How Can the iPad Help You in Real Estate

What is this new device and how can it help improve your real estate business? The device we are talking about is the new Apple iPad™ and it is changing the way everyone uses the computer.

As a REALTOR® it's important to have information available at all times. The iPad™ now allows for real estate agents to have access to MLS data, client information, email, and even contracts at the swipe of your finger.

Because of the web browser built into the device along with the wireless function, you as a real estate agent, can login to your MLS account and look up property and tax data on the fly. This feature comes in handy when you are out with a client showing homes and someone asks "what about that house across the street". You can plug in the address and access the MLS information on the spot. This is sure to set you apart from your competition and is sure to make your look like a true professional with your client.

We all know how import email is in the real estate business. You now have a way to view full emails and look at full attachments. This is important if you are meeting with a client. You can have contracts emailed to you and review them with your client on the spot.

Having all the right tools is vital to giving you the most success in real estate. The iPad™ will revolutionize how Realtors® do business and forever change the way information and communication is transferred back and forth between client and agent.

Real Estate Call Capture Giving Agents a Leg Up on Their Competition

Savvy real estate agents having started to display a toll free number on 'for sale' signs and other marketing materials. When prospective buyers call the number, they are greeted by an automated system, which is accessible 24 hours a day. In this way, real estate leads can be generated whether or not the office is actually open. This technology is referred to as call capture.

Call capture benefits both the agent and consumer with its simple yet sophisticated technology. A prospective buyer can receive information when it is convenient for them and the agent does not have to be sitting behind a desk waiting for the phone to ring. The innovation behind these systems allow real estate agents to assign multiple extension numbers to a variety of advertising material or property signs; these numbers will then provide valuable information to prospective clients when they call these extensions. By using call capture, agents are able to produce quality leads for both the sellers and buyers. Most call capture systems also allow agents to track ads so that they can determine where the most leads are originating from.

Call capture records every number that calls into the system, even if the caller has a private or restricted number. As well, the name and address of the caller can often be captured. This information helps the real estate agent to collect an accurate record of his or her caller's demographics. With this information, call capture can help the agent determine a potential buyer's demographics. If a caller lives in a middle-class neighborhood, a marketing plan can be developed that addresses the concerns, needs, and priorities of a middle-class family. The same applies if the caller resides in a low-income or wealthy neighborhood. With information such as this, the real estate agent can change his or her sales tactics accordingly. It is essential for agents to extend their services to all demographics. By using call capture, agents can also adapt their messages to reach all types of clients. Recordings can also be in several different languages, which further expand the number of potential clients.

Each extension can replay a unique recording. One can perhaps detail general information about the agent's services and another may relate specific information about a certain property that is listed for sale. Because of the flexibility and simplicity of call capture, real estate agents can customize each extension in such a way that they can maximize their potential earnings and leads.

A huge advantage to call capture is the ability for the real estate agent to know immediately when a potential client has accessed their system regardless of whether the caller leaves a message or not. Calls can be returned in a timely manner, which helps to establish rapport between the potential client buyer and the agent. Maintaining a strong client-agent relationship is essential in real estate. With a strong rapport, a client is more likely to work with a certain agent for repeat home buying and selling needs as well as refer their friends and family.

Call capture can offer a client more than just recorded information. It can also be used to provide personalized reports to various target markets. For example, a retired pensioner will have different needs than a first time home buyer. These reports can contain a wealth of information from renovation tips to financial concerns. Again, when the buyer calls the number, call capture will record all of the pertinent information for the real estate agent. This free report will show the prospective buyer that the real estate agent is a professional and an expert in their field. Again, the trust and rapport is established, increasing the possibility of the buyer purchasing a home through that agent.

Another advantage to this service is that it actually bypasses the 'do-not-call' list. By calling into the system, clients agree that they have initiated the sales process and for 90 days, the agent can call them until advised by the client that they do not wish to receive any more calls. This process allows the real estate agent to contact clients that were otherwise unavailable to other agents.

