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Real Estate Marketing Goes Mobile

Posted on August 16th, 2010 by Andrea Atkins  |  No Comments »

Though the Apple iPhone 4 release certainly taught us a lesson or two about the importance of good PR and solid customer service, it also forces us to think about mobile technology in new ways and redefine what smartphones can do for us. With the advent of mobile video chat, GPS, and hundreds of thousands of smartphone apps, today’s phones are changing the way we interact with each other, and the services we provide as internet marketers. Here are a few tips to keep you ahead of the competition during the mobile revolution.

Mobile Search

More and more people are flocking to mobile apps to search for homes, and the ‘print out listings and drive around on Saturdays’ approach is becoming a thing of the past. As the ‘grab the phone and go’ technique gains momentum, you’ll need to make sure your listings are being syndicated to websites with mobile sites or apps. Also, make sure your property addresses are correct so they are properly displayed in mobile home searches that use GPS technology. Visit the Homes.com Mobile page to download the free Homes.com mobile app.

Mobile Video

With 3G and 4G networks and an ever increasing pixel resolution, mobile video is not the painfully slow ordeal it once was. Your video tour or slide show can finally shine on these newer devices, and buyers (and sellers) will certainly appreciate the extra effort. If you’re a YouTube user, simply upload your next property tour and your video will be automatically optimized for mobile browers (and if you have a YouTube channel, be sure to mention it on your AgentAdvantage website and in your next listing presentation!). Want to move beyond property tours? Consider creating an ‘About Me’ video, a video blog, or videos about key subdivisions, cultural hubs, and entertainment venues in your service area. To learn more about using YouTube on your phone, visit the YouTube for Mobile page.

Mobile Contracts

Mobile contracts are no longer a fantasy for real estate agents, now that DocuSign and the National Association of Realtors have partnered to create software specifically for Realtors® that allow you to get documents signed right from your iPhone. Those poorly designed mobile scanners and printers we’ve dealt with may be headed to the nearest recycling center at last. For more information about DocuSign’s products under the Realtor Benefits Program®, visit DocuSign Realtor Edition or DocuSign for iPhone.

Rank Higher on Homes.com with Property Photos

Posted on July 28th, 2010 by Andrea Atkins  |  1 Comment »

Camera ManAdding additional property photos to your listings is a great way to attract buyers, please sellers, and increase traffic to your website. According to the National Association of Realtors® 2009 Home Buyers and Sellers Report, more than 80 percent of home buyers found photos and detailed information about the property very useful when searching for a home online.

Adding extra photos can also boost your listings’ rankings on the new Homes.com website. The more photos you have with your listings, the higher your listing will appear when consumers search for homes in their city. Here are some tips for getting the most out of your online marketing efforts with property photos:

Use high resolution photos

The photos on your 2 MP camera phone may look great on your handset, but when visitors enlarge them online they may appear grainy, fuzzy, or distorted. Photos on Homes.com are now displayed two times larger on the new Photo View tab of each listing detail page, so make sure your photos look professional. For tips on using free software to improve your photos, check out “Editing Your Photos for Free” at the AgentAdvantage Learning Center.

Power in Numbers

The more photos you include in your listing, the higher your listing will appear in the Homes.com search results. AgentAdvantage allows you to include 30 photos with each one of your listings, so don’t let them go to waste!

Be aware of your conditions

Clutter, litter boxes, ladders, and stormy weather are just a few things that should never make their way into your property photos. Be aware, come prepared, and plan accordingly.

Creative implementation

To maximize impact, you can create slideshows, commercials, and print materials for free with the AgentAdvantage Marketing Design Center. These additions turn your static listings into moving, visual presentations that highlight the home’s best features. Need help getting started? Check out the Marketing Design Center How–To Guide. Want a photo gallery, listing details, school information, and more complete with your own personal branding? Consider a Single Property Website.

Texting, Twitter, and Hand-written Letters: Understanding Generational Marketing

Posted on July 20th, 2010 by Andrea Atkins  |  No Comments »

Matures with LaptopDo you know the best way to communicate with today’s consumers? Is your marketing attracting buyers and sellers in generations outside of your own? In order to stay competitive agents will need to implement new action steps to communicate with different generational groups and market to them effectively.

Most of us understand the characteristics of the Baby Boomers, the over–50 crowd that controls 50% of all discretionary income in the U.S. But what about the up and coming Echo Boomers (ages 10-27) with their solid educations, rapidly increasing incomes, and love affair with ‘one–stop’ shopping? This group, now with over 75 million members, is by far the most tech–savvy, and the most likely to research your business reputation online before even thinking about calling you on the phone. The holiday greetings and recipe cards of yore aren’t effective marketing tools for this group, and may do more harm than good!

