Posts Tagged ‘blogging’
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
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
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
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7 Signs You Need a Break!
Wednesday, November 23rd, 2011
With the holidays just around the corner, many of you are probably looking forward to a much needed break! Whether you’re gathering with family or friends, or are just craving a few days of personal R&R, having a little time to switch gears and turn off the noise of work can be just the thing you need to get refreshed and ready to go for the new year.
Now you may be one of those real estate agents that thinks, “Take a break? I wish!” As Real Estate Virtual Assistants, we know that there’s a lot of hard work and endless hours that you as real estate agents put into your company. If you own your real estate company or are with a very small firm, you probably feel the extra weight of keeping the momentum going, and a break seems out of the question.
However, not taking time off can hurt you more in the long run! If you get to the point of being burnt out, you’ll have to take a much longer time off in order to recover and your business, co-workers and even family and friends will suffer. So, how can you tell it’s time for a break? Here are seven key signs:
1. Loss of Joy- If the job you once loved and were passionate about is now becoming a dreaded part of your day… you need time away from it. Being passionate about your job, especially in this line of work, is imperative! Your clients will notice and your work will clearly reflect your passion, or lack thereof!
2. Lack of Focus or Creativity- It’s impossible for anyone to run at full speed all the time. When you notice you’re not able to focus and solutions to problems seem to allude you; you need a break! Give your mind a rest and you’ll find a much more productive you when you return!
3. Constantly Feeling Overwhelmed- As a real estate agent, there seem to be a million things demanding your attention at the same time. High maintenance sellers, first time home buyers, showings, marketing, social media, networking events, etc… the list appears endless! If you’re feeling buried under the weight of all these things and are having a tough time prioritizing… take a step back! Take the time to look at your business from a distance and you’ll feel more in control.
4. Irritability- We all have off days where we feel on edge, but if you’re feeling this way on a regular basis it’s a good sign you need a day off. Whether it’s related to stress, depression or worry; your irritability can have an effect on your co-workers and clients. Be sure to take a break before you burn bridges!
5. Insomnia- Sleep is essential to keeping a fast paced and high demand lifestyle. If you’re finding it’s hard to fall asleep at night, getting fresh air during the day, sunlight and even exercise can help get your inner clock back to normal sleep rhythms. Take a personal break to do these things on a daily basis!
6. Health Issues- A good sign that you need a break is when you begin developing health issues. Hopefully you’ll see warning signs and take a break before this occurs, but many people will ignore the red flags until it’s too late. Stomach issues, regular migraines and not feeling well on a regular basis may mean it’s time to visit your doctor. Chances are, they’ll prescribe a much needed break!
7. Warnings from Family and Friends- If those that know you best and are around you the most are concerned you’re overworking yourself; take note! They may see the warning signs before you do and can be that voice of wisdom that you need to heed! They’re looking out for your good and it’s important to not ignore their sound advice.
I hope that you take the time needed this holiday season to relax and enjoy being with loved ones! This is a great time of year to unwind and take in a few personal days so that you can hit the ground running in 2012!
If you’re worried about the amount of work that seems to be piling up and feel that you can’t take a break with all there is to do; let your Real Estate Virtual Assistants know! They can cover your listing marketing, social media,website maintenance, print marketing, real estate blogging, and much more! Take that much needed break this holiday season and rest assured your work is in good hands!
Contact Carrie
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6 Tips for Effective Video Marketing for 2012!
Friday, November 11th, 2011
With the holidays right around the corner, many of you may already be thinking about what the next year will bring. Taking the time during the slower holiday season to really map out your business strategy for 2012 is essential for starting the new year out on the right foot!
You may even be considering some new avenues of marketing that will help boost your business’s appeal and draw in more clients. A great medium that is quickly gaining momentum is video marketing, and if you haven’t yet jumped into the video scene, this coming year would be a great kick-off point!
Many real estate agents have shied away from doing video for a variety of reasons. It may be a fear of being in front of the camera, not knowing what to create a video about, or just not having the right equipment. However, when done correctly, using video as a marketing medium can be just the thing to boost business for 2012!
Whether you choose to use an inexpensive handheld video camera like the new Sony Bloggie camera or prefer to hire a local video professional, here are six video marketing tips to help you get started!
1. Keep It Short- Don’t feel as though you have to have a five minute video to make it worth your while or to convey the information you want to share. Your video can be anywhere from a thirty second “quick tip” segment to a two minute video describing what you love about your community. Most potential clients will want a shorter video that allows them to get to know you a little better.
