Market Yourself Using Web 2.0

WEB 2.0 refers to second generation web-based services that let people collaborate and share online.

"A powerful global conversation has begun. Through the internet, people are discovering and inventing new ways to share knowledge with blinding speed. As a direct result, markets are getting smarter- and getting smarter and faster than most companies."-- Cluetrain Manifesto.

VISIT MY NEW WEB 2.0 INSTRUCTIONAL WEBSITE!

Does REALTOR.COM Make a Difference?... YES!!!

Century 21 United has entered into an agreement with REALTOR.COM to create a HUGE benefit for our agents. Using the Realtor Showcase and other features available, YOUR LISTINGS WILL STAND OUT for all the rest!

Watch this quick video.



Now take a look at WHY THIS MATTERS!!

Get the Picture! (Actually.. get 25 pictures)

We are doing everything possible to strengthen our presence on Realtor.com... and IT'S WORKING! We are seeing great results. We need your help. Rather, HELP US HELP YOU.

Want to get to the top of realtor.com searches? MAKE SURE YOU HAVE 25 pictures. You should already have the maximum 16 pictures on the MLS. Now you need to go into realtor.com and add 9 more. IT's THAT SIMPLE!

If you need assistance, contact me and I will help.

Increase Your Business with Social Networking

Bottom line - If you are not using the internet to network then you are WAY BEHIND! I don't want to be mean but isn't it TIME TO GET WITH THE PROGRAM? I mean really. I understand that as a salesperson I have to make at least 20 contacts per day. I know that I need to meet people and let others know that I am in the real estate business. The internet makes it sooo easy to network with people anywhere in the world.

Seriously ... within 2 weeks of setting up my facebook account, I made contact with a buyer and the transaction closed within 3 weeks. IT WORKS.

Here are a couple of videos that will help you understand social networking.

Unlocking the FRONTDOOR for Buyers

Do you know what I love about working with CENTURY 21 UNITED? EVERYTHING!!! It's is so easy to blog a topic-a-day because everyday I find something really cool to use. Today's (re)discovery is FRONTDOOR.COM. This is an awesome website powered by HGTV. CENTURY 21 has a business arrangement with HGTV for advertising and listing distribution. THAT'S RIGHT! Every listing is automatically uploaded to Frontdoor.com.





If you have not visited Frontdoor, you should. In fact you should subscribe. Everyday you will find great articles and features that will help you with your business. Keep in mind that this site targets consumers. Use the ideas and marketing expertise to your advantage. FOR EXAMPLE: Today's featured article is a "Step-by-step guide for buying your first home"

SOUND LIKE SOMETHING YOU CAN USE??? YOU BETCHA!

One thing I have learned in business is that I have to EARN THE RIGHT TO COMPLAIN. What I mean is... I cannot ever complain until I have used every tool and resource available. When I have tried EVERYTHING with no success, then I can complain. CENTURY 21 always provides new and innovative tools... New resources and training... In short, they make it very hard to earn the right to complain.

I suggest logging into 21online and downloading the new marketing presentation (Available in the Virtual Presentation Library) You will find info about Frontdoor.com and TONS of other stuff. I promise to give more information about 21online, VPL, Frontdoor and other super-cool stuff. Just check back tomorrow! See ya later.

DON'T FIGHT THE INTERNET!

Web 2.0 is a term that leaves a lot of us saying.. "Huh??"

Tim O'Reilly regards Web 2.0 as business embracing the web as a platform and using its strengths. O'Reilly considers that Eric Schmidt's abridged slogan, don't fight the Internet, encompasses the essence of Web 2.0 In layman terms
"Internet Good. Fight Internet Bad."
We all agree that REALTOR.COM is awesome and great for internet exposure. CENTURY21.COM is great too! However, there are tons of opportunities that we are missing!

For Instance... CRAIGSLIST! Before you pass jugement read this:

The site serves over nine billion page views per month, putting it in 47th place overall among web sites world wide, ninth place overall among web sites in the United States to over thirty million unique visitors. With over thirty million new classified advertisements each month, Craigslist is the leading classifieds service in any medium.

With this kind of exposure, shouln't EVERY LISTING be on Craigslist? Why NOT? It's FREE an OH SO EASY!

If you want to place snazzy full color flyers on Craigslist just go to one of these sites:

POSTLETS.COM
VFLYER.COM

These sites will help you create listing ads for Craigslist and AUTOMATICALLY post to :
Trulia,Oodle,Google Base,Vast,Yahoo! Real Estate, Zillow, Geebo, OLX, HotPads, DotHomes, Backpage, Lycos (via Oodle), Cyberhomes/AOL, FrontDoor

You can also create cool ads to post at CRAIGSLISTEDITOR.COM
DO IT AND WATCH YOUR BUSINESS EXPLODE!!