And what about our mature segment? With increased emphasis on networking and word of mouth marketing for this group (and print publications on the decline), what are the best ways to keep this group engaged?

You can begin to tackle this issue by thinking about your clientele and determining who your current marketing is reaching. Then you can see which groups you may need to make targeted campaigns for, such as millenials or seniors. After you’ve set your goals you can attend our free webinar, “Thriving in a Multigenerational Marketplace” with expert John Ansbach as he explains how to create high–impact messages that are tailored for each generational segment. He’ll give plenty of tips and techniques to communicate effectively with each group so you can stay competitive in any real estate market.

Do you have any strategies for communicating with different generations that you’d like to share?   Post them here!

Entice your prospects with Hyperlocal Content!

Posted on July 16th, 2010 by Andrea Atkins  |  No Comments »

How can you increase the “stickiness” of your website and provide in–depth community information to your visitors? Improve your ratings in search engine results? Solidify your position as an expert in your field? You can accomplish all of these things and more by providing hyperlocal content on your website!

What is hyperlocal content?

Hyperlocal content is extremely detailed information about a particular community or service area. Hyperlocal content on your site can include local news, historical facts about your city, local entertainment and attractions, or even a list of your favorite restaurants. Content that is especially useful to outsiders includes descriptions of local schools, the amenities available in popular subdivisions, and information about utilities, cable, and telephone service providers, and contact information for public safety departments.

Providing detailed information about your service area gives visitors more data to browse (keeping them on your site longer), significantly improves your search engine optimization efforts, and positions you as a knowledgeable resource within your market.

No time to write your own articles?
If you don’t have the time to create hyperlocal content for your site you can have our professional writers create content for you by ordering a TopSeller Package. Contact Member Services at (800)889-3726 for details.


New Contact Form Options Available for AgentAdvantage Sites!

Posted on July 9th, 2010 by Andrea Atkins  |  No Comments »

Convert more leads with your choice of either long or short forms for your AgentAdvantage Website!

As a real estate agent, leads are the heart of your business. Your AgentAdvantage website is a lead–collecting tool. Without means to collect leads, your website is nothing more than a pretty container for your contact information and listings available for consumers to freely browse. No guarantee exists that a customer will leave contact information in exchange for your listing. All too often, this uneven exchange occurs and agents wonder why they do not notice an appreciable gain in leads. With the lead generation tools in your AgentAdvantage website like the new Form Manager, you can convert leads more effectively by choosing a form that meets your specific needs.

Many agents are concerned with the length of their Contact Form and how it affects their ability to convert web leads. Short forms are great for collecting a large number of leads because browsers are more likely to complete a short form for more information. Long forms are great for weeding out serious prospects who are willing to give in–depth details about their situation. Using the new Form Manager feature, you can choose the best lead form to suit the needs of your business in seconds!

 
Screenshot of short contact form

Read the rest of this entry »

NEW Feature! AgentAdvantage Mobile Sites!

Posted on May 17th, 2010 by Laura Chan  |  No Comments »

We are proud to bring you the first real estate mobile agent and broker sites to be optimized for iPhone, Blackberry, Palm and all major smartphone platforms – a new FREE feature exclusively for AgentAdvantage clients!

With the number of mobile homebuyers on the rise, we’ve listened to your feedback and have created your NEW Mobile Site with a clear and easy-to-navigate interface, to lead homebuyers directly to your listing search of your MLS (if connected) for maximum conversion! Additionally, your AgentAdvantage Mobile Site can be customizable to match your website’s branding.

Post Your Listings to Twitter!
 

What are the advantages of my NEW Mobile Site?

  • Your AgentAdvantage search is featured front and center on your mobile site for maximum homebuyer conversion!
  • Your Mobile Site is optimized for iPhone and is compatible with ALL major mobile phone providers including BlackBerry, Android and Palm.
  • GPS mapping on iPhones and select other devices.
  • You can customize your Mobile Site’s background and text colors to match your personal branding.

How do I customize my Mobile Site?

You can customize your Mobile Site by clicking on “Mobile Site Options” in the Listings tab of your Control Panel. Once in this area, you can select your color and other preferences according to the directions on the page.

Post Your Listings to Twitter!

