Archive for the ‘VA QUICK TIPS’ Category
Check Out the Latest in Digital Cameras & Boost Your Marketing Appeal!
Friday, March 2nd, 2012
As a real estate agent, you understand the importance of great pictures. Oftentimes, people begin their home search online months prior to contacting a real estate agent about looking for a home. And what’s their main source of getting a good feel for that home? The pictures on your website or other real estate websites. In short; great pictures should be a top priority.
Now, as Real Estate Virtual Assistants, we work with real estate agents all over the country and have seen our fair share of amazing pictures and those that are, well, less than great. And, even though we’re not buying the home, we get a real sense of how much the real estate agent cares by these pictures.
It may seem like an insignificant portion of marketing, but this first impression can really determine whether a potential buyer will contact you or if someone decides to list their home with you. Think about it, if a seller sees bad quality images of a home you’re selling; they’ll think twice about how you’re planning on showcasing their home to buyers.
So, you may be thinking, “well, I’m not a photographer and I can’t afford a professional one either.” Hey, we get it! Everyone’s budget varies and taking the time to take great pictures may feel like a waste of time with everything else you have going on.
To help you get on the right track, we thought we’d highlight some of the latest in easy-to-use, point and shoot cameras. You may not be a budding photographer, but good quality photos are something everyone can achieve. Take a look at these four cameras that were recently reviewed by Entrepreneur.com. Choosing one of these high-quality options will take your real estate photography to a whole new level. Oh, and did we mention some of them include HD video? Your video marketing just got easier too!
Pro Shooter
Nikon 1 J1 ($650)
Credit Nikon for putting digital SLR-camera technology into the palm of your hand. The fist-size 10.1-megapixel J1 offers first-rate optics (proving that more megapixels don’t automatically mean better photos), the ability to grab a still image out of a video shoot and remarkable image stabilization and autofocus. Swapping in a 30-110 mm zoom or 10 mm wide-angle lens (at an extra cost) adds to the Nikon’s versatility.
Mighty Mite
Pentax Q with one lens ($750)
Roughly the size of a deck of playing cards, the Q is incredibly small for an interchangeable-lens camera. But fear not: It takes seriously big pictures. What’s more, the 12.4-megapixel sensor is capable of producing crystal-clear stills and HD video. However, its price can easily cross the $1,000 mark if you covet multiple lenses.
Best Value
Panasonic Lumix GF3 ($550)
Of the cameras here, the 12.1-megapixel Lumix delivers the best value and the easiest-to-master touchscreen control system, along with simple-to-use video tools. The fact that Panasonic packages the GF3C with a 14-42 mm lens makes it tough to beat for the price.
Audio Star
Olympus E-PM1 ($500)
Olympus packed years of experience building small, multilens cameras into the E-PM1, which captures solid–if average quality–12.3-megapixel images. It also comes with clever features such as an accessory port for lights and flashes. The big surprise: the E-PM1′s built-in stereo microphone records rich audio for its diminutive size. One bummer: It took us a while to figure out the menus and controls.
We hope this is helpful as you consider showcasing your listings with better images that capture people’s attention. A little money spent up front for a great camera can provide a surprising return on investment as more buyers contact you and sellers trust that you’ll do the best job in capturing the look and feel of their home.
Have an awesome day!
Carrie Gable and the team at RealSupport, Inc.are our “VA Quick Tip” columnists offering expertise in real estate marketing, technology and more. RealSupport’s office and team of 9 full-time staff members is located near Chicago, IL. Their successful team works virtually for many top real estate agents and brokers nationwide. Pioneers in the Real Estate Virtual Assistant industry, RealSupport offers marketing, branding, website and logo design, listing marketing, lead generation, technical support, transaction management, social networking, blogging and much more… Just ask!
Contact Carrie
Visit us Online at RealSupportInc.com
3 Tips for Powerful Email Marketing!
Friday, February 24th, 2012Is email marketing a part of your strategy for this year? You’ve probably realized that getting into your 
clients, past clients and future clients inboxes is a great way to remain connected to them. But is it effective?
