Marketing your business is a challenge and keeping up with all your social media outlets can take more time than you have, especially as a small business owner.  But, luckily, there's an app for that!

"What if I told you that there is a way to do less work but actually reach more people with your company news, products and services?" offers Megan Totka on Social Media Biz.  She offers us a look at the best business apps to use for marketing your business.

1.  Perch- This app helps you keep an eye on what the competition is doing.  It monitors social media posts, review sites and their website promotions and sends updates to your phone. Perch just won the Appy Award for Best Business App for 2013.

2.  PostRiocket- Analyzes your Facebook Business Page and provides you with data to help you post at optimal times.  PostRocket can even post for you!

3.  TweetWally-   This free app is a Twitter power tool, a way to save and customize search results and present them in different formats, according to the website.   You create a TweetWall and all your favorite posts are displayed in an easy to read format.

4.  Buffer- Schedules your tweets at optimal times.  You can pre-write updates and then set up a schedule with the Buffer app for posting.

5.  Twilert- This app works like Google alerts but for Twitter.  "Signing up for Google Alerts is a smart way to get a summary of the topics trending in your industry on a consistent basis. Twilert combines this helpful tool with information from Twitter in order to gather user-specific information in one concise email. "writes Totka.  

If you handle your own social media marketing for your business, these apps can save you time and money. 

Read the full article at SocialMedia.Biz.

Posted in Internet Marketing, Blogging, Real Estate Industry Trends

Real estate is notoriously slow during the holiday season.  Here are some tips to network and pick up new business during the Holidays. 

Be Prepared

Inventory is very low right now because a lot of sellers have taken their home off the market or are waiting until after the first of the year to put it on the market.  "I think January 2013 is going to be a busy one." says Theresa Boardman for Inman News. "Unless, of course, we fall off the fiscal cliff and go into yet another recession."  Take advantage of the slow season to market yourself. 

Boardman offers a list of what you can do to prepare for new business in the New Year.

Network:  Go to all those holiday events and meet people.  This is a great time to catch up with past clients, friends, neighbors, vendors and even competitors.

Revisit this year's goals:  How did it go?  Assess what worked and what didn't work and then start working on next year with measurable goals, tasks and a budget.

Blog About It!  Your customers do a lot of online research before they contact you-especially in the winter months when it's cold.  Start blogging about informative topics that captures their attention... such as, "Tips to Sell Your Home", "How to Price Your Home", "What to Look for in a Real Estate Agent", etc.  

Take pictures of local sites in the area.  These will look great on your website and can be a blog post, as well. (Read:Do You Have a Content Strategy?)

Read About It!  There are great business books on the market with fresh new ideas.

Reach Out:  Make it your goal to make 5 phone calls each work day in December to wish past clients and friends Happy Holidays and Happy New Year.

Update:  Now is a great time to upgrade your office equipment to take advantage of holiday sales and get an end of year tax deduction.

Streamline Your Online Identity:  "Use any spare time to tweak online profiles, websites and blogs and get rid of accounts that are not being used." suggests Boardman.   

Take Time for Yourself:  Get a little exercise every day, even if it's just going outside for a walk.  It's a great way to clear the mind and relieve stress, says Boardman.

Her last piece of advice is that even though business is slow, don't let it slow you down. Use these great tips to start strong in the New Year.

Read the full story at Inman News.

photo credit: eveos

Posted in Traditional Marketing, Blogging, Real Estate Market Conditions

What is the secret to better blogging?   Number one is- don't stress out.  Just remember it doesn't have to be perfect.

"It's not like your words will be etched in stone." writes Chris Abraham on SocialMedia.biz.  "Unlike traditional publishing, our social media output generally never makes it to paper. So don't worry!"

Keep organized.  Jot down all those ideas you have for your blog.  Sometimes it's hard to start because your mind is going in too many different directions.

Just start writing. Pick a topic and write about it with no objective in mind. Write exactly the way you would talk about it. The most successful social media content feels less like writing and more like spoken word.  

Stick to the point.  "Just write enough to clearly and accurately reflect what you know about the subject." says Abraham.   

"If you find that you're just not into what you're writing right now," says Abraham, "then stop and file that copy away for later.  And since you have so many ideas on your list, start on another one."

What if you just hate writing?  "You really should not be on social media." says Abraham. "Social media is all about communicating, mostly in text. This requires writing. If you have writer's block because you hate writing, you should (hire someone to do it for you)."

"Remember, there's no rule against deleting or editing," counsels Abraham.  "There's only a rule against denying that you deleted or edited.  And don't forget to strike it out when you change your mind."

Read the full story at SocialMedia.biz.

