Oh..  and heres the video

Like many of our clients, Peggy exponentates her exposure by using youTube, Facebook (business and personal pages,) Twitter, and other sources to highlight her properties and get leads!

Marcia had us do a property specific webpage for her for one of her listings.  The page is at 600-cromwell-lexington.com .  There is also a youTube video on the property!  Take a look of this wonderful home for sale!

Stay tuned for more!

Sitting inside tonight as is WAY too hot an muggy outside to sit on my patio. (You should see the basil.. wooo.. Pesto next weekend!!)   Got Food Network on (great Good Eats on Cheese, Alton is GREAT.)   Unfortunately, tonights wine selection (an unnamed Chard) will NOT be purchased again!  BUT, some fun things to pass along, and after that, a visit for me to wine spectator to make a better choice next time!

We here at realestate-webpages.com and realestateInterNetWorks do our own testing and research… daily, but are avid followers of a number of GREAT sites on SEO, Real Estate, and Social Media.

So to get this feature Kicked Off, I’d like to suggest a few sites  for you to follow, as we do!

FIRST, Rand Fishkin’s SEOMOZ…   Folks, this is a GREAT site!  They have great paid and free tools, but the real gem is their blog!!!  The whiteboard friday videos are always GREAT!!!  With all the free stuff on the internet these days, I would (ooops, don’t take this seriously guys) PAY to subscribe to thier blog!!!  Rand and his team are excellent.  If you do SEO, Social Media, or Internet Marketing… this site and blog are an absolute MUST!!!!

Want some tools!  Who doesn’t!!!  Try best Seo Tools…

Another great site is the Social Media Examiner!!  This site is a MUST for those of us doing social media for our clients.  It is contributed to by a number of top experts, and has a wonderfully slick interface.  I watch this one VERY close!!!

In this arena, one would be remiss not to mention Mashable.com.  While they tend to be all over the place about technology, there are gems there as well, and they are widely recognized!

Other great sites?  Oh, geeze, Try Hubspot.   They have data and webinars and more that are incredibulitlity.  I use data they gather often in presentations!  These are a bunch of MIT braniacs that are absolutely awesome!!  They have an “off the shelf” offering that really doesn’t fit our market, but they do know their stuff!!!!

There are quite a number of great tools for evaluating key words, looking at your page to see how it might rank, and more.. so if you see one of our Webmaster Series post, c’mon in.. help out.. contribute!!!

Parham

parham baker -  making SEO and Social Media for Real Estate accessable, or at least.. somewhat.. maybe a little, a tiny bit??? UNDERSTOOD!!!

This post is about “professional” real estate internet marketing advise from non real estate internet marketing  “so called” professionals.

Out once again on the patio… thankfully, as it has been quite hot and humid here… too hot to appropriately muse and write. I’ts one of the first evening in some time I’ve been able to enjoy the sunset, a nice chardonnay, and do a bit of ranting and raving on Real Estate Internet Marketing… on the InterNetWorks.

So I, along with a number of my agent-friends, attended a “marketing seminar” from a group that touts themselves as the oldest, largest, and most knowledgeable real estate marketing consultants in North America.  

Turned out to largely be a sales pitch for larger paid classes they do all over the US.  BUT… our wonderful and oh so excited lecturer did have alot to say about social media and branding.   Wow.. have you heard this before… except much of what he said was dead WRONG.

This firm does WONDERFUL print and image pieces for their clients… and that’s what they are mainly trying to sell you, but they make some statements and NEVER NEVER DO THIS strategies that are patently wrong.

Just an example.  Our dear lecturer (whom of course went to great lengths to glorify his years as a TV anchorman) proudly showed a sample of putting a logo on Facebook.  That’s Facebook 101.   But it was a BIG DEAL for him to show this.  Then he went on to talk about how you need to get friends on facebook if you are a realtor (he cited proudly his 168.)  As my kids would say, “well duh.”  But then he said “NEVER NEVER NEVER add a realtor as your friend… they’ll farm YOUR friends!”

I almost laughed in his face.  HE doesn’t get it.   Folks, if you are the tech savvy person, you are the one doing the farming.  You understand how to get leads from friends and friends of friends on facebook.    From even those other agents friends!

