Aaron Poling

I am interested in taking the GRI classes and earning the designation. I understand the training and the 90 hours it will take, I will be starting my first series of classes this year. What i am trying to find out is besides the classroom hours what qualifications do you have to meet to have a GRI designation. I havent been able to find it on the website. Most other designations require classroom hours and a certain amount of closing, experience, etc... If anyone can help me with this information, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks

Aaron Poling

Long & Foster

I recently completed the At Home with Diversity course from NAR. I took the online version through Realtor University. I want to be prepared to work with any and all clients so I don't limit who I can work with. I had no idea how much information I would be covering. The course covered traditions of different nationalities across the globe. It covered how to write a business plan to market to different nationalities. The most important part was the laws we need to be aware of to meet Fair Housing criteria. Before the class I assumed that would be the only class I needed on diversity. I was wrong. My eyes were opened to how much I don't know but want to learn. Are you prepared to deal with diversity?

Thanks

Aaron Poling

Long & Foster

Last night I completed my first REALTOR University Online Class. I have been contemplating taking some of their classes but have always been a little skeptical. I learn by being hands on, that likes the environment of being in a classroom. My time has become scarce and will be until I don't have to work so hard to pay the bills. I don't want that to be an excuse to avoid continued training. I decided I was going to give it a try, and I was very impressed. I assumed I would watch a video and then answer a few questions at the end. I was wrong. There was a listening portion but it was mixed with reading, clicking, answering questions, contributing to a online forum, etc. It made the learning process very easy. Kudos to REALTOR University!! I will definetly be taking more of their classes soon. Does anyone else have a success story with online training?

Thanks

Aaron Poling

Long & Foster

Free Advertising?

I am a new agent, starting my business in a very tough market. I have a very limited advertising budget, and because I am new I don't have a consistent referral business. I attend networking events, have several social networking sites, I hand out cards everywhere I go, sign up for floor duty, have posted a press release in the newspaper. Are there any other ideas of things I could do to drum up some business? I am preparing to do some print advertising in some local guides, but it will not take long to spend my entire advertising budget. If anyone has suggestions please let me know. Thanks

Aaron Poling

Long & Foster

This weekend was the Home Show at the Martinsburg Mall in Martinsburg, West Virginia. This was also the first home show that I was working instead of just walking around increasing my pen collection. While working this weekend, I realized that there is a lot of opportunity, but in my case more missed opportunity.

I think we had a lot of good ideas at our booth. We had a 50" TV donated from a local rent to own store for the weekend that we used for a power point presentation of all our offices properties for sale. We had a great back board explaining the advantages of using our office. There were brochures, cards, handouts, flyers etc.. Readily available, for everyone. We had cards to fill out that entered you in drawings for several prizes. And my personal favorite idea, we handed out popcorn to all the kids, and adult kids that wanted some.

I believe there has to be a technique that I don't know about, to engage the potential clients passing by. Any Ideas? I want to be prepared for next year.

Thanks

Aaron Poling

Long & Foster