Read More Tips: Successful Blogging for REALTORS®

photo credit: gagilas

Posted in Blogging, Lead Generation, Gen X-Y, Technology And YOU

It's all about the client.... Everything you post on your website should engage the client.  Even when you are describing your business, it's all about the client, it should not be about you. So how does your website look to a potential client?

Check your website right now.  What's the first thing the visitor sees?  What relates to them?  Obviously they came to your website for a reason (to buy or sell a home hopefully) - so what is there to make them stay? 

Make sure your content speaks to potential clients.   Include helpful informative articles, such as: "Tips for homebuyers" "How to Sell Your Home Quickly"  "Important Things First Time Homebuyers should know" 

But I have listings!  It's not enough in today's world. Someone might have reached your website because of your listing, but you want them to stay.  Show them that you are the expert for this area of town - add a community video that explains why this area is a great place to live.   What services can you offer to help them buy or sell their home?

Even the "About Me" section should be more about them.  Sure, the "About Me" section seems to be the perfect place to talk about you, but this is a great opportunity to tell them what is great about you to help them get what they want.  

Janelle Gear, Metro Brokers agent in Grand Junction has the right formula.  In the section "About Me", she speaks to potential clients, asking about what is important to them and then closes with how she can help them get it.

"Do you need more room?  Do you need a bigger house?  Are you paying rent and helping pay for your landlord's exotic vacations?   Why don't you buy a house? What are you waiting for?  Interest rates for mortgage loans are at an all-time low and purchase prices of homes are at an all-time low.  When in your lifetime will this opportunity be available again? Probably, NEVER!!!"

"As a full time real estate agent," writes Gear, "I am ready to dedicate my time and efforts to help you find the home of your dreams!!  Helping families buy and sell homes is my passion and livelihood.  Call me today!"

"The best web copy in the world never even mentions the company it is trying to sell. They focus entirely on the prospect." writes Mike Shreeve in an article on Expand2Web.com.  "Look at your website and change every "I/Me/Us/We/Our" statement into a "YOU" statement. It can be hard and it can be a real challenge, but have fun with it."

Talk to your customers and engage them in everything you do online, on your website and in your social media marketing. 

"At the end of the day remember who is paying your bills." writes Shreeve.  "It isn't you - it's your customers. So address them, talk about them and communicate with them. Because the YOU they care about isn't you at all, it's them."

Read the full article at Expand2Web.com.

Posted in Internet Marketing, Blogging, Real Estate Industry Trends

Are you on Page 1 on Google Search?  And why does it matter whether you are on Page 1 of Google? Does the whole idea of internet marketing have you frazzled? 

Let's face it, search engines (SEO) are an essential part of everyone's lives. 

Over 17 BILLION searches were conducted in January 2012 for goods and services. Getting found online when a customer searches for your type of business IS EVERYTHING!

 "But I have a website!"  You say.  "That means customers can find me online!"   Just because you have a website, doesn't mean you will be on Page 1 of search, and customers won't go to page 2.  Test it out, conduct your own search online for "your type of business" in "your town" + "your specialty"... does your site come up? 

You need to have an ONLINE PRESENCE in order to be found in search. Unless you type in your full URL, your website doesn't show up, and that means you actually don't have much of an online presence at all since no one can find you without typing in the address to your website.  

Build your online presence through articles, videos and blog postings that generate traffic on the web.  Write about your industry!  Establish yourself as the "authority" in your area of expertise.  Create interesting videos about your community and local area. Establish trust with your clients by offering free exclusive information to entice them to use you as their trusted resource.

Know your customers:  When posting information about your business, you have to know your clients and their interests.  Social Media is a great way to promote your business without "selling" your business.  Sharing relevant content will engage your audience more than selling your services over and over again.  You can offer an exclusive deal, only for your Facebook Page followers, but keeping your followers interested in what you have to say, is what social media is all about.

Lead Generation:  When customers find your website, you want to "capture the lead" by getting their email address.  Do this by offering them something of value; a monthly newsletter, a free article on "First Time Homebuying" or some other specialty.  This is known as a "call to action" and helps you build your community.

Build your community.  Turn your customers into fans by blogging to their interests.  Develop a following of people who will share and participate in your posts. 

Now, having said all of this, your online reputation is of the utmost concern. If your online reputation is negative, if your website is boring and uninteresting, then being found online won't bring you more business.   Take control of your online reputation and keep track of all customer reviews.  If you find a bad one, take it as constructive criticism and work with it. 

Hire a professional to help you streamline your website and make it as user friendly as you can. Add video and interesting articles, and of course your call to action to grab those leads!

With 68% of all searches happening on Google, internet marketing is a must for businesses wanting to grow.   When used properly, SEO is a fantastic marketing tool.

Posted in Blogging, Lead Generation, Technology And YOU