Real Estate Seminar

He went on to say NEVER put a listing on a Facebook personal page.   Wow.. crazy.

In our next meeting, I will show you proven ways to use facebook, your PERSONAL page, effectively, appropriately, and profitably!

And folks, beware these slick presentations for classes and consulting, especially in the realm of the all important internet.  Why?  They are voicing opinions, not strategies and techniques learned by true INTERNET professionals.  Techniques that are tested and re-tested, and continually tested because things change on the internet, techniques change, tools change…  daily!

A reminder, I have written about “do what you do best, and outsource the rest!”  

That’s true.. YOU need to be in front of clients.  But when you outsource, outsource to professionals IN THE FIELD.   You don’t hire a painter to re-roof a house.  Don’t use a company that does rah-rah training courses and slick brochures to handle the now CRITICAL marketing tools, the InterNetWork tools.

Until next time,  cheers!

And folks, these are, I say again, critical going on into the new world of real estate business. Let’s talk!

So once again, on the patio… have enjoyed watching a baby mockingbird and bluejay take their first flights. Now the sun has set, have one of my favorite wines, Pouilly Fuissé by Louis Jadot, in hand, and going to share a few rather important thoughts…

We all know there is a shift in the marketing paradigm… it’s not about the same old ways of doing business…

here’s why.

1) The currency has changed.
2) The client has changed
3) The expectations have changed
4) The market has changed
5) The successful agent has changed

1) The currency has changed. You, as a real estate professional, used to spend MONEY to buy advertising. Now.. the currency is TIME. Understand that. You as an agent, must spend the time now, instead of the money, to attract qualified leads. It’s time spent on your blog, on your personal web page, on twitter, on facebook.. These are the tools tools of TODAY!

2) The client has changed… We KNOW that well over 30% of folks that bought a house last year found that home FIRST on the internet. The client now, more often than not, is a younger (25-48), a first time buyer, and using the internet. No question, this is our reality now as over 92% of all buyers used in the internet in some way in their home search.

3) The expectations have changed. Your client expects IMMEDIATE response, and huge exposure. If you get an internet lead, and don’t respond within 20 minutes or less.. you have lost them more times than not. A person using you to list their property, expects to be listed on virtually every major site that has real estate… for you to be responsive. AND YOU MUST BE!!

4) The market has changed. Our clients are more sophisticated. They can research who you are as agents, your firm, your credibility… and do this online. They find the house they want, and select the agent based on thier online research. Do you understand why Facebook, LinkedIn, and more are important? Your online presence… critical!!!

5) The successful agent has changed.. the agent KNOWS the shift in paradigm. Is willing to spend the new currency, understands how the client has changed, know how expectations must be met, and thrives on the change in the market place and marketing. The new successful agent understands InterNetWorks, and Works it!!

Stay with me here on the blog, and you will learn about each of these shifts..

]]> http://www.realestate-webpagesblog.com/what-we-are-doing/the-5-critical-changes-a-real-estate-agent-must-understand-internetworks/feed/ 0 http://www.realestate-webpagesblog.com/what-we-are-doing/real-estate-agents-do-what-you-do-best-outsource-the-rest-why-to-use-professionals-to-manage-your-online-brand-and-leads/ http://www.realestate-webpagesblog.com/what-we-are-doing/real-estate-agents-do-what-you-do-best-outsource-the-rest-why-to-use-professionals-to-manage-your-online-brand-and-leads/#comments Thu, 13 May 2010 01:01:45 +0000 Parham Baker http://www.realestate-webpagesblog.com/?p=162  Real Estate Agents! Do what you do best, outsource the rest. Why to use professionals to manage your online brand and leads.

A jingle I just wrote… If you have music for it, send it to me.

There’s only your time,
To make that thin dime,
Do what you do best,
And outsource the rest.

Hello my friends!

This diatribe is a result of teaching classes on Social Media for Real Estate Agents, along with a tad of SEO. It’s apparent that these folks (most with over 20 years in the “homes for sale” industry) are lost when it comes to the InterNetWorks… Some, will succeed at doing it all. All, will understand what they should be doing. Most, once they get their arms around how important inbound marketing and the internet is, will… and should, “outsource…” Hire internet professional (like our group) to manage that important aspect of their business life.

