It's no secret that in today's competitive marketplace, social networking is a must. There are hundreds of social networking websites to choose from, and often times it is difficult to know which websites will benefit you the most. All in all, the facts are indeed the facts - in 2009, classified newspaper ads are not going to go nearly as far as online marketing will. Whether you want to market your business, your listings, or both, portals are available to begin your online marketing endeavor.
Ask any real estate virtual assistant - they’ll advise you to sign up NOW and start making those invaluable connections that can lead to referrals, new clients and more.
Most social networking websites are FREE. As a team of real estate virtual assistants, we always tell our clients they must have a plan when utilizing social networking. Many clients come to us and want to join Facebook (for example) just because their colleagues are on there... Unless you’re competing in a popularity contest, that is not the best plan. Your real estate virtual assistant can listen to your goals and then create an effective plan to incorporate social networking into your overall marketing plan.
Here is a list (and brief summary) of a few of the most popular social networking websites that you may want to join, based on your goals and plans:
1) Facebook - Yes, the hype is indeed true! Everyone is using Facebook...and you should be too! We've found that Facebook is not only an incredible tool for keeping in touch with friends and family, but it can also be utilized to on a professional level as well. For example, advertise your listings through a "soft sell" approach (with seller participation) that we have used for many of our clients. Another idea would be to join or create groups and/or networks to connect with other agents and potential clients. Add your blogs RSS feed to your profile and keep your "friends" up to date on your events and success stories. Recently. many of our clients are having us create a Business Page for them in effort of keeping their personal Facebook profile personal and separate from your clients and colleagues. Facebook ads are another amazing tool to get leads and VERY targeted leads.
2) ActiveRain - For any real estate professional, ActiveRain is considered the go to social networking website. With over 160,000 members, ActiveRain was designed specifically for real estate agents to create business relationships both within the industry and with the consumer. Create and maintain a blog to report on anything you want - real estate news, market reports or local events and trends - the sky is the limit! Another great feature is "Groups," which are smaller communities within the larger ActiveRain community. Join groups created by others, or start your own and get others to join - communicate with the entire real estate community about anything you want to share or are interested in obtaining more information about. Who knows, your next referral just may come from a connection you made on ActiveRain!
3) Twitter - Another website gaining plenty of ground! Within seconds of signing on to Twitter you can start following industry and technology leaders, other real estate agents and people from your local communities and target market. We’ve had some pretty awesome Twitter success stories and we can’t wait to hear yours!
4) LinkedIn - A business and professional network which is set up with a resume' profile, connecting you to others in your field, business or company, searching for employment and making deals and referrals. With more than 10 million users, it is a great place for a business person to network.
Social networking websites are here to stay. Don’t get overwhelmed by them, just have you real estate virtual assistant devise an effective plan based on your goals!
I hope you're all having a wonderful weekend. Wishing you a successful and productive week!
Erica Parpan, Operations Manager
RealSupport Inc.
Phone: 847-705-1655 x201
Email: Erica@RealSupportInc.com
www.RealSupportInc.com
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RealSupport Inc. - Providing superior Real Estate Virtual Assistant services to Real Estate professionals nationwide since 2000.
Craigslist has become a very powerful tool for many real estate professionals. We typically recommend posting your listings to Craigslist. It is also a great place to post events like Home Buyer Seminars, general ads like “Receive a FREE Market Analysis of Your Homes Value”, and even for recruiting new agents.
As Real Estate Virtual Assistants, the online marketing efforts that we implement can be pretty extensive. At RealSupport, we provide package pricing per listing for listing marketing and we are often asked to recommend the best sites for advertising our client’s listing. I’m a big believer in Craigslist (however, I do realize there are reasons it doesn’t make sense for some agents), so this site is typically part of each of my client’s listing marketing plans.
Some of our clients spend upwards of $400 for us to market their listings. We want to be certain they are getting the most bang for their marketing dollars. In search of a tool that would allow us to make sure we have the data to back-up our positive opinion about Craigslist, we have been testing a free tool call http://craigslistadtracker.com/ that can be used to track the activity of each Craigslist ad. So far we have found this tool to be easy to use, accurate, and consistent in providing us hit reports on each ad.
With that said, perhaps we find the result to be the opposite and our ads are not being viewed… before you throw out the baby with the bathwater, I recommend tweaking your ad title. On a similar note, if you are posting your ads with HTML code from some other source (like Postlets), you MUST still upload a photo. Most Craigslist users will not click on an ad that does not have a PIC (which is the notification next to the title indicating there is a picture uploaded to the ad). I did not like the way the uploaded photo looked with the attractive HTML code from Postlets, so we tricked the system and we upload a blank image… now the ad still looks nice and the ad indicates there are pictures (which of course there is because that is part of the HTML).
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If all this sound just a little to complicated, you need a Real Estate Virtual Assistant! Let a REVA do the work for you… all you should worry about are the results, right?
Carrie Gable, President
RealSupport Inc.
Phone: 847-705-1655 x200
Email: Carrie@RealSupportInc.com
www.RealSupportInc.com
Our Real Estate Client Testimonials
Our Real Estate Marketing Samples
Our Virtual Assistant Team
RealSupport Inc. - Providing superior Real Estate Virtual Assistant services to Real Estate professionals nationwide since 2000.
We all know the saying a picture is worth a thousand words, which we would all agree to be true. Seeing a single picture can evoke strong emotions or take you somewhere else entirely- and that’s powerful! So, knowing this to be the case; let’s talk about real estate photography.
You may have the most creative and top-notch marketing strategies. You may have a monthly budget that far exceeds other agents in your area and may have the upper hand on ad placement. However, if the pictures are low quality- it can deter buyers quickly.
Think of the pictures of the home as the initial draw. It’s the first thing people see and will create a strong first impression. If buyers see blurry, dark or cluttered photographs - they are far less likely to look any further into the home. But, imagine what a single, strong eye-catching photo can do! You’ve probably experienced walking down the street or in a grocery store and something grabs your attention out of the corner of your eye. And what you see is a magazine with a bold front cover featuring an interesting subject or bold colors.

