RealtySites PLUS is pleased to bring you new updates and features to our already great suite of online tools.

Please log onto our website for a quick webinar demonstration to learn more about our:

MLS Update feature: Now you can quickly and easily update your listing information like Price, Status, Expiry, Date, and Cancellation dates from MLS

Organize your Rooms: This new feature will allow you to sort the order you’d like the rooms to appear on your listing.

Content Library: If you want to add some great new menu items quickly and easily please help yourself to content that’s already created for you. You can also edit the content to suit the needs of your online consumers.

Email Template: Give your email a professional look by adding color to your banner head. Although this is not a new feature it will make all of your emails and incubation letters look great!

http://www.realtysitesplus.com/index.php?id=events

Stay Tuned! More updates and features to come from RealtySites PLUS!

RealtySites PLUS is pleased to announce  a brand new MLS update feature for our clients. You can now update your listings information and changes from MLS by using this great new tool. Quickly and effortlessly update Price, Status, Expiry date, and cancellation dates.
MLS update can be accessed by going to your Site Manager, and clicking on the Update MLS tab. Allow up to 24 hrs for the information to be collected from MLS depending on your board. Once you receive the information you’ll see all of your listings that need updating. Select the listings that you want to amend and click the “update button.” Voila! Your listings are now updated on your site.
Stay tuned for more great features from RealtySites PLUS

Rob Matton

Selecting the right domain name for your real estate website is essential to catapulting your new site out of the Google Sandbox and into the Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs).  So, here is my Ultimate Guide to Real Estate Domain Selection. Hopefully this will take some of the mystery out of the process.

• 1. Always choose a .com extension. .com’s are the Cadillac’s of domain names. I know it can be hard to find an available .com name, but the time invested in researching is worth it. Most people assume a domain is a .com, so selecting anything other than a .com can actually prevent people from finding you even when they “know” the address.

NOTE: NEVER select a .info name!!! .info extensions are cheap for a reason. They are notorious for being used by spammers and search engines are savvy to that and do not rank them as highly.

• 1. Try to avoid including hyphens (-) in a domain name. Hyphens make your domain hard to remember for the average person and easy to mistype. Another very important reason why a site should not chose a hyphenated domain is that Technorati and some other social networks can have a difficult time indexing new hyphenated domains. Technorati is a great way to get your message out so you don’t want to alienate it with a bad domain.
  2. Keep domains short, easy to remember and easy to spell. Check out this old but good article on selecting memorable domains. This is especially important if you are selecting a domain with either your name or a farm area in it. If your name or farm area is difficult to spell, nix it from your domain! A domain name should be no longer than 25 characters not counting the www or .com.  Now, if you can keep the words simple and easy to remember, you can make it a bit longer, but try to keep it under 25 characters if possible.
  3. Include keywords in the domain. Search engines love keyword rich domains.   Keywords specific to real estate are: your farm area, home, homes, home sales, house, condo, real estate, realty, rent, rentals, estates, etc. You can buy your name as a domain, but using it for your primary site isn’t as useful from an SEO standpoint.   If you want a URL with your name in it use it as a redirect to a site with more SEO pizzazz so you can leapfrog out of the Google Sandbox and the domain itself is easier for the general public to remember.
  4. Beware of including poison words. According to Aaron Wall of SEObook, poison words are words that are known to decrease your pages rankings if a search engine finds them in the title, description or in the url. They don’t kill, they just bury pages in rankings. There is a huge list of poison words so I won’t post them here, but outside of the obvious curse, porn, medication and disaster words, terms like “blog,” “forum,” and “hurricane Katrina” are considered poison as well. There us a long list of poison and general words to avoid in domain names, use good judgment when selecting a domain and avoid anything too controversial.
  5. Always check to make sure you are not purchasing a domain that is blacklisted by Google. Use this blacklist checker tool before purchasing any domain. Needless to say, many times after a Realtor or company realizes their site has been banned, they let the domain lapse and it goes back on the market for an unsuspecting consumer to buy. To check to see if your new domain is banned for having sent spam, check with SpamHaus. If you are banned for spam, you will have trouble getting your email delivered to recipients, so all you have to do to get your domain reinstated by SpamHaus is call or email them and explain you get purchased the domain. Much simpler fix than the Google one.

So, what are my favorite tools for finding a domain?

GoDaddy

I have to say the Daddy of all registrars is my favorite. If the domain you search for is taken, it will make helpful suggestions of other names you might like instead and their prices are very inexpensive.