 View of the “Mobile Site Options” feature in your AgentAdvantage Control Panel

 

Best of all, your mobile site has been automatically activated, with no need for action on your part! If you wish to deactivate your mobile site, you can choose this option in the “Mobile Site Options” area of the Control Panel.

We constantly work to improve your membership experience to include the newest and most in-demand features, so we are excited to provide this NEW Mobile Site upgrade as yet another FREE service included with your AgentAdvantage membership.

If you have questions about your Mobile Site or any other AgentAdvantage product or service, please contact us at 1-800-889-3726 or support@agentadvantage.com.

Observations from NAR

Posted on November 19th, 2009 by admin  |  No Comments »

While it seems every year we see the same vendors and the same players at NAR Expo, upon closer review it’s not the case this year. The real estate industry is changing with the real estate market, a paradigm shift is occurring along with the market and industry – consumer content provided in rich media and/or mobile will rule the coop in the next few years. Three years ago at NAR Expo in Las Vegas (when real estate was heading on a down turn) one of the strongest themes was the preponderance of International real estate companies showcasing their resort properties and the benefits of living in their fantastic country in their attempt to capitalize on the American real estate wealth and boom, this year it’s rich data/media mobile applications. While almost every company had a mobile app version of their full web presence, what was surprising was the number of companies willing to bank their entire business model on a mobile app. Mobile IDX, mobile mortgage info, mobile virtual tours, it goes on and on. Many of these companies and their investors seem to be following the data survey, as eMarketer.com is predicting, “Paid mobile search spend worldwide is forecast to grow from $260 Million in 2009 to $2.9 Billion in 2021.

WIN CASH at the NAR Expo from AgentAdvantage!

Posted on November 12th, 2009 by Laura Chan  |  No Comments »

Visit AgentAdvantage in Booth #1335A at the National Asssociation of Realtors Annual Expo in San Diego during November 13- 16 and WIN CASH!!!!

That’s right… Enter for your chance to grab as much cash as you can in a thrilling, 30-second dueling cash grab! Compete against your fellow show attendees to grab cash—the person who grabs the most cash wins double their money!!!

 

AND…

While you are at the AgentAdvantage booth, check out our money saving, show-only special, $0 setup on Websites and PowerSearch for new clients! 

See you in San Diego!

Can’t make it to NAR this year? You can still take advantage of our show special NOW thru Tuesday, November 17th! Call us at 888-604-0284 and mention “NAR Show Special” or contact us online  for these great savings today!

Cause Marketing at its Finest – Top Agent Stories Shared in Next Secrets Webinar

Posted on November 3rd, 2009 by Laura Chan  |  No Comments »

 

Building Community, Building Business–Top Agent Stories

Three award-winning Realtors® serve their causes and communities

Norfolk, Va., (PRWEB) November 3, 2009 — Homes.com and eNeighborhoods, both divisions of Dominion Enterprises, will present a free online seminar, “Building Community, Building Business,” as part of the Secrets of Top Selling Agents Webinar series. Three of the nation’s leading Realtors®, all past recipients of Realtor Magazine’s Good Neighbor Awards, will teach real estate professionals how to serve their communities while succeeding in business.

REALTOR Magazine’s Good Neighbor Awards recognize Realtors who have made an extraordinary impact on their communities through volunteer work. The 2009 winners will be announced on Nov. 10. For more information, visit www.Realtor.org/gna.Cause marketing–combining for-profit promotion with a passion for charitable causes and community–is a powerful tool that can separate the top real estate professionals from the rest. On Thursday, Nov. 5, at 1:00 p.m. EST, these top agents will share their secrets for building a successful real estate career while giving back to the community.

The free online seminar will feature three 2008 winners of the Good Neighbor Awards:

Lei Barry from Blue Bell, Penn., founded Inter-Faith Housing Alliance. The organization helps prevent homelessness in low income families. Barry was inspired by her experience as a single mother who was homeless for a year. She has worked to provide temporary housing through a network of more than 20 local churches and synagogues and raised $1.4 million to found Hope Gardens, a transitional apartment complex which helps homeless families get on their feet.

Caroline McCartney of Norfolk, Va., shows that the skills successful Realtors possess also can be applied to exceptional community service. McCartney has raised money for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital for more than 16 years. St. Jude is a research and treatment facility for pediatric cancer and other life-threatening illnesses, and helps to save children from all over the world regardless of their ability to pay.

Sheila Stevens of Suwanee, Ga., is the founder of The Sport of Giving Inc., which funds breast cancer treatment and prevention. Stevens started The Sport of Giving in honor of her mother who died of colon cancer at the age of 54. The organization has contributed more than $1 million through annual tennis and golf tournaments, running events and other fundraisers.

