"Stop working as much and let Technology Work for You!" -- Sam Jackson
I'm all for it and well to be honest I'm hyped after having attended the seminar today presented by Sam Jackson on today the Director of the Long and Foster IS Training. I had a great time. Learning about any technology helps you to apply it to all walks of life.
Sometimes I get so busy I don't stop to take a look at all the tools already available for my use. I attended a great seminar today on the Technology Tools available from Long and Foster. I was excited about having two websites at no cost to me from the day I stepped in the door here. Well as part of the technology tools we also receive other technology tools to help us grow our business.
The lessons learned included:
* VoicePad - how to use it effectively and get quick stats on how well it is working. It is a tool I have not been using but now plan to use it extensively. I think it is really cool a prospect can call the number on the sign rider and receive detailed property information without having to speak directly with me. I can follow-up later if they don't call me direct to see if they are really interested and offer to register them as a buyer on the VoicePad system. What a great idea! Allow buyers to call and receive information on any MLS property listed with Long and Foster here in the Hampton Roads area on any listing listed with any agent. The best part of all is it also automatically sends more detailed information on the property from "yours truly" (me) to their email address. How hard is that? As if that isn't enough, I also get a visual via a hot spot map as to what properties they are calling the service and asking for more information on. Sweet! Technology is helping me analyze what my prospects are interested in.
* Long and Foster Agent Website Portals - how to maximize the use of Featured Listings, how to add widgets, changing website themes (I was wondering how I could get my web page to match the dress in my photo sorry I'm a very special person when it comes to appearance!)
* Market Minute Reports - the use of the Market Minute report tool to keep buyers and sellers abreast of what is happening in their market because consumers want to know all about value. A report generated automatically based on the County you select and then you have the capability to share it on FACEBOOK and several other social networking sites. It helps consumers to know how the current housing values of their County. Keep them up-to-date at least monthly.
Additionally, while sitting there I came up with a great idea and wish I had the programming capabilities to coin it. I think it would be just totally awesome if we had the capability to "Send to FACEBOOK", or "Send to Twitter", or "Send to any of the popular social networking channels the same way we have the "Send to Email" capability on our computers. I figure this can be done by either having the document open or by right clicking on the file from the file directory the same way we can "Send to Email". When I access the Market Minute Reports I could then instantly share with it with my friends on FACEBOOK or my followers on Twitter. I'm sure it may be already in the works but how sweet it would be if I were the one to put it out there. I imagine technology would be working so hard for me I really wouldn't have to work.
This business seems to really have gotten fast paced with the greater emphasis on technology and the different technological tools available. I just have to reiterate Sam's point which was well taken and used as the title of this blog "Stop working as much and let Technology Work for You!" I'm about to put technology to work and making better use of the tools I already have at my disposal.
Great job by Mr. Jackson! I look forward to attending more of his seminars in the future.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
All Things Technology
One area which is always an attention getter for me are technology related seminars. I enjoy learning new tips, tricks, and tools of any business trade which I feel will help me with my business processes.
I'm taking off tomorrow to attend a "We Talked We Listened" technology session. I realize first-hand it will probably be covering some of the bare basics of web site technology and new tools to capture leads. However, I have found once in while it is always good to go back to the basics.
It really seems to me the more technological enhancements there are the more the underlying concepts are going back to the basics. Case in point one of the key areas of real estate is to generate leads. Without customers, clients, referrals, and leads there really is no business.
Fortunately every time I attend any technology session I am able to take something away. Whether it is like a software class I attended and we were jokingly referring to the "undo" arrow as the "halleluhjah" key. As a Business/Computer Instructor I use to always teach my students to use the "help button". I would always emphasize: "the most underutilized key in any application is the help key."
Teaching or learning about technology has always been very uplifting for me. I call the new software apps new toys. I really like the ones I can use for free or at least get a 30-day or 60-day trial to test the waters. At one point in my life I remember how I use to always struggle to get the fonts and format in one section of a document to look just like the fonts and formatting in another section. Well, on one not to busy day I was playing around with the icons on the toolbar. The "format painter" icon has saved me ever since. No more do I struggle with consistent formatting issues.
I'm a real "lab rat" as my friends label me. I'm on the computer constantly and when I'm not on the computer I like to read anything relating to business and technology combined. It really has been very beneficial staying up to date with all technology has to offer. Even though with all that exists I only keep up with a small tidbit it is enough to keep me going.
As time permits if I don't get too entrenched on actually doing computer stuff I will blog about my experience at the seminar tomorrow. I get so caught up with doing stuff on the computer sometimes other things take a lower priority.
I'm taking off tomorrow to attend a "We Talked We Listened" technology session. I realize first-hand it will probably be covering some of the bare basics of web site technology and new tools to capture leads. However, I have found once in while it is always good to go back to the basics.
It really seems to me the more technological enhancements there are the more the underlying concepts are going back to the basics. Case in point one of the key areas of real estate is to generate leads. Without customers, clients, referrals, and leads there really is no business.