Just Dropped

Oh, I love this site. It will show you a list of websites that were previously owned (meaning they had some name value to someone) and are back on the market. You do have to be careful with these previously owned sites as they can be blacklisted, but overall I have had good luck with this site.

The dreaded “Goober Call”…just the thought of it makes me squirm like a child waiting in the dentist’s office. Some of you may be asking, “What the heck is a goober call?” We Realtors have ALL experienced the goober call on many occasions, some more often than others. A goober call, my fellow Realtors, is when a Seller calls and asks you things like, ”Hey, why isn’t my house selling?”, “How come I haven’t received any feedback on that last showing?”, or – god forbid – “Just what the heck are you doing for all those commission dollars I’m paying you?”

Actually, a goober call is almost every call the Seller makes to you. The reason I say that is because most of the time the call doesn’t start out as a goober call, but turns out like that. Don’t get me wrong; I don’t mean that I think the Seller is a goober, I just think that the conversation is a goober call, and honestly, the goober is usually the Realtor if they get that kind of call. Why am I dissing my peeps, my colleagues, my own Realtors? Simple: if you get a goober call, it’s usually your fault. These types of calls can be prevented with a little effort and strategic planning.

“Terry, how can we avoid goober calls?” I’m glad you asked! The first way to prevent goober calls is to ALWAYS do a listing presentation using proper presentation software (like PowerPoint). Yes, I said ALWAYS. A good listing presentation is invaluable to you as a Realtor. First, it should set out all the parameters with regards to marketing efforts, advertising, communication and feedback systems, and how your client will use your systems. You must explain your processes, commissions and any other ancillary services you may offer. The key is to never over-promise and under-deliver. If you say you’ll communicate feedback from every showing, you’d better darn well do it.

Another strategy I use in my business is to send the Sellers a `Stats Update’ letter every two weeks. This letter should explain to them what the current market conditions are, what comparable homes have recently sold or been listed, and how many web hits MLS and your website have generated. By giving the Seller this information BEFORE they ask for it or even want it you eliminate the goober call. On opposite weeks to the stats update letter, send a marketing update letter and include PDF`s of any ad or marketing piece. Let them know where and when their home will be exposed to the market. Also, send them all the listing and selling documents via email so they have the ability to answer their own questions before they call you, and the conversation turns into a goober call.

This approach has helped me greatly in my business. I’ve sold 100 homes every year for the past 12 years with NO buyers agent, only an admin person. And, I did it working only the odd weeknight, and hardly ever on weekends. That, my fellow Realtors, is what happens when you eliminate the goober call.

As John Lennon so eloquently penned, “It’s another year over and a new one just begun…”, but now what? For starters, let’s all hope the economy continues to improve so we can enjoy a prosperous New Year. These are great words of inspiration and, quite possibly, just wishful thinking – unless you actually have an action plan to implement what’s necessary to make 2010 prosperous.

I can’t tell you how many friends and associates have told me they’re “cautiously optimistic” about the financial forecast for 2010, and I always ask them, “what are you going to do to improve your personal financial situation?”

One thing you can do TODAY, to guarantee more success this year than last is to embrace technology. I realize my message may sound self-serving, so don’t ask me why it’s vital to success in today’s market, ask one of our clients. They’ll tell you just how RSP has helped them grow and actually increase their business, despite the economic challenges we’ve faced over the last 18 months, how easy it is to use, and how much time they’ve saved by putting this technology to use.

There is something to be said about working smarter, not harder, and that’s why RealtySites PLUS™ is garnering so much attention. We know you’re in the business to sell homes, and maintaining a website can be a time-consuming and daunting task for anyone, especially if you don’t consider yourself to be “tech savvy”.

Let RSP do the work for you!

Create an online experience that will drive consumers to your website and keep them coming back. Plus, save time and effort with RSP’s automated features, keeping your clients and leads in the loop so you don’t have to.

Let’s hope that 2010 is a great year for Real Estate. You can help ensure it’s a good year for you by improving your online presence and consumer experience with the RealtySites PLUS™ technology: it’s there, use it.

Rob Matton, Director of Sales

So far we’ve covered communication and conversation in my discussion about Web 2.0. The next point I’d like to cover is transparency.

Transparency is a term that’s been loosely thrown around for some time now in the real estate tech world. Basically, what it means is you’re not hiding anything from anyone, especially consumers. When you engage in social media and networking, you’re adding a transparent element to your business. You’re letting people see a bit of the “real” you, including your business practices, how you deal with consumers, and your personal life.