___________________________________________________________

So.. yep, back out on the patio. Trying an (insipid and unnamed) Australian Shiraz, and looking at the little herb garden I put in last weekend. Got my jalapenos, sweet basil, Greek oregano, garlic chives, and garlic all planted. Roma tomatoes go in this weekend, with more.. cilantro, thyme, and rosemary… maybe a few yellow onions. Then, I’m out of space and time!!!

But.. Follow me here… There’s a point to this.

You know, I could grow ALL my veggies and herbs and spices, and save a TON of money. Corn, zucchini, lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage.. Green beans, peas, mushrooms, bean sprouts, leeks, fennel, artichokes… Whew.. when would I have time to work, to write this so fascinating blog? (a bit of a grin there!)

OK.. do you think perhaps I should leave all that veggie stuff to the wonderful local farmers? Think maybe I need to be doing what I do? Creating branding and leads for real estate agents?

Oh… guess I’m outsourcing my food supply, so I can focus on what “I” do best!!!

I need to know what fennel taste like, what to use it in, how to present it, what the seeds are great in. I don’t need to grow it. But I do need to cook it.

You need to know what twitter is, how to leverage it, how to “InterNetWork” it. But you don’t need to manage all the twitter tools and links, growing followers. But you do need to work it.

Get it?

If you are spending significant amounts of your time on social media, your blog, your facebook, your twitter, your LinkedIn, your MySpace, your ActiveRain, your Postlets, your… the list goes on…

Then you are not doing what you do best.. LISTING AND SELLING REAL ESTATE.

And if you are not doing them at all.. you are missing getting those same listings and selling real estate.

This is somewhat of a shameless self promotion, but at the same time I think that as real estate professionals, you should understand. Would you roof a house? Refinish a floor? Why should you be expected to manage your internet presence, something far more complex.. and important, that the roof or the floor.

Make that thin dime, and work with a professional to make it happen for you…

On the home page of this blog is a place to enter your name for a free consultation. We look at your website, your social media campaign, how you are promoting your listings, what you are using as a marketing plan to get listings.

The consultation!

It’s free…
It’s outsourced…
It’s from professionals at InterNetWorks, like you are at real estate!

Parham

We hope you will take a look at her listings, and how she is using the InterNetWorks to grown her already dynamic personal network.  She has many years of experience, and is one of the most noted realtors in the market.

Here is one of her listings… a wonderful golf property in Lexington.
623 Gingermill, Lexington KY
Please give Brenda a call if you have a relo or are looking for a great person in the Bluegrass!

Stay tuned for more!

Hello once again my wonderful online real estate professional friends! I’m gonna rant on the things you MUST do to truly take advantage of your “inbound marketing” opportunities.  To create leads and listings for your real estate business, to be as effective for your clients as you can be!

I’m going to just throw the list down.. and over the next number of postings written here on my sunset swept patio (enjoying tonight a nice FootBolt Shiraz from Austria,) explain why each of these steps are critical to your real estate success!

May I digress?  I hope you all got to enjoy the Kentucky Derby.. it truly is the most exciting two minutes of sport!!!  I was fortunate enough to be at Churchill Downs for both the Derby and the Oaks the day before!  A bucket list thing each of you should do!!!

SO.. back to the 9.5 critical online efforts.  Trust me, we can and will show you why these are critical, and more importantly, why they are ordered as they are!!!

These are, in order of critical importance…

1) Your PERSONAL website
2) Listing specific websites
3) Your PERSONAL blog
4) Online classifieds
5) Your online drip marketing program
6) Your LinkedIn Account
7) Your Facebook Account (Personal and/or Business)
Your YouTube Account
9) Your Twitter Account
9.5) Other business directories (Google, Manta, etc)

 Woooooooooo….

For most of our clients, they see this and cringe.   That’s OK.  (whew, my neighbor finally stopped mowing.. now peacefull! A wonderful shiraz now done right!)

