have time to do your other job? Remember your other job? Listing and selling homes? Isn't it time to let someone else sit in front of a computer and handle those endless leads?

Of course! That is where a virtual assistant can step in and answer those emails in a timely manner and with that personal touch those gurus love to see! Most email programs can forward specific emails to your virtual assistant as soon as they come in and eliminate the need for you to have to handle them at all. Many of the top lead generating system will also allow you to cc your assistant as well. Don't continue to be tied to your desk under mountains of leads. Let your VA handle this task!