It’s this new element that fills many with trepidation, and keeps them from committing to social media. If you’ve got nothing to hide and are ethically conducting business and personal dealings, then what’s the problem? You have nothing to lose and lots to gain.

Another way of looking at transparency could be eliminating barriers to information, like having to supply a name and email address before accessing a special report – a point that’s currently hotly debated by marketers in every industry.

Being the gatekeepers to all of your Sellers’ listing information is not what Web 2.0 is all about. It’s about creating deep, rich, robust content and giving the online user the ability and flexibility to sift thru the information and use or absorb what they feel is pertinent.

That said, most Realtors® make the huge mistake of giving too much away without capturing any information, making it impossible to communicate with and incubate leads. There’s a fine line between transparency and gatekeeping, but by taking the time to find that balance you’ll realize there’s a wonderful, abundant world of quality leads just waiting for your nurturing.

To experience how lead generation and transparency have collided, attend an online webinar hosted by yours truly. Sign up now at www.RealtySitesPLUS.com/webinar. You’ll be glad you did!

TLC

Geekdom has finally come into its own. No, I’m not referring to donning a set of Spock ears, Klingon forehead, or light-saber and attending the nearest Star Whatever convention. What I’m talking about here is embracing technology.

Remember the ‘80’s Nerds movies? I never thought it would ever be cool to be a geek or a nerd, but it is. To a point (you thirty-or-forty-something virgins living in your mom’s basement: this post isn’t for you. You’re way past Geekdom).

In fact, I’ve become a geek of sorts myself. I’ve become a ‘net ninja, mistress of the dark arts of the web. An internet dominatrix, if you will.

How does one ‘become one’ with the web? That’s easy: you use it for more than just Google searches. The ‘net is more than just search engines and online encyclopedias. It can be harnessed for more than shopping at Amazon, Victoria’s Secret and Bath & Body Works. You can actually use it to make your job – and your life – easier.

How’s that for a concept?

“Wow”, you ask, “just how the heck do I do that?” And, probably more importantly, you’re wondering just where the heck you find the time to become master of your domain (domain name, that is). If you’re a one-person show, like a real estate agent or other self-employed professional, you wear LOTS of different hats. You’re webmaster, marketing manager, business development manager, assistant and more all rolled into one big, giant, jumbled mess.

It doesn’t have to be that way. A mess, I mean. Not when you have the power of one of the best tools the world’s ever seen at your fingertips. Look, if spammers can master the art of hacking their way into your inbox while legit emails are locked out forever, YOU can certainly figure out a few ways to use this tool to your advantage.

You don’t have to be a web design expert to build a kick-butt, lead-generating website with today’s technology. According to the National Association of Realtors, most people (over 80%, in fact) start their new home search online. Are you there? Are you being found? If you answered ‘yes’, then here’s the clincher: are you capturing your visitors’ information when they land on your website to nurture and convert them into an honest-to-goodness lead?

If you’re a real estate professional and not making use of the internet to grow your business and make more money, then it’s time to crawl out from below that rock you’ve been hiding under and get out your pocket protector.

It’s time to channel your inner geek and get the ‘net working for you.

Lisa-May Huby

Brokers, before you lick your pen or crack your knuckles getting ready to type a rebuttal, please continue to read. As for you Agents, wipe that smirk off your face, and just keep reading.

Now, before I start my rant, I want to explain why I think I’ve got the background to write about this. Let’s go back to before I ever got into real estate, and I was the client. The dreaded client. The client who probably had one of the biggest “goober” agents in real estate. To put it lightly, I’ve experienced it from the consumer side. Fast forward to when I decided to make a career out of organized real estate. I worked for a really “nice” broker who was the owner of a large franchise. Knowing very little about organized real estate I assumed all brokers were similar to mine, a nice guy who kind of flew by the seat of his pants.

After 5 years of working for someone else, I had the misfortune of getting caught in the “I can do it myself for less money” trap that a lot of egotistical high-producing agents find themselves in. Yes, you heard me right – I called myself egotistical. What I should really call myself is “crazy”!  Now I’m the CEO of not only a real estate company, but also a start up real estate software company. You’d think I would have learned my lesson already, but like I said, I think I am clinically crazy…or at least it feels like that most days.

Hopefully now I’ve shown you that I have the experience to see what’s in front of me from all angles, on both sides of the table, and that I have an unbiased perception of Brokers and Agents.