Fortunately every time I attend any technology session I am able to take something away. Whether it is like a software class I attended and we were jokingly referring to the "undo" arrow as the "halleluhjah" key. As a Business/Computer Instructor I use to always teach my students to use the "help button". I would always emphasize: "the most underutilized key in any application is the help key."
Teaching or learning about technology has always been very uplifting for me. I call the new software apps new toys. I really like the ones I can use for free or at least get a 30-day or 60-day trial to test the waters. At one point in my life I remember how I use to always struggle to get the fonts and format in one section of a document to look just like the fonts and formatting in another section. Well, on one not to busy day I was playing around with the icons on the toolbar. The "format painter" icon has saved me ever since. No more do I struggle with consistent formatting issues.
I'm a real "lab rat" as my friends label me. I'm on the computer constantly and when I'm not on the computer I like to read anything relating to business and technology combined. It really has been very beneficial staying up to date with all technology has to offer. Even though with all that exists I only keep up with a small tidbit it is enough to keep me going.
As time permits if I don't get too entrenched on actually doing computer stuff I will blog about my experience at the seminar tomorrow. I get so caught up with doing stuff on the computer sometimes other things take a lower priority.
Sunday, May 16, 2010
I fret not...
I'm a hard worker hands down. No matter what assignment, position, or challenge I face I'm going to strive to do my very best. One of the quotes which comes readily to mind is "If a man can write a better book or preach a better sermon or make a better mousetrap than his neighbor, even if he builds his house in the woods, the world will make a beaten path to his door." - by Ralph Waldo Emerson.
My personality type will not allow for anything less. My closest friends refer to me as a lab rat. My shining moment is when an issue or challenge arises - I'm all over it. I'm not with the group who says it can't be done. I want to be a key player in coming up and putting a solution into practice.
I learned early on anything man-made can be mastered. My grandmother would tell me that each time I came up with an excuse as to why I did not receive all A's on my report card in school. It was reinforced via nine week punishments from one reporting period to the next to focus on the error of my ways. No excuses for any grades less than A. Anything less than an "A" resulted in a mastery lesson from the no-nonsense instructor, my grandmother. Anything less than an "A" from me was failing. It was triple standards in our house. My brother or cousin could have gotten everything less than A's and just because they made it home with their report card everything was good for them.
It taught me early on not to focus on others focus but focus on what I'm capable of doing and do me. I know not to waste my time being jealous or envious of someone getting favor, a position, rewards, or promotion in lieu of me. Mainly because when it happens for me I don't want anyone throwing a damper on my blessing. When it's time for my blessing I know it will happen.
This is a free country, when I've had enough of not being highly favored by man/woman I will step out on faith and realize the favor God has always bestowed upon me elsewhere. Most of the time I'm good because I know my patience and persistence will hopefully lead to something great for me. I have to stay focused I can't let negativity cloud my vision. "Our destiny is not written for us but by us." - Barack Obama.
I encourage everyone who has the opportunity or is tasked with any assignment, job, or case to always perform at your highest level and put forth your best effort. Your work reflects you. I personally take pride in how people view my work, my work habits, and my work ethics. I'm not looking for worldly favor I'm looking for God's favor.
No monetary reward can replace the intrinsic reward of your knowing you gave something your all.
"Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity." quote taken from the 37th Book of the Psaltery verse 1.
My personality type will not allow for anything less. My closest friends refer to me as a lab rat. My shining moment is when an issue or challenge arises - I'm all over it. I'm not with the group who says it can't be done. I want to be a key player in coming up and putting a solution into practice.
I learned early on anything man-made can be mastered. My grandmother would tell me that each time I came up with an excuse as to why I did not receive all A's on my report card in school. It was reinforced via nine week punishments from one reporting period to the next to focus on the error of my ways. No excuses for any grades less than A. Anything less than an "A" resulted in a mastery lesson from the no-nonsense instructor, my grandmother. Anything less than an "A" from me was failing. It was triple standards in our house. My brother or cousin could have gotten everything less than A's and just because they made it home with their report card everything was good for them.
It taught me early on not to focus on others focus but focus on what I'm capable of doing and do me. I know not to waste my time being jealous or envious of someone getting favor, a position, rewards, or promotion in lieu of me. Mainly because when it happens for me I don't want anyone throwing a damper on my blessing. When it's time for my blessing I know it will happen.
This is a free country, when I've had enough of not being highly favored by man/woman I will step out on faith and realize the favor God has always bestowed upon me elsewhere. Most of the time I'm good because I know my patience and persistence will hopefully lead to something great for me. I have to stay focused I can't let negativity cloud my vision. "Our destiny is not written for us but by us." - Barack Obama.
I encourage everyone who has the opportunity or is tasked with any assignment, job, or case to always perform at your highest level and put forth your best effort. Your work reflects you. I personally take pride in how people view my work, my work habits, and my work ethics. I'm not looking for worldly favor I'm looking for God's favor.
No monetary reward can replace the intrinsic reward of your knowing you gave something your all.
"Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity." quote taken from the 37th Book of the Psaltery verse 1.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)