Recently, Boomerang for Gmail analyzed over 5 million messages in their database to gather the most up to date stats on when to send emails, key words to use, key words you don’t want to use and how much time is spent on email everyday. Whether you send out a regular real estate newsletter, have a customized drip email campaign or take time each week to personally email your database; you’ll want to check out these ways to best reach your audience!
Time of Day
- Most people want to read emails before work or at lunch. After a long day in the office, the last thing they want to do is go home and get caught up on more emails. To be most effective, send out emails between 6-8am or 11am-1pm.
Length
- In their study, Boomerang found that the average person spends more than 2 1/2 hours a day on email. That’s seem outrageous, but when you break it down to an average of 147 messages in your inbox in a day; you’ll spend 5 minutes deleting junk mail and an average of 90 minutes responding to those 12 key emails that take thoughtful responses.
The point? If you want people to read your email, keep it short and concise! The minute someone opens an email and sees paragraph after paragraph; they loose interest and will most likely hit delete. Eye catching graphics in your newsletter and bold headings can help people navigate easily through your email without feeling bogged down.
Words to Use, Words to Avoid
- Oftentimes we know if we want to read an email or not just by the title. This can be the most important part of grabbing your readers attention, so you want to make it count! Below are the title words that attract readers and those to avoid.
Use:
- Apply
- Opportunity
- Demo
- Connect
- Payments
- Conference
- Cancellation
Avoid:
- Confirm
- Join
- Assistance
- Speaker
- Press
- Social
- Invite
Some of these on the list may seem surprising, but with a study of over 5 million emails; it seems these are the words that make people take notice or delete an email. So, choose the words of your title carefully!
I hope these tips concerning email marketing have been helpful! If you’re not currently engaging your audience in a weekly email, a real estate newsletter or customized drip email campaign; you should! These are great ways to remain at the forefront of people’s minds and when they have a real estate need; guess who they’ll call first! If you need help along the way, your real estate virtual assistant can help you get started on your quest to create an effective marketing plan!
Have a great day!
Carrie Gable and the team at RealSupport, Inc.are our “VA Quick Tip” columnists offering expertise in real estate marketing, technology and more. RealSupport’s office and team of 9 full-time staff members is located near Chicago, IL. Their successful team works virtually for many top real estate agents and brokers nationwide. Pioneers in the Real Estate Virtual Assistant industry, RealSupport offers marketing, branding, website and logo design, listing marketing, lead generation, technical support, transaction management, social networking, blogging and much more… Just ask!
Contact Carrie
Visit us Online at RealSupportInc.com
4 Step Guide to Staying Productive During an Open House
Friday, February 17th, 2012
Hosting an open house can be a fun and exciting experience. On the other hand, unfavorable weather, a popular holiday weekend or even coincidence can result in few to no visitors. If you’re hosting an open house that turns out to be lonely, make use of that time to your advantage. There are plenty of things you could be working on, and many of them may the things you have difficulty finding time for in the first place. (Does social media, blogging or lead management ring a bell?) You can definitely use times like these to work when you’re already working.
Lead Management
You’ve invested a good amount of money in marketing and the results are worth it. You have been receiving a lot of internet leads and things are going pretty well. But with showings, contracts, paperwork, leases, social networking, closings and more paperwork, how will you possibly find the time to prospect or work those leads? During an open house, that’s when! If you’re anything like the modern real estate agents of 2012, you more than likely carry your smartphone, lap top, tablet (or all 3) everywhere you go. These tools will especially come in handy during an open house that is receiving less traffic than anticipated. Instead of waiting for visitors to walk through the door, take some time to work on your Internet leads!
Get Social
With everything you have wrapped up into just 24 hours, one of the things you may have a tendency to neglect is your social networking efforts. This can range from Facebook and Twitter to even your blog. While it may be hard to believe, hopping on your social networks during an open house can actually be dollar productive. Tweet about the open house. Facebook about how slow it is. Talk about the weather and how it’s such a great day for home searching. With the amount of people who are glued to their social networks, you may have some open house visitors who decided to show up just from seeing your post. The key here is not to waste time chatting with friends or “creeping” as the youngsters call it. This is the time to take advantage of everything you know about social media and put it to use. Like a few pages. Comment on the post made by the local hardware shop. Let your community know about an upcoming event.
