Real Clues

[RealClues] #306: Holiday Edition

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Table of Contents: Holiday Edition
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1. CoachingClues: What's New from the NAR Tradeshow?
2. Welcome Notes: Wishing You a Happy New Year--New Goodies for 2008
3. Reprise: The Perfect New Year's Resolution
4. Increase Your Production with Personal Coaching
5. Give Us Your Feedback on this Newsletter
6. How to Subscribe/Unsubscribe

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1. CoachingClues: What's New from the NAR Tradeshow? ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The biggest surprise at the NAR Tradeshow this year was the lack of new technology. Nevertheless, there were a number of new products that can help you build your business in 2008.

If you've been feeling overwhelmed by the steady onslaught of new technology, it appears that current innovations are more about refining existing applications rather than the invention of entirely new technologies. The trade show at NAR was packed with vendors, but there was little new in the technology field. What appears to be happening is the consolidation of services among vendors. For example, Point2Agent.com announced that their syndication service now covers 30 different websites including Zillow and CyberHomes (which is the feed for AOL.com).

Here's a look at some of what's new for 2008.

1. Stazzle
The most interesting new technology comes from a company called Stazzle (www.Stazzle.com). According to the Stazzle website, their patent pending system allows you to generate "hundreds of leads" from just a few referrals. The system looks like a genealogy tree that traces where each of your referrals originates. Stazzle allows you to track birthdays, anniversaries, favorite ball teams, and favorite restaurants. More importantly, it allows you to track who referred clients to you and then allows you to mail or deliver your choice of cards, flowers, chocolates, gift baskets, etc for every holiday. The simple layout of Stazzle makes it easy to see who is sending you referrals while simultaneously giving you a strategy for tracking and generating new referrals.

2. A New Mashup from RealBird
RealBird.com has a solution for one of the challenges faced by single property websites (i.e. www.333ElmStreet.com). Normally, if the listing has sold, web visitors surf to another site. The RealBird solution allows your website visitor to view other current MLS listings on a map, provided you have an IDX link on your site. According to Gabe Gross, this new tool allows the user to share not only the single property website, but the related search of other listings as well. Gross encourages the agents to keep these websites active, even after the property has sold. Single property websites can be "emailed to friends, shared via social book marking, or posted on Facebook." More importantly, the links created through use of this strategy increase the agent's standing on Google. "Over time, as more and more properties are sold and kept, there will be a significant cumulative effect on the agent's search engine standings deriving from the presence of all these websites."

3. One stop shopping for television, radio, and messages on hold
For agents who would like to add television, internet radio, or XM radio to their services in 2008, Rainmakers International (http://www.rainmakersintl.com/) offers a number of packages where you can produce your commercial and distribute it using their media buying packages. The fee for a typical radio commercial runs in the neighborhood of $400. They will also assist you with the placement as well. This company also provides a number of solutions for people who would like to have an advertising message on hold rather than music on hold.

4. Video and Bandwidth
One of the challenges with using video email or posting a number of video virtual tours to your website is bandwidth (i.e. storage and how quickly you can access the video. A company called CoVideo systems (http://www.covideo.com/services.php) charges $95.00 per month to host your videos on their site. When you use video extensively and have high traffic to your site, your site can crash if it has insufficient bandwidth. The CoVideo system helps you to avoid that disaster. They also notify you when your videos have been viewed as well as providing a robust system for tracking visitors.

5. New Low Tech Products
In terms of low tech ideas, the KWNashgroup.com will lease or sell you a moving truck with backlit sides. This really stands out from conventional vehicles that rely on a painted message or decal to advertise your business. The back lighting on the ad makes the truck look as if it has a television screen on its side. It's definitely eye-catching.

Two other fun products are designed to minimize the dirt buyers may bring into your listings. One product was a door mat that had a picture of the property and/or the agent. No matter who walked into the property, it was clear which agent had the listing. My personal favorite from the conference, however, was from the Bootie Butler (www.Bootie-Butler.com). For less than $100, you can avoid having visitors track up those new hardwood floors or those recently cleaned carpets. All they have to do is to put their foot into the Bootie Butler, and it automatically wraps their foot in a protective covering. That's a lot cheaper than having the carpets cleaned a second time.

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2. Welcome Notes:
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Welcome to our new subscribers this week. Each week RealClues provides you with great strategies to improve both your business and your life. If you find this issue of RealClues helpful, take a moment to hit the "forward" button and send it to another friend in the business.

What's coming in 2008 from RealEstateCoach.com? Here's a partial list of what to expect:

1. My next book! It's been 3 years since I wrote "Waging War on Real Estate's Discounters." Look for the next book to address the issues you face today including how to handle a slowing market, a new model for 21st Century real estate, as well as the very latest ways to capitalize on today's technology. We're planning on a spring publication date.

2. The coolest, most innovative negotiation training in the business. Look for this to sweep the country like wildfire this spring. Agents everywhere will be using this not only to improve their skills, but to have a terrifically fun time.

3. Positive News for Positive Realtors(reg) continues the battle against the negativity. Look for a simple link rather than having to register. Give it out to your friends and spread the good news.

4. www.ListenandLearnRealEstate.com: this is the most comprehensive, up-to-date way to beat the competition. Rather than producing training CDs that take 6 to 8 months in production time and quickly become obsolete, we've moved to providing much of our training on-line. If you would like me as your coach and trainer, this is how to hear the best I have to offer for less than $1.00 per day. Best of all, you can listen on your computer, iPod, or MP3 player.

5. Our Really Awesome Women in Real Estate Conference will be held in Albuquerque, New Mexico, on April 21-23, 2008. This is by invitation only to women who hold leadership positions in the real estate industry. If you fall into this category and would like to attend, please email me at Bernice@RealEstateCoach.com for an invitation.

Happy New Year!!

Warmly, Bernice Ross, MCC, and Byron Van Arsdale, MCC
www.RealEstateCoach.com, www.LuxuryClues.com, www.RossdalePress.com, www.ConferenceCallTraining.com, and www.TeleconferenceLine.com

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3. Create a Better Life: The Perfect New Year's Resolution
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Every year most of us make New Year's resolutions. The exercise below is one of the most rewarding ways to keep you motivated throughout the year. In fact, it may cost you absolutely nothing. If you want to learn the secrets of having a "perfect day," click on the link below:

http://www.realestatecoach.com/articles_archive/art_createday.html

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4. Increase Your Production with Personal Coaching
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Looking for a well-trained coach who knows the real estate business? Our coaching team can help you increase your production and make your dreams come true! Send an e-mail to Shane@RealEstateCoach.com and we'll help find the right coach for you.

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5. Give Us Your Feedback On This Newsletter
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We want your feedback-to share your thoughts and suggestions, please e-mail us at Shane@RealEstateCoach.com.

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6. How to Subscribe/Unsubscribe
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Visit our Web site, http://www.RealEstateCoach.com to subscribe/unsubscribe to RealClues.

Copyright (c) 1996-2007, RealEstateCoach.com and Teleclass4U.com, LLC. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to reproduce, copy or distribute RealClues as long as this copyright notice and full information about contacting the contributors to this newsletter is attached.

Contributors to this newsletter:
Bernice Ross, MCC, and Byron Van Arsdale, MCC, Owners, www.RealEstateCoach.com, www.LuxuryClues.com, www.ConferenceCallTraining.com; www.RossdalePress.com; and www.TeleconferenceLine.com
Shane Bowlin, REC General Manager

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