Potentially the Greatest Residential Rental Marketing Opportunity in Industry History

Residential property managers, leasing agents, and owners often show little imagination marketing their product. At the same time, since early in the century rental housing has experienced steadily declining market share as a total part of the housing market. Additionally, rental housing's market customer base has been notoriously transient. Because of this, the lack of imagination is not surprising and is perhaps even justified. However, the recent recession, consumer balance sheet improvement interest, changing demographics, lost faith in housing's asset value, and more challenging credit is set to potentially move rental housing consumers from transient to long term customers.

The prospective evolution / revolution of the rental consumer base offers an unprecedented branding opportunity. More signficant, this is an unrecognized branding opportunities. Investors who recognize and capture this event stand to increase profits, win market share, enjoy a more stable customer base, gain capital market attention and cash, and achieve a tremendous business opportunity. In some ways, the shift is similar to the rise of big box retailers beginning in the 50s and extending to today. Prior to World War II, the consumer did not have the buying power or the interest in the variety of products that the returning GIs from the war would create. The businesses that recognized the shift made billions.

How will rental real estate owners capitalize on this opportunity? First, recognizing that the opportunity is a branding opportunity where consumers are looking for providers delivering consistent high quality results. Plan on rising consumer performance expectations where high quality management, accounting, maintenance, and customer service are assumed. Focus on creating consistent capture and service features that consumers perceive as increasing their quality of life, providing value alternatives, and showing loyalty to them. Clean, consistent, brand focused delivery like large brands such as McDonald's, Best Buy, etc. may become part of the market for winning portfolios.

Some concepts rental owners should be considering include using high end promotional merchandise like personalize furnishings, branded furniture accessories, loyalty programs including point systems and community activities, and higher end marketing activities including potentially greater use of cable and television, billboards, and active internet advertising.

Residential real estate owners whether offering single family or apartments capitalizing on these changes and modifying their business practices stand to win market share, achieve greater margins, find new revenue streams, and to be the large financial winners in this evolving market place. Their customers will enjoy greater satisfaction, loyalty, and stability than rental housing has seen in decades if ever. Both the owners, industry staff, and consumers will be part of a paradigm shift and opportunity that occurs only infrequently.

Blake Ratcliff (US Naval Academy Graduate & Marine Officer, Serial startup entrepreneur, COO/CEO, multifamily / residential investment founder, and property manager).

Blake's crafted 100+ business plans, prepared and delivered 1000+ investor presentations, and is an expert financial modeler. A deeply experienced real estate business person and startup business expert, Blake hones your Business plans, reports, and presentations.

Proven Marketing Strategies For Real Estate Agents

Marketing strategies for real estate agents are in abundance and some of them are not so ethical either, and most of your colleagues will pretend to help you but the truth is that they are just helping themselves at your expense.

If you are new in real estate knowing where to find quality help and advice will benefit you in every way, the first thing to do is to find a lawyer that specializes in property and that is willing to help you at all hours because there will be times that you sign contracts late at night. Since this lawyer is getting a part of your commission, choose one that is truly willing to assist you in every situation he or she is not doing it for free.

This will set you free to market and sell with confidence as you learn from every sale, each sale is unique and your knowledge will grow.

I will discuss doing a show house for your seller and the many marketing opportunities that flow from it.