While this list seems somewhat intimidating, you need to understand how all these elements relate, how the “InterNetWorks” work.   All of those 9.5 connect to each of the others, to create a synergy that makes that all important #1, your personal website, create the traffic.. and if done right,LEADS.. you need!!!  Our research and testing has shown that priorities 1, 2, and 3  are where you get at least 80% of your online business from.  Most of the other efforts are in support of directing prospects to where you can capture the lead, gain the client, get the listing or sale…  again, in support of driving clients to your personal page, a listing page, or your blog.   LEAD CAPTURE!!!

SO…  Send me what wonderful wine YOU will enjoy tomorrow.  I’ll give it a swirl, nose, and taste for our next get together.  Let’s explore what will make your online effort.. fun, wonderful, connected, and at the end of the day…  

Profiltable!!!

A votre sante… cheers..

Parham

A bit too cold here in Bluegrass Country for a shared blog from the patio, despite a wonderful full moon that should have been savored outside.  Been working on my Kentucky Derby wager picks. Anyway, so, laptop in lap… sitting at the kitchen table (still a hint of garlic left from dinner in the air)  here we go!

Full Moon

The old saw about Location, Location, Location for real estate holds true in your online marketing efforts.   It’s all about getting found.   Getting Leads.  Getting Brand recognition. 

As part of that, we have discussed blogs.. and how important they are to getting you Location, Location, Location, and hence, leads and your personal website ranked by the search engines.  Of course, your personal website, as you know, is your primary lead generation source.

So..  blogs..

Blogs are about content.   About what you say.  About drawing visitors, keeping them coming in, and becoming one of “the faithful.”

So what does that take?

All together now, “CONTENT, CONTENT, CONTENT”

I have a client who had a blog that was just listings. It looked like classified ads done badly.   Well, actually, that’s what it was.

Blogs are about branding, about drawing in “inbound” leads, about engaging people.   OK, not to say you shouldn’t talk about your business, but it needs to take a second seat to CONTENT.

Talk about:

• That jazz concert in the park on tuesday, and meet you there
• A triathalon next Saturday, and meet you there
• A live local band you love playing downtown, and meet you there
• Why everyone should dine at the newest cabaret, and meet you there
• The change in the real estate market in town, and ask why
• Why you feel the arts in your town are growing! And join you for a play.
• The Spelling bee winner for the county. (OK. you don’t need to go to that, unless it’s your kid!)
• Your newest listing, complete with video
• That jazz concert in the park on tuesday (And.. umm.. yep)

Get it?

Your blog is your personality… as well as your business.  It’s about branding, about community, the InterNetWorks community, about engaging your potential clients online… and taking them to face to face!!!!   

Make sure your blog is “propigated.”  It’s linked on your Facebook, on your twitter, and that you have your RSS feeds set up. 

OK.. that’s a post for another time.. We will do that.

So, the full moon is wonderful.  I want to know which of you will be the first Real Estate agent selling 10 acre lots there!

Location, Location, Location..

Parham

Hello my InterNetWorks friends… 

It’s dark on the patio… the moon is in halves and dotted around with stars… a nice chablis in hand.  I just cleaned up after a home cooked (I love to cook!) cajun shrimp with steamed broccoli on pasta dinner.   Ummmm.

Out here contemplating what “I” got out of the class I taught yesterday… I often think I learn more by teaching than those I taught… learn.

One major topic was discussing the shift.. how you used to spend large dollars on radio, television, newspaper ads, direct mail..  and what was the currency.. MONEY.. MONEY.. MONEY. 

So now we shift to a different emphasis.. the online “InterNetWorks. “  Using social media, online tools, personal profiles, online classifieds, and more internet interrelated systems.

AND NOW, to have an effective online presence you have to expend different currency to be accomplished.  Equally valuable, and must be spent,  that currency is YOUR TIME!

Get it? 

You spent cash on newspaper ads…  Now you have to spend your time on Craigs List ads.  You spend your money on Homes Magazines, now you have to spend your time on Facebook.  You spent your bucks on bill boards, park benches, shopping carts, football programs, door hangers, post cards… 1000 ways to spend 1000 dollars.

Now, you need to spend 1000 minutes on your blog…

A far better investment in todays world of InterNetWorks…

Ok, so this is a short installment.. but you know, it may be one of the most important I ever post.

Friends… you aren’t willing to learn the InterNetWorks and spend the currency of them, your time…

Then just keep throwing away the old currency! 

Parham