It was like Christmas Morning when I was 7!

I will never forget getting up on Christmas morning and the exciting toy was the Rubicks Cube or the new pac man game! Now, it just takes a bit more in the technology world to excite people...My husband has a DROID and thinks it is the neatest thing. I have the IPhone and although I love it...it is just that...a phone...sure it is complex, it helps me with work and can do so many things...but I have been looking for some new things to really ignite me and I will say that I have found many things this last week to blog about...I had CHRISTMAS last week in Austin TX and Chistmas at age 7 is just how I feel when I find something NEW and exciting to help me and other REALTORS to lead generate!

So are you ready? The tree is up (or it will be in 60 days), decorations are coming, lights are on...Close your eyes really tight because this is going to BLOW you away...or it did me anyway!

Tech level required to create is level 2 (1 is just able to turn on computer, 2 is turn it on and type, 3 is turn it on and type and know where to type...OK you get the point! - It is EZ)

Tech level to understand is level...You tell me because I am still blown away!

So, here is the way I see it and if you are already using this please feel free to chime in and share! More presents at Christmas for us all!

Here goes...the 1st Christmas gift I found last week is SCAN CODES!

I was visiting this past week at Keller Williams Mega Camp and was looking at the most unique real estate signs by Jack Pratt. My most precious GEEK friend Ron of Asheville, NC found me latched on to this 5" x 5" poster board image on this square board with the most odd looking black and white coding on it...Just as he arrives a California owner of a huge office is sharing his business card that has the same scan like look in the black and white digital coding on the back of his card! At this point, I was feeling like I was in the twilight zone and feeling a bit...well....LOST!

Let's face it. I pride myself on knowing it ALL and sharing it ALL when I train and here was something NEW and I was clueless...Ron who you just have to know has this face of "OH MY" - shhhhhhhhh. It's our secret...he may kill me for spreading the secret but I have to SHARE!

Jack is just sitting there smiling because he is already drumming up business selling these digital images on sign riders and here I am still going WHAT IS IT? WHY DO I NEED THIS? HOW MUCH IS IT? It looks like a calling card to MARS or VENUS! Well close enough...it is for smartphones, Droids, Iphones...the little gadgets that rock our worlds!

I am sharing what I know...in hopes myself to learn more...

Scan codes, bar codes, BARCodes, EZCodes, Data Matrix...The names come in many forms and so does the look of the black and white speckled codes like this...I prefer the EZ Code or the QR code look but to each his own as EACH ONE IS UNIQUE and special in it's on way!

The neat thing is that you can make tons of these and each one is specific to drive the person scanning it to..well...wherever you want to send them...you see, they look different because they are sending the user to somewhere you have set up and you can change it anytime and it will update immediately to match the scan code assigned!

Let's put this in REALTOR ENGLISH, no offense to be taken but when you think buyers and sellers all of the time the only way to make technology make ANY sense at all is to explain it in a buyer/seller user way...

So this is not a WALL of words as many of my blogs are I will share how I am planning to use this cool new gadget!

Log in to scanlife.com and create an account. Yes, there are other places but I like this one...

Create a scan code...my 1st one a web base scan code to drive the user to my LOWES Home Improvement 10% NAR COUPON! I have posted the code on facebook and can even make a Jpg. picture of it. I can mail it out in a postcard, put it on business cards or a flyer...I downloaded the large image of it and tomorrow I plan to print it on label paper, stick it on a hardback poster board and put a Velcro adhesive stick on the back just like Mr. Pratt had at this booth. I will make several and take them to the local LOWES in my area. I will ask the manager if I can test them in his store to see if I can help him promote the 10% coupon partnership! (I will let you know how it goes.)

Simply, traffic that sees the code will of course question what it is...I plan to of course to make it easy for the user by creating a little hint like: scan your smart phone here for a 10% LOWES coupon on your next purchase courtesy of Elizabeth Ward Small, your local REALTOR!

I already have permission from the local ice cream shop to post these and offer 2 for 1 price coupons, a movie theatre for a FREE popcorn coupon, a pizza delivery service to offer the Elizabeth Ward Small PIZZA HUT SPECIAL COUPON (they will even distribute my scan code fl yer on all pizza deliveries)...ALL of this courtesy of YOUR LOCAL REALTOR...you know the most savvy, technology driven agent that can also market your house with scan codes and perform the most amazing tricks to get your home sold!

Bottom line my friends is that THIS IS A LEAD GENERATOR and YES...IT IS A FREE TOOL for less than 1000 codes! There is paid version and with that, the reports are far more impressive and unlimited codes.

My goal is to drive them to my lead generation web site and capture the lead there and or if they do not bite that line they will at least see my name and my codes everywhere they go and they will see that I am the leader in technology and real estate in my area...