Now, imagine a buyer browsing multiple real estate websites and seeing home after home. Suddenly, they are drawn to a striking picture of your listing, so they click on it to view more because you’ve peaked their interest! This, now fully engaged, audience is interested in seeing what else this home has to offer. And you’ve succeeded in creating a great first impression.
So, the dilemma arises: you’re not a professional photographer. We understand. But, there ARE ways to capture great images of your listing! If you’re not at all interested in taking your own pictures, there are a few options:
1. Hire a Professional. If you’re willing to pay a little extra in order to save you the time and energy of doing this yourself, then we encourage you to do so! You will get great photos and if you agree to use the same photographer on a regular basis; they may be willing to work out a deal with you!
2. Hire a Student. Photography students are more than eager to gain experience in their field! If you live close to a university or even a community college, post an ad for a photographer on Craigslist or a school job board or website. You’re almost guaranteed to get plenty of responses!
Some students may be willing to shoot for free if they’re working on a project or just want to build their portfolio. But, even if you do pay them, their services will be far less expensive than a professional photographer. They will love the flexible schedule and will put their heart into giving you the best pictures possible. Since they’re immersed in their photography classes; their eye for detail and editing skills will be sharp. Be sure to request to see a portfolio before choosing which student you want to use. This will ensure you like their style and that you’re getting the best photographer for your listings. (P.S. Need an updated self portrait or team photo? They will most likely jump at the chance for this project too!)
While these may be the best options for getting dynamic, quality images of your listing; you may not want to bother with the extra costs or coordinating schedules to find a time to shoot. If this sounds like you, read on. You want that strong first impression of the home, but perhaps you aren’t too sure how to achieve your desired results. Don’t worry. We’re here to help!
In the coming weeks, we’ll be going over the various aspects of photography that translate into a compelling photo. From lighting, color and sizing, to tips on creating an appealing room scene and photo composition. We’ll cover all the bases in a simple way! Join us on this journey of developing a strong first impression of your listing without having to say a word!
Need more advice? Ask your Real Estate Virtual Assistant today?

Allie Hlad, Listing Coordinator
RealSupport Inc.
Phone: 847-705-1655 x205
Email: Allie@RealSupportInc.com
www.RealSupportInc.com
Our Real Estate Client Testimonials
Our Real Estate Marketing Samples
Our Virtual Assistant Team
RealSupport Inc. - Providing superior Real Estate Virtual Assistant services to Real Estate professionals nationwide since 2000.
Fall is the time when everybody comes a little closer together. It's a little colder, the days are a little shorter and it's full of family gatherings and celebrations. There are so many opportunities to remind your clients who you are - and maybe make them feel like you’re a part of their family too. Below are a few ideas to stay in touch with your current and past clients this month:
Tips To Prepare Your Home for Fall/Winter
With the fall of that first leaf comes the cloud of winter chores that hangs over your head. There are a lot of things that are necessary to prepare your home for winter. If you’re lucky, you remember to do these things before there is a foot a snow on the ground.
Take this opportunity to send your SOI a checklist of to do’s called “Getting Your Home Ready For Winter,” so they can get started now! Even if you are in a warmer state, (We’re in brrrrr… Illinois) We believe you can think of some general things that still need to be done this time each year.
We know, we know…you don’t have time… This is the perfect task for your Real Estate Virtual Assistant! Let your VA know what you want to do. Decide if you want to send an email, postcard, or a letter. We personally recommend graphical, eye-catching jumbo postcard. Below is a postcard we’ve designed for our clients to send out, just to give you an idea.

