The BVAS Connection» Blogging

Rich Real Estate Agent, Poor Real Estate Agent

Megan E. Barber — Sat, 12 Nov 2011 00:30:53 +0000

What separates Rich Real Estate Agents from the Poor Real Estate Agents? Check out this awesome infographic and survey from Active Rain. Lots of striking information in this, definitely worth checking out.

Posted via email from megbarberva’s posterous

Megan E. Barber is a Real Estate Virtual Assistant, and owner of Barber Virtual Assisting Solutions. With over 10 years of experience working within the real estate industry, Megan and her team Virtual Assistants provide top notch real estate support services such as marketing, lead follow-up, social media, WordPress websites, and more. Megan E Barber is also the creator and author of The BVAS Connection and VA Mommy.

11 Weeks Left in 2011? Let’s Get Ready for 2012 NOW!

Megan E. Barber — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 22:05:32 +0000

Believe it or not, there are only 11 weeks left in 2011! We are firmly in the 4th quarter and have you examined your progress on your 2011 business plan? Are you flying blind without one? Well whatever your answer, there is no time to waste. The time to implement is now if you want 2012 to get off to a great start.

Some say that if you start your business January 1st 2012, you are already behind. Real estate is a lag industry and things can take 60-90 days of implementation to see any results. So if you don’t start until January, you may not see any results for several months (especially in this slow economy).

The best marketing advice I’ve ever received is to ramp up your marketing efforts and activities in the 4th quarter so you can see your results once the new year hits and get it off to a fabulous start. If you wait too long, you may find it harder to reach your business or revenue goals because you were waiting for leads to convert and get those marketing results to appear. Market for next year starting NOW!

Starting now, there are probably a few things you can be doing differently, or at least get started on, that can get your 2012 started off right. For example, you can:

Start a blog or dust off that blog you have been neglecting and post regularly (at least 2-3 times a week to start)
Give your website a makeover and make sure the focus is on the consumer, and not what a great REALTOR you are.
Create or find deliverables that your prospects would actually want to sign up for and get those leads starting to come into your pipeline
Increase your visibility on Facebook and make a business pages focusing on the neighborhoods and communities you serve.
Start up on Twitter and be visible, engage, and share with your followers.
Start using video! Promote your properties, your expertise, and your market area
Be sure to keep your social media activities ongoing and never let anything get stale or make people wonder if you are still in business.

It is the perfect time to examine your current business plan (if you have one) refine it, in start implementing NOW so you can have a fabulous 2012. So take some action! I want you to start it off with a bang!

Have some marketing ideas you can implement now to get next year off to a great start? I would love to hear them! Please leave me a comment below!

When Technology Lets You Down

Megan E. Barber — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 12:33:22 +0000

What have we been up to lately at the BVAS office? Things have been buzzing along here while running my real estate virtual assistant team and marketing projects galore. Then around the first of the month, an all out techno meltdown happened. My poor 3 year old laptop had been limping along lately, but I knew it was not long for this world. It finally overheated and went kaput.

Let us hold a moment of silence for the good old HP dv6700 laptop…

There was just a minor slowdown while waiting for my new computer to arrive, but thanks to my husband’s a backup laptop and Dropbox I was able to keep things going close to “business as usual”. Dropbox especially was a lifesaver as I was able to store the files I needed in the cloud to get them whenever the project called for it.

Now, I am a proud new owner of a MacBook Pro. I will spare you all the details on how I came to the decision to ditch PCs and go for the Mac, but I am super happy with my choice and I won’t be looking back. While I have a bit of a learning curve since I am a total Mac virgin, it helps that I have been able to keep my lifeline to Windows (via VM Ware Fusion). Because of that, I didn’t have to buy new software for absolutely everything and can still access all my same Windows based files for clients.

Having the right backup systems in place really saves a lot of stress and anxiety, and a computer crash or transition to a new machine is always a great reminder of that. I always stress that you MUST backup your computers files often because a PC crash or virus can happen at any time . Here at the BVAS office, we backup our computers to a external hard drive here, and also via the web with Carbonite. You can never have too many backup systems in place.

In other BVAS news, sew systems and service packages are in the works, so stay tuned for some upcoming announcements. As always, please join the conversation on our Facebook page, and feel free to leave a comment with your questions and request for upcoming how-to’s.

Happy Memorial Day! – Monday Motivation {5.30.11}

Megan E. Barber — Mon, 30 May 2011 21:01:37 +0000

Memorial Day is more than just a day off or the start to the summer season. It is the day to remember the sacrifice our service men and women have made to ensure our freedom.

Wishing you all a very peaceful Memorial Day!

