SoCal Mastermind

I need some info on my computer but I'm on vacation.

2007-10-20T21:09:00.000-07:00

I'm sure there have been times where you wish you could get into your computer from a remote location. Well I know about GoToMyPC.com, but they want $20 a month. So I found a free solution called LogMeIn.com, great name by the way. LogMeIn.com offers a free version that is secure and very easy to use. When I am at a freinds house, at a clients or even traveling I now know if I can get online I can get to y computer at home. So go check it out.... it's free. As a tech several of my clients have it running and makes there system available to me without driving out to their location. Great for some problem solving or training.

More online digital photo editors

2007-08-30T06:00:00.000-07:00

http://www.fotoflexer.com/ - Remove blemishes, Change skin and hair color, Morph photos, Change backgrounds, Completely Free!

http://www.phixr.com/ - Besides the usual resize, rotate and color adjustments. You have a choice of many effects including an instant picture.

http://www.wiredness.com/ - A set of the basic tools... but very fast!

Have fun checking these out and discover which on eyou like the best.

Looking for help on writing copy for your blog?

2007-08-28T06:44:00.000-07:00

Are you getting started in Blogging? Do you stare at the screen trying to think of what to write? I know I have but http://www.copyblogger.com/ has helped me so I wanted to share it with you. There articles will help you to write in a strategic, persuasive, compelling manner.

Here are some great articles:

Become a Guest Author!

2007-08-27T22:36:00.000-07:00

As we all know REALTOR to REALTOR networking is a great way to build our business with personal professional referrals. To pursue that thought further I'd like to make a suggestion that you continue to build that referral sphere while building your on-line presence through blogging as a "guest-author" on an outside blog.

Let me explain, I have an independent blog, (separate from my website http://www.preferredhomebrokers.com/) it's much different than my site which looks very institutional. My blog appears visually different in format and content. It's a community blog, (http://www.livinginsocal.com/) I do my best to tell stories and write articles in my own voice, as Gregg likes to say. So far I've written on community events, the real estate market, funraisers, consumer tips, remodeling info, etc, etc. Like many things we do, finding the time to keep up with a blog can be challenging, that's where the guest author idea came to mind. Not new at all, you see it all over the web, so I thought I'd give it a try, at least a version of it.

While cruising around Active Rain I found several posts I felt would be of interest to consumers. I contacted the authors (2 REALTORS and 1 lender) and asked for permission to link to their great posts. Of course they said yes! More online exposure for them, and great content for me. It was a win-win for us all.

Any thoughts, I love to hear from you. Interested in being a guest-author on my blog, let me know. I'd love to do the same in return.

UNLIMITED Virtual tours for a Year $35.00

2007-08-24T06:38:00.000-07:00

Saul Tucker with Chase is offering you the opportunity to have unlimited virtual tours through RealEstateShows.com for only $35.00. To learn more about this go to Saul's blog on ActiveRain.
Just today RealEstateShows.com has added a bunch of new features.

Flyers
You can now begin building and distributing flyers.
You can view the demo flyer from this video here.

Category RSS Feeds
You’ll notice an RSS Feed icon in the “Manage and Edit Existing Shows” area. Click on that icon and you’ll be taken to a page where you can select a full or partial feed of all the Shows marked as “Viewable in Other Shows.” You can do this for any category you wish.

A Brand New Player
You will notice a change in the look and also a new ending to each Show that will better focus the Internet viewer on the additional features of the Show.

Social Bookmarking and Social Networks
We’ve also made it easier for Internet viewers to share Shows they like via social bookmarking sites, like Digg, Del.icio.us, and StumbleUpon, and the social networking site, Facebook. Each of these will make it easier for people to spread the word about a home they are considering for purchase, or to promote the home you are selling for them, or to simply share a random Show they’ve enjoyed.

Google has made it easy to map

2007-08-23T08:22:00.000-07:00

When I am writing a blog or adding things to our website that has a location I like to have a map. But I have always just had to link over to a map on Google, Yahoo or Mapquest. Well Google has made it much easier to ad a map right on your page. In just 3 easy steps:

Go to maps.google.com and search for an address.
Click “Link to this page” in the top right-hand corner. Copy the text that you see in the second box.
Paste that code onto your blog or website. (It looks like they are using an “IFRAME” in order to make it work. )

Here's an example:

View Larger Map

Just for FUN!