2. Pick a Focus- Make sure each video you create has a distinct focus or point that you want to make. If it helps, take the time to write out a script so that you know exactly what you want to say. Read over it and revise it until it’s concise and compelling! Any video you post that seems distracted or doesn’t have a clear message can give the wrong impression about who you are.
3. Offer Value- As a real estate agent, you are very familiar with the top questions you get from buyers and sellers. Using a video to address these questions will ensure your video is providing the valuable information viewers want to know! You can also use questions that your clients should be asking to help them prepare for the home buying or selling process.
4. Include a Call to Action- Many real estate agents fail to include a call to action in their video, which can defeat the purpose of creating the video. Even if it’s just a simple invitation to call you if they have further questions about your communities’ real estate market, they are at least left with a next step that they can take. This is imperative to encouraging them to take action!
5. Tag Your Video- Including key words in the title of your video such as your city, and what your video is about. This will help search engines index your video more quickly. You can also include key words in your video description if you’re uploading the video to YouTube. Help potential clients find your video more easily and you’ll get more views!
6. Post Your Video- Once you’ve created your video, you’ll want to post it in as many places as possible for ultimate exposure. Have a video page on your website, create a custom YouTube channel for your videos, post them to your real estate blog, and be sure to promote them Facebook and Twitter.
I hope these tips help get you started as you embark on this new marketing territory! Getting a video or two recorded before the end of the year will help you launch your new marketing and give your business fresh appeal with the beginning of 2012!
Contact Carrie
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5 Compelling Reasons You Can’t Forget Your Website
Friday, November 4th, 2011
While we enjoy bringing you all of the latest and greatest tips and tools for social media, we also are firm believers in the tried and true basics of online marketing! Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, a custom blog and other social media sites are all extremely valuable for marketing as they allow you to connect and interact directly with your clients and leads. However, they should never take the place of a customized, content rich website!
With the lean towards social media, it could be that your website has fallen to the wayside and has gotten a little outdated. Hey, it happens. The key, however, is to not let it stay that way!
Think of your website as foundational to your online marketing. Sure, people will flock to your social media sites, but they’ll eventually look for the link to view your website. They want to see that you’re on top of all of your online presence mediums and will be searching for further information on your real estate company, reviews, homes you currently have on the market, homes you’ve sold, more about you personally and other pertinent real estate information.
So here’s the test. Go to your website and look at it from a visitor’s perspective. Is it visually appealing? Are you providing enough information about your services and your community? How’s your bio? Is it outdated? Does your personality shine through? Are you social media sites even listed on your website? If your website is lacking in any of these areas; it’s time for an update!
Still not convinced that your website still plays a vital role of your online presence? Take a look at these five reasons why websites still matter as pointed out by social media and online marketing consultant, Mikal Belicove.
1. Branding: Since it’s your site, you set the design, which affords you the flexibility to optimize the user experience in ways that directly support your business model and brand-related goals. There’s no competition on your website, just a branded experience that you direct yourself.
2. IT and Engineering Jurisdiction: When you control your own site, you have complete jurisdiction over its code, hosting environment, page count, content, plug-ins and more. With regard to branding, here too you have the elasticity required to make small or sweeping adjustments at will, an advantage you don’t get with third-party websites. With sites like Facebook, you can change minor graphics and some content but not code, navigation scheme, server speed or the graphic user interface.
3. Content: Create compelling and useful content that speaks to why someone is visiting your site, and you stand a higher chance of that visitor taking action with respect to your services. And since web pages are virtually unlimited on a site under your control, you have ample opportunity to add additional content and calls to action in any way you choose.
4. SEO: If garnering multiple, relevant and highly positioned placements in the SERPs (search engine result pages) is part of your marketing strategy, a website is a must. When properly coded and managed, your site delivers natural and sustaining search results that drive qualified traffic to the exact pages on your site where you want visitors to be.
5. Analytics: While many social mediums provide access to data related to demographics associated with who accesses your profile and how often they do so, website analytic tools go much deeper. They can provide you with the type of business intelligence you need to determine in real-time how your online marketing performs and stacks up against the competition.
It’s apparent that your website can’t be ignored! Your website is the foundation of all your other marketing and should reflect the excellence and effort that you put into every area of your marketing and service.
If your website does need a little renovation or if you aren’t quite sure where to begin, let your Real Estate Virtual Assistant know! They can help make those few minor tweaks or the overhaul that’s needed to your website to ensure your continued online success!
Contact Carrie
Visit us Online at RealSupportInc.com
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5 Tips for Reaching the Millennial Generation
Friday, October 28th, 2011
Have you stopped to think how technology driven our society is today? It seems worlds away from where we were twenty, fifteen, even ten years ago! In fact, there’s a whole generation of people who don’t even know what life was like before the internet. They’ve grown up with immediate access to an abundance of information at their fingertips, a fast paced social life and are novices as quickly sorting through the best and most convenient path to take in any given situation. They’re call “Millennials.”