Market, Market, Market
Maybe the reason why the open house isn’t getting much traffic is because the marketing efforts fell short. Or maybe there is no reason at all. Either way, there is no harm in going the extra mile to make sure the home has been marketed effectively for the best results. Hop on your laptop or tablet and run through the different sites the property has been listed with and where the information has been syndicated to. Open these different outlets and have them ready to show the sellers when they get home. While at first they may be upset that the open house resulted in few attendees, they will be reassured that this will not deter the sale of their home based on the extensive effort you put in to marketing the property. To take it even a step further, take some new photos of the home and showcase its best features. You can even swap the old photos with the new ones on the various marketing sites to switch things up, and keeping the home’s online presence updated and fresh.
Reach Out
Watching the hands on the clock can be pretty exciting. Or not. To avoid boredom to the point of destruction, make use of your downtime by getting in touch with your past clients. When was the last time you reached out to them, anyways? Whether it was just a couple of weeks or months, it’s never a bad time to let your past clients know they are still a priority to you. You never know…one phone call could lead to a new client. It is a buyer’s market, after all, and there’s a good chance one of your old clients may know someone who is in the position to buy. And since they’ve got you on the phone, who better to refer than their favorite realtor (you)?
There you have it! There’s nothing better than getting work done while you’re working right? You can even take this “killing two birds with one stone” method a step further with the help of your real estate virtual assistant.
Have a great day!
Contact Carrie
Visit us Online at RealSupportInc.com
Coffee Shop Talk – A New Look at Blogging for SEO
Friday, February 10th, 2012
I was in a coffee shop the other day and overheard a small business meeting taking place. Now, I am not in the habit of eavesdropping, but when I heard the term SEO, my ears perked up. As a blogger, I know that one of my main responsibilities is to use key words throughout our clients blogs in order to organically boost their SEO. It’s a tried and true tool that works. (If you haven’t tried it, you need to!)
In the conversation, two of the people were part of the small business and the other person was their web designer. He was talking about the key words and links he was going to create for them throughout their new, custom designed website. I was impressed, this small business seemed to be on the right track with investing in a solid website that was up to date and peppered with SEO boosters throughout. I kept listening.
The web designer went on to talk about the company’s blog for SEO. “The website is great for SEO,’ he said, ‘but the blog will keep you at the top. If someone goes to Google, you want to be found on the top of the list.” Wow! I wanted to stand up and applaud this web designer! He knew what he was talking about and was letting this small business know exactly what it was going to take to be most effective in their marketing.
Sadly, when our clients are running low on funds, one of the first things to go is their real estate blog. Why? Real estate blogging is somewhat ambiguous, just like other social marketing like Facebook or Twitter. There isn’t a great way to measure your return on investment… or is there?
Did you know that you can see your real estate blog working for you? Try this: Go to your real estate blog and see what key words your Real Estate Virtual Assistant is using to boost your SEO. (Now, if you don’t find any key words linked throughout each blog post; you’re in trouble. Using and linking key words are what boosts your SEO!) After you’ve grabbed a few of these key words; test them in Google. Do the search yourself and see where your company comes up in the search engine.
If you’re not on page 1 or page 2; you’ll need to either up how many times your Real Estate Virtual Assistant blogs for you each week, or give it a little more time if you’ve just started your real estate blog.
Let’s look at an example. Our client, Oak Shores Realty, has us blog for them at least two times a week. I’ll blog real estate tips, community events or home tips each Tuesday and Thursday. They also have us blog their new properties that come on the market, market statistics and local news as needed. This has translated into major success for them in their Google ranking! By searching one of their key words in Google, Lake Nacimiento Real Estate, you’ll see they’re at the top of the list on page 1!
Have a great day!
Contact Carrie
Visit us Online at RealSupportInc.com
Do Your Online Marketing Efforts Inspire Trust in Your Brand?
Friday, February 3rd, 2012
Trust is imperative to the success of any business, and real estate is no exception. After all, people hire you to help them buy or sell their homes because they trust that you have the experience, knowledge, work ethic and integrity to do so. If you lose trust in your brand, then you lose business, and if you lose business, then let’s just say it: you’re out of business.