Perform, then, this one act of remembrance before this Day passes - Rememberthere is an army of defense and advance that never dies and never surrenders, but is increasingly recruited from the eternal sources of the American spirit and from the generations of American youth. ~W.J. Cameron

“But the freedom that they fought for, and the country grand they wrought for,
Is their monument to-day, and for aye.”
~Thomas Dunn English

Online Biz Insiders Podcast – Real Estate Virtual Assistant – Megan E Barber

Megan E. Barber — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 22:02:17 +0000

The Online Biz Insiders Podcast

via onlinebizinsiders.com

Recently I had the pleasure of being interviewed by the creators of Online Biz Insiders, Carla Wilson and Mary Motz, for their potcast. It was much fun, and we talked about the tasks that we typically handle for REALTORS, the value of our services, and much more. Click on the link above and check it out!

Be sure to check out all the other episodes of their fabulous Online Biz Insiders podcast as well, where you will find great tips and tools for online marketing, productivity and more!

Posted via email from megbarberva’s posterous

Funny Real Estate Video – Old Spice Parody

Megan E. Barber — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 00:50:04 +0000

Real estate videos don’t have to be boring. In my search of some entertainment in the real estate world, I have seen that there are a lot of Old Spice parodies popping up lately. But this one has to be my favorite:

My favorite part: “I have balloons tied to my ankles.” Well done Landmark Realty.

You can view a few more real estate related Old Spice parody videos at the Agency Logic blog here.

Have you tried your hand at comedy in your videos? Found any recent real estate videos that have made you laugh lately? Leave me a comment below and let me know about them.

You’re Doing it Wrong

Megan E. Barber — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 13:27:20 +0000

Are you frustrated with not getting a steady stream of quality prospects from your real estate website? Suffering from too many visitors leaving your website and never coming back? If you are having a tough time getting new leads and visitors to sign up for your list and contact you, take a long hard look at your site. Chances are, you are probably doing it wrong.

You Are Doing It Wrong if…

1. Your site is a stale static site that does not have regularly updated content like a blog.

If you are not updating your site regularly with new content, like blogging, your site stays stale, uninteresting and totally irrelevant. And blogging doesn’t have to be strictly written articles. You can regularly post videos and pictures relevant to your market area that will provide content that people will come back to see.

2. You have pictures of palm trees and beaches all over your header and pages, but your local market is in Denver Colorado.

If your site does not reflect you and your local market, what is the point? How would anyone know if you are the local market expert when your site displays a complete disconnect?

3. You have a forced sign-up immediately just to be able to start a property search or to view IDX listings.

I know this is a common tactic to garner leads, so some may disagree with me here. But from my own experience as a consumer… when I am looking for homes and you make me sign up just to search or view them, I will bounce out of there and go where I can view homes unimpeded. It’s a personal annoyance of mine, but I know many consumers share the same experience.

4. It is too hard to find the top THREE things visitors to your site want most: Home Search, “What is my home worth”, “How is the Market”

If those top three things are not above the fold or in a most obvious place on your site for buyers and sellers to find, you are missing the mark. Your site will lose credibility with visitors right away if they have to search too hard to find the information they want the most. So they will bounce out and find it elsewhere.

5. Your website is all about you and nothing much about your local market and what your visitors want (see the top 3 items above).

Truth is, consumers don’t much care about the agents when they start their home search. When you go car shopping, do you first start by searching for the best car salesman you can find? My guess is that you don’t. The same goes for home buyers. They start searching for HOMES not for Realtors. So drop the ego and make sure your site is geared towards the consumer. Answer the question, “What’s in it for them?”.

6. You’re not offering buyers and sellers something of actual value to them for signing up for your list or updates.

Those cheesy, canned “free reports” provided by template sites don’t count. (does anybody really sign up for those?) Try something like the Market Snapshot system, a special buyers guide, offer IDX listings to their inbox, or free foreclosure lists.

7. Your site has no links or way to connect with you on social media.

Social media gives web visitors the opportunity to observe your activity, a bit of your personality, and build up that trust factor over time. And since many visitors are not usually ready right then to make contact with you, provide them links to your Facebook business page or Twitter feed for them to get to know you from a distance. This is especially appealing to Gen Y’ers since they are way more likely to reach out via Facebook than pick up the phone or send an email.

8. There’s no clear call to action on your site.

If you don’t have clear consistent calls to action to tell your users what you want them to do with the information you provide them, you’re doing it wrong. Tell them to call or email you for more info. Tell them to leave you a comment about their own experiences or questions. Tell them to sign up on your form to receive market reports on recent solds in the area.