“It’s been an honor for Homes.com and eNeighborhoods to sponsor Realtor Magazine’s Good Neighbor Awards,” said Charles Warnock, eNeighborhoods director of business development. “We look forward to learning what these inspiring real estate professionals can teach us about the art of cause marketing.”

“Like many others, Realtors® are working harder than ever in this challenging economy, yet many of them, just like these Good Neighbor Awards winners, still find time to volunteer to help those in need,” said NAR President Charles McMillan, a broker with Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, Dallas-Fort Worth, Tex. “Shining a spotlight on the Good Neighbor Awards winners will hopefully inspire others to volunteer and get more involved, which is so important to the quality of life in our communities.”

To register for the free Webinar and for more information, visit SecretsOfTopSellingAgents.com.
About eNeighborhoods
eNeighborhoods, a division of Dominion Enterprises, is the nation’s premier compiler of real estate related home and neighborhood information, providing the real estate and marketing services industries with a comprehensive set of marketing and analytical tools. In 2002, eNeighborhoods became a partner in the National Association of REALTORS REALTOR Benefits Program. The company provides MLS data sharing and marketing tools to top MLS organizations in the United States, Canada, and Australia. The company maintains strategic alliances with major real estate franchisers, including CENTURY 21, Coldwell Banker, ERA, EXIT Realty, GMAC, Keller Williams, Prudential, Realty Executives and RE/MAX International as well as many of the major independent brokerages. eNeighborhoods is the proud founding sponsor of NARs Good Neighbor Awards. For more information on the company, visit www.eneighborhoods.com.

About Homes.com
Homes.com, a division of Dominion Enterprises, is a leading provider of real estate marketing and media services, including brand advertising, property listing exposure, search engine marketing and instant response lead generation. Over 4 million homebuyers visit Homes.com each month to search more than 3 million homes for sale, locate real estate agents in their area and find useful homebuying tips. Homes.com provides premier advertising solutions for real estate professionals reaching active homebuyers. For more information, visit www.Homes.com.

About Dominion Enterprises
Dominion Enterprises is a leading marketing services company serving the automotive, enthusiast and commercial vehicle, real estate, apartment rental, and employment industries. The company’s businesses provide a comprehensive suite of technology-based marketing solutions including Internet advertising, lead generation, CRM, Web site design and hosting, and data management services. The company has more than 45 market-leading Web sites reaching more than 16.7 million unique visitors, and more than 450 magazines with a weekly circulation of 4.3 million. Headquartered in Norfolk, Va., the company has 5,400 employees in more than 200 offices nationwide. For more information, visit http://www.DominionEnterprises.com.

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Homes.com joins Threewide’s ListHub network

Posted on October 7th, 2009 by Laura Chan  |  1 Comment »

Real estate portal gains access to more than 1 million additional listings

NORFOLK, Va., October 7th, 2009 – Threewide Corporation and Homes.com (www.homes.com), a division of Dominion Enterprises, announced today that Homes.com is now available through ListHub, Threewide’s broker- and MLS-controlled listing distribution and management platform. ListHub’s national network of brokers and MLSs will now have the option of placing their available listings for display on Homes.com.

Homes.com is a leading real estate portal, with over 3 million homes for sale. ListHub customers include more than 200 MLSs, representing about 85 percent of the national listing inventory and agents.

As one of the listing syndication choices available through the ListHub platform, brokers across the country can post their listing inventory to Homes.com using ListHub at no cost. More than 4 million consumers search for property information on Homes.com each month and can contact the listing broker or agent directly.

“Homes.com has spent the last 10 years driving consumer traffic and leads to our real estate clients. We renew this effort through new partners such as ListHub,” said Jason Doyle, Homes.com vice president and general manager. “This agreement is a great example of our continued commitment to our customers by expanding opportunities not only for the brokers but for the home buyers and sellers that drive their business.”

“We are excited about the partnership with Homes.com. Homes.com brings another premier Internet marketing opportunity to the ListHub network. Threewide is committed to continually increasing the number of exposure opportunities through ListHub while promoting best practices and attention to quality through the partners we select. Homes.com reflects these high standards and we are pleased to be working together,” said Luke Glass, president of Threewide Corporation.

All listings exported from ListHub to Homes.com are also featured on Homes.com’s iPhone application, previously ranked the #2 Free Lifestyle App by Apple. For more information, or to download the Homes.com iPhone application, visit: http://www.homes.com/iphone

About Homes.com