Part of our job as real estate virtual assistants is to help you implement more marketing efforts that will help you build your business. The main reason that we are successful at doing this virtually, not on-site, for all of our clients is because they trust us. They rely on us to guide them in the right direction, make suggestions that will benefit their business and get the job done to their standards. We’ve built and maintained that trust, and we advise our clients to utilize the resources available to them to build that too. This is one area that social media maintenance and blogging can actually really benefit your business.
Since social media is a platform in which your community can interact with you and ask questions, you can really utilize it to build trust in your brand. If you look like you’re taking the time to answer everyone’s questions, interact with your network and consistently post valuable information, then people will realize that you are a true expert in your field and you can be trusted to get the job done. Blogging demonstrates how knowledgeable you are about your field and showcases your involvement in your community, as well. If people who are looking for a real estate agent come across this, they will see that you are a trusted resource and that they can rely on you to help them through their real estate transaction.
These two marketing efforts will only help you build up trust in your brand, if you utilize them correctly. If you do them the wrong way, they can actually detract from your brand and make people question you. Here are a few ways that you can ensure that your online presence is building your brand’s trust instead of hindering it.
• Please check your work. As a writer, I can’t tell you how crazy it makes me when I see agents posting things on Facebook or their blog with a bunch of spelling and obvious grammatical errors. Sure, people make the occasional typo, but if your work is filled with spelling and grammar mistakes, it makes you look a lot less professional. Take the time to spell check, and your presence could start looking more credible and impressive to people who come across it.
• Answer questions and respond to feedback in a timely fashion. If someone posts a negative review of you on your Facebook wall or asks you a bunch of questions, don’t just ignore them. Take the time to address it in a professional, non-threatening manner. Answering questions does not mean that you have to plug your services. Answer their question as if they were just a friend asking for advice. Similarly, if someone posts a criticism or negative review of your services, then address it, but do so respectfully and if need be, apologetically. People will see that you do care about your clients, and they will respond well to that. After all, nobody has a perfect track record with clients, and it’s how you handle the negative things that show your true strength as an agent.
• Consistency is key. If you’re going to utilize online marketing as a way to build trust in your brand, then you need to be willing to commit to it. Communicating with your network as frequently as possible will show just how much you value your online network and their input. When customers feel valued, they feel that they can trust that you will do everything you can to make them happy in a business transaction. We know that posting to social media and blogging every day is a large investment of your time, but if you take the time to build the following, you will see how much it actually contributes to the trust people put in to your brand.
In today’s world, before people hire services of any kind, they hop online and look up the business or person they want to hire. Having an active online presence will publicly demonstrate that people value in your brand, and that will make others trust you, too. Your real estate virtual assistant can help you build your brand from the ground up, and they can also get people to respond and trust your brand through your online marketing efforts. After all, if there is one thing that you should want people to associate with your business, it is trust and honesty, right?
Take some time to think about it. Have a great day!
Contact Carrie
Visit us Online at RealSupportInc.com
A Positive Outlook for 2012!
Friday, January 27th, 2012
Whether people are just tired of moping about the economic downturn of the past few years or they’re sensing true change, it seems there’s an overarching sense of positivity for 2012… and that’s exciting! Of course just thinking positively is not a magical formula for boosting the economy, but it’s the actions that spring from a positive outlook that are agents of change.
A survey from The National Federation of Independent Business this past December noted that small business owners confidence in the economy had risen for the fourth month in a row. This positive momentum is just the thing needed leading into a new year with a clean slate and endless possibilities!
As a real estate agent, you are at the forefront of one of the economy’s greatest indicator of change; the real estate market. You’ve seen first hand the market ebb and flow and are probably the first to talk about positive changes that occur. You understand the importance of keeping that favorable outlook as you lead buyers and sellers through the real estate market.
So, how can you capitalize on this optimistic trend for the new year? Below are three ways as noted by Entrepreneur.com to which I’ve added a few real estate specific examples. Take a look!
1. Up your marketing spend. Money invested in marketing now should pay off in more new clients as the economy improves.
As you boost your marketing, you become more familiar and trustworthy within your community. When buyers and sellers do jump into the real estate market as the market continues to improve; you’ll be on the top of their list! You’ve taken the time to become that trusted resource for them and, consequently, you’ll see that return on investment many times over.