A Little More on Video Hosting

The past two entries have been talking about the importance of getting into blogging and video. I intend to add podcasting to the list but that is for another time. I ran across this great site:Inman News said this about Zipvo: ZIPVO.com launched a year ago as a database of real estate videos accessible by ZIP Code or town. Realtors can upload videos to the site for free, embedding them in IDX-compliant MLS listings or in social networking sites like ActiveRain, Twitter, and Facebook. Making videos and photo tours embeddable and searchable is the key to helping consumers find them.
Get on board, or get left behind... It's up to you. Contact me and I will help you ge started.

Start Blogging or DIE!

Well... you probably won't die, but your business will suffer and you will be sad. You have to admit, "Start Blogging or DIE!" is much more captivating as a title than "Start Blogging or Be Sad."

Oh... I am sure there are tons of questions: Why Should I Blog? How Do I blog? What do I blog? But before you get all Blogged down (hehe) with questions, let me assure you... It's not difficult.

I have a blogging class that will get you on the blogging track immediately. Soon you will be setting yourself up as the "go-to" realtor in your community or farm area. You will be landing on the front pages of Yahoo and Google. You will be the envy of your Non-blogging peers.

Contact me ASAP to schedule your blogging class. In the meantime, take a look at the video below that gives a nice, simple explanation to the question "what is a blog?"

Why Video Listings?? Because IT'S AWESOME!!

Ok guys... this is the deal. It's time to start getting with the times and start thinking like a consumer instead of like a Realtor. As a consumer I would LOVE to see video listings... and I do not think I am alone. According to NAR, the average age of a homebuyer is 39. And since I am.. ahem... very close to this age bracket, I think I have a good idea of what the average Joe Consumer wants to see.

The sad thing is that there are agents that still do not do a virtual tour for every listing... and now we are talking about video. Yeah, Grandpa.. they have moving pictures now!

Talk about differentiating yourself from the competition!!!

DONT WAIT! Go out and buy a Flip Video Camera (about $120) and take videos of your listings.
Upload them to YOU TUBE, embed them into websites, blogs, REALTOR.COM(see last post)

ASTOUND YOUR FRIENDS! IMPRESS YOUR CLIENTS! LAP THE COMPETITION! ATTRACT MORE BUYERS!!

OK... So you are not sure how to do it. NO PROBLEM. Just Contact me and I will help!

Century 21 United and Realtor.com

This week we rolled out the new realtor.com program. Our agents will now have the ability to showcase listings and gain awesome exposure. Realtor.com is the #1 Real Estate Website in the United States. They had over 9 million unique users in the last quarter and capture 84% of buyers hitting the internet.

We are learning the secrets of maximizing the benefits and how to get to the top of the searches on the site. Some agents have already already benefited from the enhanced program. We are reaching MORE BUYERS and MORE SELLERS than EVER BEFORE!!!

When the market gets tough... the tough work smarter. Enhanced Realtor.com and the new Century 21 IDX. (more on this later) will put our agents WAY ahead of the competition.

Click on Image To Enlarge

Sales Training that Addresses the Entire Sales Process

When you are starting a career in real estate, or any sales field for that matter, you cannot afford to sell yourself short when it comes to SALES TRAINING. Getting a real estate license does not a sales person make. However, through learning and applying the right sales practices, you will quickly become successful and rise to the top of yoru field.

Simply put, your sale doesn’t start with a sales call and end with the close. It starts with prospecting and ends with repeat business and referrals. And in fact, the earlier portions are usually more important – and determine the success of – the close.
So shouldn’t your sales training cover the whole sales process?
We teach the GOLD STANDARD Selling System as a series of specific, linked steps proven to help salespeople move through the entire sales cycle in a way that tackles and overcomes real-world selling challenges.
With GOLD STANDARD Sales Training you will learn:
· How to set and achieve goals in any market
· How to both target and attract the right people
· How to Develop and Execute world-class listing and buyer presentations
· How to maximize floor duty with “no-fail” lead conversion methods
· How to develop a strong online presence
· How to effectively market yourself in a digital age
· How to develop winning time and contact management habits
· How to maximize every opportunity with proven follow-up methods
· How to Negotiate Contracts
· How to ELIMINATE objections
· How to maneuver the sale from Contract to Close

In today's market, can you afford not to have this kind of knowledge. Call me at 210-693-0548 or email century21sa@gmail.com.

NOTE: I will tell you how to take advantage of all of this training ABSOLUTELY FREE!