Yes, you can make scan code riders for your signs...Do you think someone will get out of the car and scan? I am not sure. They use to get out of the car to pick up a flyer when I was young and dumb and did that...

Look at all you can do with this...

Link to Web

Send a Text Message

Send an Email

Generate a Phone Call

Send Contact Info

Send Instant Win Notice

Display a Menu of Options

Send a Tweet

I have a million ideas on how to use this to capture leads. BUYER and SELLER leads and I will update you on how it is working and the most simple tricks as I learn them...

Happy Scanning...

By the way the how to is as easy as 1 - 2 - 3 - just register at scanlife.com and follow the instructions there...

Elizabeth Ward Small, REALTOR and National Motivational Speaker

If you already have the scan life app on your iphone, droid, blackberry or smartphone or ipad you can simply capture my contact information! Buyers and sellers can do the same thing...How nice it would be to have these in posted in local hotels...oh my...more blogging soon on this...so many ideas and many more Christmas Presents I found to share in the coming weeks!

Waterford - Custom Homes Community - Build on these Lots for Sale

Available Lots in this New Burlington Neighborhood

We've discovered another great Triangle area community you might enjoy. Looking to build a custom home in Burlington, NC? Check out this available lots in Waterford, courtesy of Keller Williams Realty and Fonville Morisey/Lochmere Sales Office.

Stanton Homes helps make it easy to find the right place to build your new home, by putting together information on great new home communities, lots and land throughout the Triangle area. All information is current as of posting date.

There are several lots for sale in Waterford, a new neighborhood off of South Church Street in Burlington, NC.

There are corner and cul-de-sac lots available for your new custom home. Lots are both wooded and cleared. The community has a clubhouse, pool, tennis courts, and spectacular lake views!

You can build any new custom home of your choosing on any of the Waterford lots for sale, pending plan approval.

Waterford lots are generally available starting from $54,900.

View available lots in Waterford.

Listings in Waterford are courtesy of Keller Williams Realty. All information current as of posting date.

Directions to Waterford
From Interstate 40/85: Take Exit 140 North on University Drive, then turn left on S Church Street/Highway 70 West. Turn left on Cappoquin Way across from Alamance Memorial Park into the Waterford community.

Building a new custom home in Waterford, or on any lot, doesn't have to be complicated or expensive, and there are thousands of plans and options available to make your new home exactly what you want.

Talk with custom home experts at Stanton Homes to discuss options for building your new home in Burlington, NC.

For more information about living in and visiting Burlington and Alamance County, click here.

To learn more about building a new custom home, find available lots around the Triangle, and hear about special area events, sign up for our monthly newsletter.

Map of Waterford - Click to enlarge and for more details

You may also be interested in:

How to Build a Custom Home in Four Easy Steps

5 Easy Steps to Buying a Lot or Land in the Raleigh Area

Other Available Land and Lots in Communities

Subscribe to this blog!

1919 S. Church Street, Burlington, NC

Thursday, May 13

4:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Burlington, North Carolina is the perfect place to make good use of the $8,000 tax credit available to first-time homebuyers. What are you waiting for?

Burlington, North Carolina is located between the Triangle area of Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill and the metropolitan area of Greensboro. Commuting to either area is accessible via I40/85, the home prices are very reasonable and there is a varied selection of homes to choose from in order to take advantage of the tax credit!

Whether you want new construction in the suburbs (Graham, Elon, Gibsonville, Whitsett) or a pre-owned home in an established neighborhood, there are homes available that, combined with the tax credit, can make your dreams of homeownership come true!

There is plenty of shopping – both chain stores and local businesses, a regional medical center, many recreational opportunities, colleges and universities, beautiful parks ... and all in an area rich with the history of yesteryear blended with the successes of the future.

If you are a first-time homebuyer, or a buyer that has not owned a home in the past three years, then you could be eligible for this wonderful incentive.

Imagine! You could be spending the holidays in your very own home!

The best way to find out more about this wonderful tool ... contact a Realtor today!

Not just another small town! Burlington, NC has it all!

Have you ever heard of The Nester? Well, if not, get out from under that rock and check out her uber-popular blog, The Nesting Place, which she formed off the mantra that "it doesn't have to be perfect to be beautiful." Not only does she have cute, creative, and economical decorating ideas, but she frequently blogs about the importance of staging your home for sale. Staging isn't about redecorating your home, but it is about using your own things to help your home put its best face forward and appeal to the largest number of buyers. We believe if you don't make some efforts to stage your home to sell, then you're just selling your neighbor's house first.

Check out Nester's latest installment in her staging series: http://nestingplacenc.blogspot.com/2009/03/staging-your-home-for-sale-stepping.html

There are some great pictures to help you get some ideas and get started!

This picture is copied from The Nester's blog.