9. You have no contact forms on your site for visitors to actually contact you when they are ready.

Only having your phone number or links to email you may be hurting your site’s ability to capture leads. Having no (or very few) contact forms on your site, you’re not making it easy for visitors. It can be especially difficult for those who primarily use a web based email client like gmail or they happen to be at work. In fact, it is important to have some sort of contact form on every page. Make it easy on your users to contact you!

10. You say you are different from the rest, yet you are using a templated website that looks identical to 50,000 other agents’ sites.

Using a template site that is provided to you by your broker or from from some other web vendor, does you no favors. Those template sites hardly reflect your local market or your own brand and you can get easily lost in the shuffle. How can you stand out from the rest if your site looks exactly the same as the next guy and does nothing to set you apart.

If you took a good look at your site and saw that your are doing one, all or any combination of the above, it is probably time for a new approach. Your website should be your hub, your engine for delivering exactly what consumers want when they search for real estate info. If you are not making it easy, not making it all about them, you are losing them. Stop doing it wrong.

Consider utilizing a Real Estate Virtual Assistant to help you do it right.

Seen other ways people are doing it wrong? Have any questions on how to do it right? We want to hear from you! Leave us a comment below and let us know.

A Great Content Idea for a Local Blog – Via GeekEstate Blog

Megan E. Barber — Sun, 30 Jan 2011 19:30:46 +0000

via geekestateblog.com

Check out the great post above from geekestateblog.com about a great content idea for your real estate blog. If you’re looking for some great local community content for your real estate blog, why not create a post listing and reviewing all the various free WiFi spots in your area. This will definitely appeal to the virtual workers (like me), telecommuters, outside sales people and more who are looking for a WiFi hotspot in your community.

Posted via email from megbarberva’s posterous

The Poken- My New Favorite Tech Gadget

Megan E. Barber — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 22:59:03 +0000

Image by MegBarberVA via Flickr

Do you Poken? That question brings up the subject of my latest techno-gadget-geek obsession… the Poken. It was introduced to me at a recent DVVAA networking lunch by fellow Virtual Assistant, Kyna Baker, and I think it is just the coolest thing ever. As usual, I’m always looking for things to make the business life of real estate agents easier, and this fun little gadget can do just that.

What is a Poken, you ask? To put it simply, the Poken is a digital business card device. It provides you an easy way to share your contact info as well as all your online social network profiles with others you meet who have a Poken too. The exchange works by simply touching the palms together with another Poken user, or “high 4″ as they call it. And viola, the green glow means the information has transferred.

Later, you just plug your poken into your computer’s USB port and transfer the contacts of the new people you just met into your Poken hub(it’s web based). You then can easily download those contacts and put into your Outlook or other contact manager. And if you make changes your contact info, it updates your connections in their hubs and vice versa. There’s no more scribbling down your social network links, or new email addresses. There’s no scanning business cards, no typing into a database. How cool is that? (Scroll down for info on where to get one)

They have 2 products currently, the Poken Spark and the Poken Pulse, and I ordered both just to test them all out. So far I am liking them a lot for different reasons. Here is a video I made showing them off and talking about the differences between the two products.

The Poken Spark is the original incarnation, and come in all sorts of eye-catching designs. I think they live up to their name as they can really spark up a conversation when people see them. They are small and can easily clip to your key key chain. The Spark holds about 50 contacts (before you download them), but does not have additional storage.

The Poken Pulse is their newer product that works in the same way, but also has 2GB of flash memory. It’s plainer looking than the Spark. It looks almost like a standard USB memory stick, but it does have the little hand on it and can be ordered with designs on the inside. It interacts with all other Pokens just the same, and has the ability to hold more contacts. Again is is the size of a USB memory stick and like the Spark, can be hooked on to a key chain.

So where can you get a Poken? The easiest way is to purchase your Poken online, and here are a number of places that sell Pokens on US soil:

Some of these vendors also allow you to by them in bulk orders, and you can even get them with your own logo printed right on them. Great to hand out for networking events, REALTOR conferences and expos, or even Thank You gifts for referrals.

Hope you find the Pokens as cool as I do. I see lots of possibilities with them as they gain popularity around the globe. And if you ever run into me in person (it can happen folks), be sure to Poken with me.

The BVAS Connection» Blogging

Rich Real Estate Agent, Poor Real Estate Agent

11 Weeks Left in 2011? Let’s Get Ready for 2012 NOW!

When Technology Lets You Down

Recommended Reading {6.13.11}

Happy Memorial Day! – Monday Motivation {5.30.11}

Online Biz Insiders Podcast – Real Estate Virtual Assistant – Megan E Barber

Funny Real Estate Video – Old Spice Parody

You’re Doing it Wrong

You Are Doing It Wrong if…

A Great Content Idea for a Local Blog – Via GeekEstate Blog

The Poken- My New Favorite Tech Gadget