Let your VA take it from there. Your SOI will appreciate that you’re sending them such useful information and what’s better is that you’ve reminded them you are here, and you are ready to serve their needs.
Time Change Postcard
Halloween may be over after October 31st, but there is nothing scarier than the chance that you’ll forget to set the clocks back on November 1st. Give your clients a friendly reminder by sending them a postcard reminding them to set their clocks back. And don’t forget to add that the reason for daylight saving time is it allows us to use less energy in lighting our homes by taking advantage of the longer and later daylight hours. They’ll appreciate the gesture and you’ll stay fresh in their minds with the start of the winter season.
Below is the Fall Back Postcard we have designed for our clients.

Other Ideas:
Pumpkin Giveaway:
It’s halloween again. That means costume shopping, trick-or-treating and pumpkin picking! Those new to the neighborhood are looking for ways to get to know the community. A day at the local pumpkin patch is the ultimate community activity - a way to enjoy the fall weather, surround yourself with other families from the community and create lasting memories for the family. Give them a nudge in the right direction. Send out a postcard to your past clients, current clients and SOI advertising a pumpkin giveaway. They enter by filling out a form on your website and the winner is announced by email notifying them where they can pick up their winning pumpkin - at the community’s favorite pumpkin patch of course!
Costume Contest:
Everybody loves a costume contest and there are some creative minds out there when it comes to Halloween costumes. When you put a lot of energy into a Halloween costume, you want as much recognition as possible. After all, you only get to appreciate it that one night of the year. Give your clients a chance to bask in the limelight a little longer. Ask them to send in pictures of their Halloween costumes. The winner gets $100 and their picture posted on your website! You can guarantee the winner will be so proud of their accomplishment that they will be showing everybody they know their picture on you’re website.
This doesn’t have to stop with Halloween. Ask your VA to create an extra page on your website specifically for contests. They are the perfect way to pique interest and keep clients coming back to your website.
Don't think you have time? No problem! Need a Real Estate Virtual Assistant? Contact us today. We're a team of real estate specific Virtual Assistants and because we're in the industry working with Top Producers every day, we can help!
Jen Miller, Project and Design Coordinator
RealSupport Inc.
Phone: 847-705-1655 x202
Email: Jen@RealSupportInc.com
www.RealSupportInc.com
Our Real Estate Client Testimonials
Our Real Estate Marketing Samples
Our Virtual Assistant Team

Google AdWords is offering a great promotion for new users - $100 in Google AdWords FREE - but it expires Friday, October 16th, so if you are going to take advantage, you must do it this week!
What is Google AdWords?
Google AdWords is a pay per click service on Google. In other words, you only pay when your ad is clicked, not each time it is displayed. The way it works:
You (or your Virtual Assitant) create your ads:
You create ads and choose keywords, which are words or phrases related to your business. You can get keyword ideas free from Google here!
You set a budget:
You will want to set a daily budget, this is the total amount you want to spend per day. Once set, you won’t go over this each day.
You (or your Virtual Assitant) bid on your AdWords:
You decide how much you want to pay per click for each keyword/phrase. How high you bid, along with many other factors (including your sites relevance to the keywords) determine how high up your ad appears.
Your ads appear on Google
When people search on Google using one of your keywords, your ad may appear next to the search results. Now you're advertising to an audience that's already interested in you. You only pay for the ad when someone clicks on it - you are NOT charged each time it is displayed. (TIP - DO search for your keywords to see if you are coming up. DO NOT click on the ad once found, or you will be charged for it)
You attract customers
People can simply click your ad and be taken to your site!
This is typically a pretty expensive service, so this is a great opportunity to try it out for FREE!
Click here to receive the promotion and sign up! Google will walk you through the process step-by-step, it is simple!
Take advantage of this promotion before October 16th to test it out - but be sure to cancel your account once your promotional credit expires or you WILL begin getting charged!
Don't have the time to get this set up? Need a Real Estate Virtual Assistant? Contact us today. We're a team of real estate specific Virtual Assistants and because we're in the industry working with Top Producers every day, we can help!
Jen Miller, Project and Design Coordinator
RealSupport Inc.
Phone: 847-705-1655 x202
Email: Jen@RealSupportInc.com
www.RealSupportInc.com
Our Real Estate Client Testimonials
Our Real Estate Marketing Samples
Our Virtual Assistant Team
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