So, how do you reach this 17-34 year old, on-the-go generation? Since they are the next wave of home buyers and sellers, being able to capture their attention and speak their language is vital!
Two of the key aspects are to be mobile and be social.
Millennials aren’t tied to a desk top, but reliant on their smartphones, tablets and laptops. Being as mobile as they are will help you keep their speed. Being social reaches them where they spend the majority of their time and will help keep you at the forefront of their mind when they do decide to enter the real estate market.
Here are five main ways you can reach the Millennial generation with your marketing as pointed out by Matt Britton, founder and CEO of Millennial generation marketing agency Mr Youth.
Utility: Millennials are multitaskers. They have 15 tabs open in their Chrome browser while their iPhones push Twitter alerts and their Facebook feeds are blowing up. They don’t want their time to be wasted, so you’re best suited by offering tools to help streamline their day, as opposed to adding one more thing to check.
Keeping on top of your Twitter and Facebook accounts can help streamline their online time as you feed your blog and other social media sites through these hubs.
Entertainment: The average YouTube user spends 15 to 25 minutes per day on the site; we like being entertained. And since traditional media consumption is being turned on its head by streaming services, companies need to find a new way to get in front of their audiences and entertain them.
Having a custom YouTube channel for your listings and community videos will spark their interest and give them that visual entertainment they’re searching for.
Information: We are bombarded daily by information online, and one huge reason we use the web is to find more of it. The information you provide on your blog and other social media sites needs to be current and relevant in order for the Millenials to take the time to read it. They’re smart and will quickly dismiss any information they feel like they’ve heard a thousand times. They simply don’t have time for it. Fresh and pertinent information is key!
Rewards: Rewarding is most effective as a retention tool, and not an acquisition tool, Britton says. Offering a prize to your 200th follower might get you a few more fans, but they’re only there for the free stuff and not because they’re huge fans of your business. On the other hand, rewarding your existing fans is a great way to bolster their connection to your company.
Whether you’re offering an exclusive coupon or a prize, be sure to reward the existing fans who got you are past clients or current leads. These are your loyal fans who are most likely to stick with you and use you again in the future, unlike a fair-weather follower who only showed up for the latest contest.
Recognition: Be appreciative of your fans’ interest and support of your company (it doesn’t have to be monetary, even a “thank you” will go a long way). Branding isn’t just important for companies as millennials are all building their own personal brands, too.
If you have a current client who is showing in a local gallery; recognize their accomplishment on your sites! Having your recognition and interest in their lives will show them you care and show others that you’re a real estate agent who will go above and beyond. This will give them even more reason to tell their friends about you and your services, which could result in even more leads for you in the future.
Now, it may sound like it will take a lot of extra time and effort to reach out to this next generation of home buyers, but taking it a day at a time will go a long way. If you find you don’t have the time needed to reach out to this demographic in the way they need to be reached, your Real Estate Virtual Assistant will be a great resource in helping you achieve your goals!
Contact Carrie
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Become a Real Estate Icon with These 5 Tips!
Friday, September 23rd, 2011
As a real estate agent, you may not automatically think of yourself as an entrepreneur, but really, that’s what you are! You’re building your brand, clientele and entire livelihood from the ground up. While your business is similar to others in the real estate field, it’s up to you to establish yourself as a legit business and bring growth and success; and that’s a large task!
So, what are some of the key steps you can take to really set yourself up as a solid business, a real estate expert or even an icon in the field?
Now, you may think, “Okay, I can see myself as an entrepreneur, but an icon? I’m not so sure…” We’re all aware that to have a dynamic business means to constantly be pushing yourself to continual growth; so aiming for the status of icon in your real estate market or even on a national level can be just the thing to urge you to constantly strive for more.
Does this seem overwhelming yet? Well, take a deep breath. Becoming an icon doesn’t happen overnight and will take consistency and a daily committment to provide the best and most innovative service to your clients.
Recently, entrepreneur.com gave five great tips that will help boost you to that iconic level. Of course, I’ve modified them to make them real estate specific, so take a few minutes to review how you can take your business to the next level!
1. Start blogging- Blogging is a great way to establish yourself as an expert. You can easily provide pertinent information about your real estate market, your listings, home buying or selling tips and even community events. Giving people the information they want about the real estate market, their home and the community will keep them coming back for more. The more you blog on a consistent basis, the more people will begin to see you as a trusted expert in your field and in your community.