So, what’s with the title ‘Brokers…Leaders or Losers’, you ask? Before I get to the answer, let me preface by saying that NOT all Brokers should be painted with the same brush, and there are some wonderful, thoughtful, perceptive brokers all over North America. Brokers take note: agents need leaders! They need men and women that will lead by example. They need brokers that will think out-of-the-box. They need to be communicated to, educated, a corporate culture they can believe in, and a roadmap they can follow.

So, if this is what agents want, why is the broker value proposition in such disrepair right now? Let me tell you why: Brokers have a very unique and sometimes unmanageable position. Brokers need to lead agents who are too slow to adapt, who don’t like change, who are continually showing their lack of loyalty by jumping ship, and agents who, in a lot of cases, have no idea about work ethic (ie. lazy) and running a business.

Imagine for a moment trying to manage, lead and implement business strategies and policies with someone who pays you to work for you. It’s pretty tough to manage and lead people when they could tell you to bugger off and go somewhere else where they will be welcomed with open arms.

You’re not off the hook just yet Brokers: just because it’s hard doesn’t mean you should just stop and give up. A leader will persevere and do what’s right for the organization, and – more importantly – their clients. By not continuing to adapt to new ideas, technology and strategies, you become losers. You’ll lose your agents, clients and the respect that your employees and staff had in you.

One thing that really surprises me is that more brokers don’t attend events like NAR (National Association of Realtors Convention) or Inman Connect (Real Estate Technology Conference) to find out what’s happening in the market and what the pulse of the industry is. This is what your agents expect from you. A leader needs to source out what’s new and what’s hot to use or incorporate into their businesses that will improve their agents’ performance.

There’s another reason I used “Losers” in the title: Agents, wake up and realize that your broker is a loser…that is, a loser of a heck of a lot of money! Yes, there are some very profitable and successful brokerages out there, but I can assure you that for every profitable brokerage there are 20 or more that show little, if any, profit. I’m not asking you to cry over your brokers situation, but you agents need to understand the dynamics of a real estate company. Splits are being pressured, cost of real estate and real estate expenses are rising, and employees are demanding more and more. Never mind trying to keep up with technology and computer hardware. Hosting costs, servers, IT support people, programs, computers, wireless, colour photocopiers etc are all items that just came onto the scene in the last 10 years…all the while in the last 10 years splits have declined year over year. If you’ve wondering why your broker may not be leading you the way he or she should, it’s because they’re a “loser”.

All is not lost, however. There’s still time to fix the problem, and it starts with ‘value proposition’. Brokers must create a corporate strategy and proposition that agents see as valuable. Agents need to embrace what their broker brings to them, and try very hard to implement it into their businesses.

If you don’t like your brokers’ roadmap and strategies, then leave. Find somewhere else that will support you and provide you with the valuable tools that will help you captivate your clients and create great business for you.

Brokers, you need to open your eyes and realize that there’s a lot of technology out there that will help your business grow. I’ve seen very recently how brokers are closed-minded to even giving companies like mine the opportunity to share some amazing technology with them. And, quite frankly, I’m surprised that they actually believe they’ll be able to compete in an industry that’s changing so rapidly none of us can keep up.

Brokers, become a leader or you will be a loser.

TLC

In my last post on Web 2.0 conversation, I talked about how Web 3.0 has come and slapped us upside the head. I mean, we’re just getting used to Web 2.0 – aren’t we?

Moving on to the next in my short series, communication takes the spotlight.

Communication comes in many forms. We can use the telephone, meet face-to-face, or we can implement a strategy where technology is used. I personally like the 80-10-10 rule: 80 percent of the time I use technology, 10 percent of the time I use the other two.

The key to successful communication with clients is that you should always give them information before they ask for it or want it. For example, how hard is it to write one letter every two weeks describing what the local real estate market conditions are like, and what you foresee happening in the very near future? Once a library of letters is composed, you’ll find you can re-use the same letters with some slight changes. When you have the letter composed, add in a few stats that support your point.

RealtySites PLUS™ has a sophisticated lead/online consumer tracking system that tracks public/private views on your website. Sending a client letter every two weeks with specific stats that includes local market conditions will increase your value with the client, and eliminate those client goober calls that inundate you daily. RealtySites PLUS™ also offers an automated showing feedback request system where agents who showed your listing are emailed a feedback form.

If you want to blow your clients’ mind with current, up-to-date communication, start doing some of these simple tactics, and increase your value proposition.

TLC