2. Consider a hire. It’s a great time to snap up talented applicants.
This is true for expanding your business to include additional real estate agents for your team, but is also true for all of your daily tasks as well. By hiring a Real Estate Virtual Assistant, you can “have a marketing team at your fingertips, not in your office” which means you’re not paying for additional overhead. As your virtual assistants, we’re here when you need us, which frees you up to decide when you need the extra help!
3. Move in a new direction. If you’ve been holding off on a new business initiative, now is the time to put it in gear. Get a jump on the competition before everybody catches on to the upswing.
Whether it’s boosting your marketing, creating a personalized listing presentation, revamping your website, tackling video marketing or starting your real estate blog; now is the time to embark on a new endeavor!
These three tips give you the practical steps to begin to turn your positive outlook into an agent of change! Keep the momentum for this new year going by capitalizing on this approach to 2012.
Your real estate virtual assistant is here to help you implement new initiatives for your business or to take on those daily tasks that keep holding you back.
Have a great day!
Contact Carrie
Visit us Online at RealSupportInc.com
Have You Mastered the Blogging Basics?
Friday, January 20th, 2012
Search-engine optimization. Who knew that these three little words could become so important to successful online marketing? Many real estate agents spend several hours obsessing over how they can give themselves the most SEO possible so that they can achieve the ultimate dream: landing on page 1 of Google. As real estate virtual assistants, we completely understand the importance of having a strong, SEO-friendly online presence. After all, several of our clients come to us because they have found us on Google, but our secret wasn’t hiring an expensive SEO company or having search engine superpowers. Our secret can be summed up in one word: blogging.
Yes, blogging is the key to boosting your SEO! Before you scratch your head in confusion, take a second to think about it. Google loves two things:
1. Custom-written content
2. Content that is full of keywords (that people commonly type in to the Google search engine box) that are linked back to relevant pages on your website.
Blogging takes care of both of these things. You or your real estate virtual assistant can write custom-written, informative content that your community will enjoy reading that also features important keywords that people in your area use when searching for a real estate agent. Many agents have a blog, but they don’t really take advantage of all of the benefits that this marketing tool can offer. We thought that we’d take a few minutes to remind you of what you should be doing when you’re blogging. If you follow this advice, we’re certain that you’ll start to see yourself move up the SEO ladder.
• Make sure that all of your content is custom-written. Several real estate agents hire companies that will post blogs for them, but instead of these blog posts being custom-written, they are one article that is blasted out to several other agents’ blogs at the same time. While the content may be interesting, this approach will not boost your SEO. Google places content that is custom-written above that which has been copied and pasted to several areas on the web. If you’re going to blog, take the time to write your own articles, or find a real estate virtual assistant to write them for you!
• Blog consistently. Posting one time every two months is not going to help you get to page one of Google. The more often you submit custom content to your blog, the more Google recognizes your site as having new information, and they will place your site above ones that haven’t been update in awhile. This doesn’t mean that you have to blog every single day, but posting an interesting article that you wrote yourself once or twice per week will be enough to get yourself moving up in the search engines much faster.
• Use keywords and hyperlinks throughout each post. While you want each blog to be readable and not have keywords placed randomly throughout each post, it is important to use keywords often. You want each keyword to be something that people type in to the search engine box when they look for a real estate agent. For example, if you’re in Boston, you will likely want to use “Boston real estate”, “Boston real estate agent”, “Boston homes” and “Boston condos” as keywords throughout each post. You would then link each of these keywords in your blog back to various aspects of your online presence. This is perhaps the most important part of blogging, as it’s how you start seeing your SEO improve. If you’re blogging and not using keywords or hyperlinks, then you’re not seeing any SEO benefits from your blog. This is an important step, so find ways to integrate your keywords into each post!
• Have fun! This is an important step, too! Blogging gives you a platform to show off your personality on your website and have a little fun. Sure, you want to come off as professional and informative, but you’ll also want to have an approachable, interesting voice that will leave people wanting to come back and read more of what you have to say. Don’t be afraid to switch up your posts a little and try some new things. It will give you more traffic, and you’ll find that people will enjoy your blog posts!