Not a writer? Delegate the copywriting to your Real Estate Virtual Assistant!
2. Market yourself- In being your own brand, marketing is key to your success. While you may not feel comfortable with self-promotion; it’s really the only way to market your business since you are your business. Marketing your services, your field of expertise, even your awards or recognitions allows others to get to know you, your values and what you will be able to do for them. This is just another way to establish yourself as an expert and give an open door to becoming an icon. Exposure brings recognition, which breeds familiarity and establishes trust. It’s just how our minds work!
A great way for real estate agents to do this is through a one sheet marketing approach. We’ve created this for a few of our clients and its been a huge success! A one sheet is simply a sheet of paper that gives a brief synopsis of who you are, your certifications, area of service, expertise or anything else you want to highlight about you and your business. They’re perfect for leaving at an open house, giving to potential clients and handing out with your marketing presentation. Check out this example of a one sheet we did for our North of Boston client, Sven Andersen.
3. Create Compelling Content- Whether you’re blogging, writing a buyer or seller page for your website or creating your print marketing material; your content should be compelling. That means sentence structure and grammar should be impeccable, and the topics or advice you are presenting should be up to date and interesting. Visitors to your website or blog will know when something’s just been thrown on a page, and that will send the message that you are okay with doing the minimum just to get it done. Why not show how much you care about your business and your customer service ethics through great content? It will help set the tone for your entire business.
4. Create Products- Did you know that real estate agents can have products too? While you’re not trying to sell them to make a profit, having products or tools to provide for your clients can help set you apart. It can be anything from a free monthly market report, to an e-booklet on 365 things to do in your community, an informational guide to short sales, a drip email campaign that delivers great tips or market news to their inbox, or a brochure you’ve created about your city. Giving your client or potential clients something extra is unexpected, sets you apart and establishes yourself even more as an expert.
5. Take it to the Next Level- Now that you’re seen as an expert in your community, boost yourself to icon by taking it to the next level. If you’re passionate about selling homes or helping people avoid foreclosure; do all you can to grow in your area of expertise. Begin to register yourself as an expert on real estate sites or other marketing avenues and network, network, network! Real estate conventions are always looking for speakers in a specific field and the more you put yourself out there, the more likely you are to have opportunities on a national level. Imagine how sought after you’ll be in your community after receiving national recognition!
Phew! This is may seem like a lot to take in and a lot of hard work; and it is! Reaching your goals will take time, dedication and a focus on the end results. Remember, taking it a day at a time is key! You won’t become an icon, or even seen as a real estate expert overnight, but you’ll be encouraged by those daily “wins” and as you see your business begin to grow.
Contact Carrie
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Beat the Clock: 3 Tips for Managing Your Time
Friday, September 16th, 2011
As a real estate agent, you’re fully aware that time is of the essence! In fact, the saying, time is money, certainly rings true as you deal on a daily basis with this ever-changing market. Oftentimes, your schedule is filled with back-to-back appointments with buyers and sellers and, if you’re constantly having to move appointments around or aren’t giving the time needed to your clients; a deal could fall through.
So how can you free yourself up to focus on the areas in your day that are most important to you? How can you avoid being overwhelmed by endless tasks that you don’t have time to get done? How can you better manage your time?
Here are three key tips that will help you approach each day with a sense of being in complete control of your time. Which can, in turn, result in a more organized approach to your business and further growth!
1. Plan your schedule the night before and hit the ground running- When you’re not in control of your schedule, you invite stress to fill the void. Set and prioritize meaningful tasks to be accomplished. Whether it’s an appointment calendar or a software program, the critical first step to properly managing your time is to organize and schedule your day.
Be careful not to confuse activity with productivity. For example, don’t just block off a couple of hours to make calls. Instead, set measurable activity goals to be accomplished, such as those 15 necessary phone calls you need to make that day.
2. Identify your time bandits- Once you’ve scheduled your day, the next step in managing your time is to recognize and modify old behavioral patterns regarding the improper use of time. Avoid procrastination in all of its attractive forms.
Having a planned schedule helps you say no to time wasters such as online surfing, personal phone calls, long lunches and chatty coworkers. An open door invites continuous distractions. Effective real estate professionals focus on task achievement rather than tension relieving diversions.
3. Delegate- Don’t feel that you have to take on every aspect of your business! Focus on doing the things only you can do and delegate things like your social media maintenance, listing marketing and real estate blogging to your Real Estate Virtual Assistant. This will give you more time to focus on your clients.
Although these steps seem basic, it’s sometimes hard to put them into practice. Yet taking control of your time will be refreshing for you and your business!
Contact Carrie
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