• The day before you show the house visit your seller again and confirm that you will be there an hour before the time, go through your tick list of what will stay as part of the sale and what is not included in the sale.
• Prepare a luggage bag with all your unique marketing materials in it, such as pamphlets and maybe a booklet of the property that is for sale, your business cards and other goodies that you want to give to potential buyers with your picture, name and telephone number on every item. This will help you to quickly display all your marketing material in an orderly way and it will help you to pack up quickly in an orderly way.
• Take your own visitors book with not one that belongs to the agency where potential buyers can make comments on the property, but also comment about your service, this book will become a very important part of your marketing strategy when you are asked for recommendations. If the agency you work for insists on a copy of your page, photo copy a page and blank out the important details about your visitors.
• If at all possible have an early and relaxed night so that you look and feel fresh at the show house. You are not only showing the sellers house, you are marketing yourself too and every visitor is your next client so this is really show time.
• Of course you will be selling another property to your seller when the sale of this property is finalized

The next morning go through your visitors book and telephonically confirm all the appointments that you have accumulated the previous day, either for listings or for new buyers who for some reason did not buy the house that was on sale.

Write a postcard to every person that came to the show house thanking them for their support.

If possible have quality gifts ready for your new buyer and the seller that you can deliver in person, as your client base grow and your referrals multiply you can appoint someone to do that.

I give red coffee makers, because they are unique and used every day, giving my clients the opportunity to have loving thoughts of me every time they enjoy their coffee and giving them the opportunity to mention my name when they are asked about the red coffee maker.

Repeat the process!

You could possibly end up writing a best seller called, marketing strategies for estate agents or sell a course for estate agents, who knows but time will tell.

You will develop your own marketing strategies that are unique to you as your confidence grow and your knowledge expand, make it fun, have many laughs and turn every client into a friend that will recommend you and you will always be in demand. Life as an estate agent can be very rewarding but it takes commitment to succeed.

Tag Lines, Themes, and Realtor Self-Promotion

business? Does it have a significance that sets you apart from your competitors?

Could that tag line be used to create a theme to use as an anchor for all of your marketing promotions? If so, begin creating your marketing campaigns around it, and use it to help your prospects remember you.

The theme can be signified both by your tag line and your graphics. And then it can be woven into other elements of your marketing copy.

If you haven't thought about this, here are some ideas to consider:

For a long time agents have referred to real estate as a "jungle." You could position yourself as the jungle guide, the safari leader, or the tamer of wild beasts - and the jungle theme opens up dozens of possibilities for graphic design.

Realtors "wear many hats" in their daily work. If you love hats, you could become known as the Realtor of many hats. Then make it a point to wear interesting hats, and when you write your marketing materials refer to hats as you explain the benefits of working with you. "When I put on my accountant's hat, I'll help you determine... "

Right now NAR is offering a "Green Realtor" designation. If you're the first in your community to earn that designation, and if you're passionate about protecting the earth, you could use the "green theme" throughout your materials. In fact, even if you aren't first to earn the designation, you could be first to focus on it.

If you have a hobby or a lifestyle that draws you to list and sell certain kinds of property, become known as the "boating realtor" or the "equestrian realtor" or the "rancher's realtor."

You could even create a theme around a hobby like photography or gardening or baking, or driving race cars.

The whole purpose is to make yourself known by your tag line and your theme, so that when people think of "your" subject, they think of you.

To do that, you'll need to choose graphics for your website, your letterhead, your personal brochures, postcards, and business cards that carry the theme.

Every interest or hobby or theme has certain words that are associated with it. Construct your marketing copy in a way that associates those words with the purchase and sale of real estate, and with the service you give.

It's not a simple task. You may need professional copywriting help to carry it off. But if you do it well, you'll create an image that lets you stand out from all those other agents.

What's the point of making such an effort?

Being remembered - by new prospects and by past clients who will send referrals.

We humans have short attention spans, and we need something just a little unusual or different to help us anchor our thoughts.

Of course, when you go out of your way to be remembered, you have to hold yourself to high performance standards. You want them all to remember the fantastic service you gave - not remember that they want to avoid you!

Marte Cliff is a Freelance Copywriter who specializes in writing for real estate and related industries.

She'll help you with one letter, or an entire marketing plan. For Real Estate agents and brokers who are ready to get full value from their websites, she'll be happy to put together an entire package - from the web copy to the lead generation packages that make an agent's phone ring.