Thank you Tennessee!

My trip to Savannah, Georgia for the Tennessee Association of REALTORS®  Convention started off with a bang at the YPN event held in a stunning art gallery followed by dinner with some of my favorite YPNers including NAR’s current YPN Chair, Brian Copeland.  It was a great way to meet and engage with some of your younger members.

I had a fun time presenting my session, Real Estate Road Warrior – you guys asked great questions and kept the energy up in the room.   As promised, here is the presentation-  Please feel free to share this with your offices and local associations.

Lessons Learned:  My favorite app mentioned after my class was GroupMe a mass texting tool that allows you to group your contacts and send texts out to the entire group without having to hand select who you’re sending texts to.  I use this app a lot in my personal life as well as business – saving me a ton of time trying to think about who I should include.

Here’s to your success on the road!  Please stay in touch and let me know how you’re using the apps and tools!

No Wonder it’s Called the Great State of Alaska!

I’ve heard it said that visiting Alaska is a check off the bucket list.  After visiting, I realize it’s way more than just a place to visit- I can see why people fall in love and stay here. Mind you it was fall when I visited, not winter.  I’ll have to come back in the colder months to let you know what I think then.  It’s not just the amazing scenery, or the abundance of wildlife (yes I saw a bear, bald eagles, otters, salmon, and so much more.)  And no I did not see a moose.  Sad to say the closest I came to the “swamp donkey” was this sign and these antlers.

It’s the people that make Alaska so wonderful to visit.  You guys are the salt of the Earth.  Not only do you know how to have a good time- that talent show was outstanding, the Salty Dog was just that…salty, and the way you welcomed Nobu and I into your association with open arms was as if we were family we had known for years.

For a smaller state association I’d say you’re very progressive.  In talking to some of you prior to teaching you were already embracing so many of the mobile technologies we discussed.  After the class it was wonderful to hear from four of you that you’d used ZOSH or Mobile Phax that same day!  Kudos to the staff and committee for choosing such an important topic for the convention and seeing it through the entire event.

In case you’d like to share my presentation with your local association or office here’s a version you can upload and use.  I encourage you to help spread the word about technology and how quickly our industry is changing.

Lessons Learned:  The trip wouldn’t have been a success if I hadn’t learned too- I learned that not all states (Alaska included) allows agents to advertise donations made on behalf of your clients.  Make sure to check with the Real Estate Commission regarding rules they have before you do any sort of advertising.

All in all I had a Boot Kicking Good Time in Alaska!  And for all you fashionistas that asked about my boots- you can check them out online here

Make sure to stay in touch-follow me on Facebook and Twitter. I’m always posting new ideas and technologies I hear about along the way.

My Favorite Mobile App

In my opinion there are very few MUST HAVE apps for REALTORs.  But this one is a must have for agents and clients alike.  It’s perfect for anyone who loves real estate.  It’s perfect for the curious neighbors, lookie loos and serious clients alike.  And yes, even for you REALTORS out there!  It’s the REALTOR.com App – compatible on most Smartphones.

The reason I love this app- is it never fails I’m driving a neighborhood and I see a house for sale and I wonder to myself- what’s that house going for…. Now all I have to do it pull up the REALTOR.com app and search nearby homes for sale.  Up pops everything in the area for sale- with the complete listing details and info.  It even has rental properties.

I admit I use this all the time- just for my own curiosity.  But it’s saved me countless hours of promising my clients that I’ll go back and “look it up” since it’s not on my list…. now I just pull up the neighborhood as were driving through it so they know 100% all the inventory.  It’s perfect for the investors who want to no rent rates- again i just pull it up right then and there to give them an idea of potential rents for the areas.

This app is so cool- I think we should all recommend it to our clients in our next e-mail news letter or facebook post… Just saying!

How to Make Videos that Rock!

So you have a video camera? Now what?  Learn everything you need to know about video from Easy Agent Video: what camera to use, filming tips, how to edit your videos, how and where to promote your videos and everything else you need to know to create a video that rocks!

This easy to follow online video course is AWESOME!  It’s perfect for anyone who is just beginning, or already considers themselves a video guru.  You’ll find about 15 hours of video that walks you through step by step “how to” create and promote your videos.  You can watch these videos in any order (depending on where you are in the process) and at any time.

In full disclosure, Michale Krisa – from That Interview Guy and Real Estate Unplugged is one of my dear friends- No he’s not paying me to promote this for him.  I personally “took” this course and I learned a ton- I know anyone reading this post will too! Good news is – he’s passing on a $100 discount to all of you who sign up through my link http://easyagentvideo.com/shannon

Check it out- at http://easyagentvideo.com you’ll love it!

Get Your Own App

Your clients are going mobile – Are You?  As Realtors we need to be where  our clients are – their smart phones.  Now you can get your own iPhone/Android App – even better for cheap.  Checkout this crazy cool tool- Swebapps, a create your own Mobile App.  It’s easy to use and a great way to connect with your clients in a new medium.