Remember: if you want some organic, easy-to-get Google juice, the answer is blogging. There are so many benefits to implementing this in your online marketing, so we hope that you will all start to take advantage of it!
Have a great day!
Contact Carrie
Visit us Online at RealSupportInc.com
2 Cutting Edge Tools for 2012!
Friday, January 13th, 2012Each year, new innovative tools come on the market, and 2012 is no different! Although it can seem nearly impossible to keep up with the latest and greatest thing out there, it’s worth it if you find something you know you’ll use all the time.
As a team of Real Estate Virtual Assistants, we enjoy being your eyes and ears for the latest in marketing and technology. Our goal is to help make your life easier. Below are a few new gadgets that may spark your interest. Take a look!
Cutting Edge Video
Product: Dot
Company: Kogeto
Description: A 360 degree camera for the iPhone 4 and 4s
Imagine taking panoramic, high resolution videos of your latest listing and sharing them instantaneously on Facebook and Twitter… Dot makes this a reality! This attachment easily snaps on to your iPhone 4 or 4s and, with brilliant quality imaging and two microphones to capture audio, you’ll create stunning videos with ease.
As real estate agents, you can seamlessly amp up your marketing with quality videos of your listings, your community or any up to the minute real estate advice you want to share. Dot comes with Kogeto’s free Looker app as well as Dotspots web service which allows you to share videos in real time on Facebook, Twitter and even over email.
Dot will be making its way to Apple stores soon, or you can order yours now and learn more on the Kogeto website.
Cutting Edge Presentation
Product: (Still in the works)
Company: Mezmerize Inc.
Description: A projector that’s small enough to embed in a mobile phone
Although this product is still in the works, we thought we’d let you in on this innovative commodity that should be hitting the market sometime this year. The goal is that this product will allow you to project images and videos from your mobile phone onto any surface!
Think of those times you’ve bumped into a past client who’s looking for a new home and you don’t have your laptop with you or you awkwardly try to scroll through pictures of your latest listing on your phone. With this tool, you can easily show off the photos or even video of your new listing right from your phone by projecting them onto a table, wall or even the ground!
This is an impressive, fun and convenient tool that’s sure to wow clients. Be sure to check out more information on Mezmerize Inc.’s website.
We hope this sneak peek at some of the latest technological tools has sparked some interest in how you can more effectively reach your past, current and potential clients this year!
If you’re looking for more ideas and ways to build your business in 2012, your real estate virtual assistant can help!
Have a great day!
Contact Carrie
Visit us Online at RealSupportInc.com
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Create a High Quality Blog Following in 2012!
Friday, January 6th, 2012First and foremost, happy 2012! I know everyone is ready and raring to go this year. Whether 2011 was great or downright miserable, it’s time to step into high-gear. Real estate virtual assistants have the grand opportunity of figuring out what the priorities are of many real estate agents when it comes to their social networking and marketing strategies. One of the main things they see realtors neglecting is a huge part of maintaining an active presence in the networking world. What could it be, you ask? It’s not Facebook. It’s not Twitter. And surprisingly it’s not keeping up with their LinkedIn and Google+ profiles, either.
Ok, I will tell you.
Blogging!
I know it’s hard to stay on top of your blogging whe
n you have 1,000,000 other things going on. Blogging is imperative in today’s real estate world, as it drastically helps with your SEO and can be fed to different places including your LinkedIn profile, Facebook profile and Twitter feed. Posting to your blog regularly will also define you as a credible source for community and real estate info in your area. If you’re already blogging regularly, or plan on starting, here are some great ways to build up an awesome following.
Turn Clients into Readers. Your current clients can be an excellent source of quality readers for your blog. In fact, your clients are the main people who should be reading your blog, and they will be the ones to pass the link to their friends and so on and so forth. Here’s why they’re great: they are already apart of your target demographic, they’re familiar with you, and most likely they know someone who could use your services. Once your blog is up and running, include a link in your email signature or send out a newsletter inviting clients, friends and colleagues to join your following.
Use Descriptive Headlines. A descriptive headline engages readers from the get-go. A headline that veers too far from the topic can leave your readers confused, or even upset when the content of the blog doesn’t match the title. For example, if the title of your blog reads “Short-Sales” but the blog is actually about how short sales are affecting the housing market, some confusion can arise. Although the difference is minor, it can have a major effect on whether or not someone actually reads your content.
Speak to Your Audience. Once you’ve identified your target audience, make sure your blog posts are catering to their interests and needs. You want the blog to be concise, focused and professional, while still maintaining a voice that is casual and inviting. For example, rather than writing a blog about foreclosures, compose a blog about the effect foreclosures have on other homes in the same neighborhood. This keeps the blog informative and specific, and answers questions of your target audience.
Stay Consistent. Posting to your blog consistently will not only increase your credibility, but it will also help you remain loyal to your readers. If you are posting once or twice per week, and then all of the sudden miss a week or two of posting, your readers are left missing something from their own weekly routine. A set routine will also distinguish your tone and voice, which your readers will learn to expect and become familiar with.
These are just a few ways to keep your blogging momentum going. If you ever have any questions about blogging, ask your real estate virtual assistant to help!
Have an awesome day!
Contact Carrie
Visit us Online at RealSupportInc.com
Join Our LinkedIn Group
Become a Facebook Fan
Follow me on Twitter
Getting Back Into Work Mode After the Holidays
Friday, December 30th, 2011As you toss the last empty carton of eggnog into the recycling, you think of all the memories you created over the past couple of days. Opening presents with the kids, reuniting with family and friends, a kitchen full of wonderful food. Then, a new thought comes to mind. It’s something you haven’t thought of since mid last week. Tomorrow it’s time to return to work.
As a real estate agent, you love what you do and are eager to return to your work. But even with all that positivity, returning to work after a long weekend (and no to mention gorging on mass amounts of food) and getting back to the grind might be the last thing you want to do. Returning to work means the holiday that we looked forward to for so long is now over. The freedom of little structure and having no set routine or concept of time has come to an end.
Of course after a few days those feelings of dismay and longing for another day off will fizzle out, and the normal routine of the everyday work environment will settle in. But what can we do to make the transition easier? Real estate virtual assistants want to make sure you are on top of your game no matter what. While everyone enjoys a little time off, it’s even better when we can make a swift recovery upon returning to what we love…work!
Here’s how you can accomplish it:
1. Time it Right: If you travel during the holidays, make it a point to return home a day or two before starting work. This will give you some down time to prepare yourself for what’s ahead. If you have been sleeping in for a few days, this extra time will help you get back into the routine of waking up early. Arriving home the night before at 11:00pm will not help your cause of being fresh and rearing to go at 7:30am the next morning.
2. Stay in Touch: Keep in touch with your colleagues over the holidays. While some people prefer to completely disconnect during their time off, others like to keep involved. It’s actually beneficial to stay in touch with work m
atters during time off, to prevent being bombarded with an unexpected workload upon your return. Luckily, our smart phones and other modern technology allow us to keep abreast of work progress while we are away.
3. Use Your Brain: When we have some time off, we tend to neglect some of daily activities that are non-work related as well. During the next holiday, keep your brain working while you’re off by keeping up with the news, completing puzzles and reading books. This way, your brain won’t be totally confused when you have to start using it again.
4. Plan a Weekend Getaway: Plan a weekend getaway somewhere in the near future immediately after returning to work. Whether or not you actually go is immaterial, but the concept of getting away will keep you in good spirits. If taking another weekend off is out of the question, plan daily, weekly or even monthly activities that will give you something to look forward to. This might be a fitness class, taking your dog to the park, or a scheduled lunch rendezvous with a friend. In the end, it’s these little things that keep us going.
5. Talk with Workmates: When you return to the office, swap holiday stories with your coworkers. This will keep the atmosphere light end friendly while you’re getting back into the nitty-gritty of things. Not only will this lighten the mood, but it will keep the spirit of the holidays alive just a little bit longer!
6. Friendly Reminders: If you’re tempted to crawl back under the covers when your alarm goes off, remind yourself of why your job is awesome. Your job is important to you, you’re good at it, and it holds value and purpose. You’re lucky to have a career that brings you security, fulfillment and happiness!
Hopefully these tips will help all of us ease back into the working life. If not this year, there’s always 2012!
Have an awesome day!
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