If you can create property fliers, you can create your own app. Swebapps has an easy to use online interface.   You build your app online in a matter of minutes using their wide selection of already created designs or you can upload your own.   With 19 pre-created categories you can integrate everything from maps, podcasts to up coming events into your app.  Check out their feature options here.

Once it’s built you can test it before you purchase it.  It’s relatively inexpensive at a onetime development fee of $399 and $29/mo to host.  You can even have them design a custom app for you and integrate IDX into your app. This does cost a bit more money- but it will totally stand out from the generic real estate apps like Smarter Agent or Agent Intouch.  Both of which are good- but you’re not in control of the design features and they have pretty basic features.

Wow, this world is changing fast.  Are you ahead of the curve?  With Swebapps you will be!

Facebook Must Have

Want to prewrite and schedule your Facebook posts?  We’re all busy and don’t have time to be on Facebook everyday.  But you can connect with your clients daily or every other day by planning ahead and utilizing  Roost’s Publishing Tool.

Imagine one day a week spending about an hour uploading that week’s posts ahead of time.  This way when you get slammed with showings, writing offers and inspections you don’t have an excuse for not “being in touch” on Facebook.

Of course I get asked the age old question, what do I post?  I recommend taking the local newspaper and circling all the real estate, mortgage and local events as you read it each day.  Then on your chosen post day, say Monday you can post all last week’s interesting articles.  You can always resort to the NAR housing statistics, or articles from www.houselogic.com too.  I do think it’s important to post humorus personal posts in there as well.

So checkout the Publisher Tool on Roost!  For those planners out there I think you’ll like it.  Oh and Roost has a great Real Estate Tab to boot… While you’re there play around with it too.

Agent Ratings

What do your clients really think of you?  Client Ratings are all the rage- and a great way to gain more business. In today’s world of transparency your future clients want to know everything they can about you.  Why not give it to them, by utilizing a rating service like QSC.

The way it works is after your clients buy/sell a home with you a survey is sent out by QSC asking your clients to rate their experience in working with you. This information is calculated with all your other results into an overall customer satisfaction rating.  You can publish your ratings to your website/blog for all your clients to see, giving you that extra credibility.

The best part of QSC is you get automated, honest feed back from your clients on what they really thought about working with you.  Allowing you to make improvements for all your future clients.

Think Yelp or LinkedIn reviews- the great thing about using a service like QSC is they do all the work for you.  You don’t have to go out of your way to ask for the reviews.  Just tell your clients up front that you use a service like QSC to ensure a high quality of service, and you hope that when your client’s find their perfect home they’ll give you a great review. This way they are prepared for it and will be happy to sing you praises.

Check it out and let me know what you think.  If you’re not encouraging reviews about your services, just think what your clients are posting out there without you even knowing about it!

Here’s to High Ratings.

Never Get a Real Job

Never Get A Real Job!!  As Realtors we don’t work for the “man.”  We create our own destiny.  This is an exciting interview with a unique perspective from a young entrepreneur on just that.

The reason I’m sharing this interview with you is while it is focused on Gen Y we can all learn from this 20 minute podcast.  In today’s economic uncertainty no ones’ “job” is safe – except the one you create for yourself.  In this interview you’ll find the tips he highlights in his book.  Listen to MP3 of interview here! BTW I got this from my favorite marking blog – John Jantsch’s Ducttape Marketing on Dec. 29th.

Highlights from the interview:
-You don’t have to invent something to be great- take a business that already exists and set yourself apart from your competition. (Think Real Estate – this is what successful agents do!)

-Starting a Business with limited resources- identifying your “burn rate.”  How long do you continue on the path you’re on until you make significant changes that generate more income?

-Identify the idea, the tools, the business model and how to generate revenue. It’s simple, and not a convoluted business plan – just be unique.

-Use “online” to drive “offline”  and fuse the two of them.

-Go to basics!  Keep is simple stupid.

-The Golden Bullet – Strategic Partnerships!  Using someone elses sales people… Get them to sell for you!  (Think about inspectors, painters, plumbers, any and EVERYONE you send business to – incentivize them to send business to you!

Just listening to this interview invigorates me – changes my mindset and makes me excited to look at our business in a new way!    Now it’s time for me to read the book

Never Get a Real Job by Scott Gerber.

Mobile App Idea

Best idea so far of 2011!  We are always looking for new ways to attract business and make a few dollars while we’re at it.  Checkout how one agent is going MOBILE with her neighborhood idea and attracting media attention and making money!  It’s a must read for all of us who need inspiring! (read article)

What strikes me most about this young entrepreneur is her ability to take her love for her city and make money with it.  She’s added an mobile app in the mix- which is where this world is heading.

What inspires you? Start a Facebook community page around it. Or skip that and go straight to the mobile app. Maybe you can spark interest from others with the same passion as you… who knows you could pick up a few clients and make some money on the side!