2007-08-13T06:26:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you just want to add some fun to your graphics for your blog or website. Here are a couple of sites that make it very easy AND very fun!

http://www.imagechef.com/

http://www.graphita.com/

Resources available at Realtor.org

2007-08-12T09:50:00.000-07:00

With the changes in the market clients have more questions than ever about lending. There are many places to get information to supply to them including on Realtor.org. Here are just a few brochures:

These brochures will help the consumer and show you as a knowledgeable expert.

FREE Legal Documents

2007-08-10T09:10:00.000-07:00

Over 300 free professional legal documents and forms available to download as Microsoft Word documents (.doc) ready for you to print.

Wills
Bill of sale
Lease
Partnership
Promisary Note
and many more

http://www.prolegaldocs.com/

Saying Thanks!

2007-08-09T21:08:00.000-07:00

As a long-time member of BRO, personally I've benefited more than I ever could have ever imagined, the day I decided to take the plunge in BRO coaching. At a time about six months earlier, truthfully (I'm willing to admit) things were pretty good in business and in life. Personally after some difficult years...it was a time for me to be totally debt free, something I relished for a change.

Not sure I was willing to take on debt again, like many things, it was a leap of faith, something that's ingrained in my life. Since then, it (BRO) has brought me nothing but joy in life, joys in ways beyond anyting I could imagine.

The special friendships and bonds created amoung my peers are absolutely priceless, and I thank each and everyone of you for that.

Among those, Gregg Franklin is one of the most selfless human beings that I've ever met in my entire life-time This site is evidence of the same.

Gregg, I can't begin to tell you how important you and Heidi, along with Marlene are in my life. And I know in the life of Marlene too!

So I hope others will...and I know it takes "baby-steps" for some to move one. Let's do what we can to make this an important site for others.

Gregg, now that I've finally figured out my sign-in & password, I hope to be back here more often. It would be great if others feel the same way.

THANK YOU Mr. Webmaster, GREGG, you're da bestin my book!

Meeting Summary - 6/12/2007

2007-06-12T16:19:00.000-07:00

In today's meeting we had two guests, Jeff Dowler and Ron Pickett. They were invited by Marlene Bridges and are members of ActiveRain. ActiveRain is a website consisting of Blogs writtin about the Real Estate industry.

Sherman Smith was not able to make it to today's meeting but sent along some helpful info. On the topic of text messaging he sent a list of tools that Google provides called Google Mobile. He also provided us with a copy of the text message vocabulary.

Marlene Bridges mentioned to becareful about blogging that what you write about on the internet can be there forever.

Jeff Dowler suggested to always ask your clients what type of communication they are comfortable with voice, voicemail, email or text messaging.

Always be extremely polite in emails as the receiver has no way to know the intent weather it be humor, sarcasm or any emotion.

If you have a Blackberry, you can enable a message to state "Sent from Blackberry"

The discussion went from messaging to market conditions.

Margo Murray said in her area average day on market is 72 days.

Marlene Bridges mentioned some agents were not changing the status and this was a MLS violation. Also that violations could now be submitted ananomosly.

There was discussion on how By Referral Only had impacted agents lives.

Margo Murray said BRO taught her time structure (Before, During, After). She has also commited to oding one hour of prospecting 4 days a week. She calls expireds and past clients.

Lynda Eisenmann said BRO got her to know her numbers and Real Time Voicemail.

Dave & Joan Malec said BRO showed them how to "Wow" people and to get more referrals.

Next month's meeting topic: Showing our value!

Filling out a PDF Form

2007-06-02T11:58:00.000-07:00

Have you had an agent or client send you a form that is a PDF and they want you to fill it out. Do you print it out and find a typewriter? (What's that?) Do you write it by hand and then fax it back?

Well there is a better way! Use PDF-XCHANGE VIEWER it allows you to open a PDF and fill out all the form fields. Then just save it and send it back via email.

The sender will be very impressed!

You can download this FREE tool here.

Blogging with Wordpress

2007-05-23T09:31:00.001-07:00

Lynda Eisenmann and I have been working on a new blog for her at LivingInSoCal.com. It is developed using Wordpress which is easy to setup and FREE! It is not like Blogger (provided by Google) it is a separate piece of software that you would upload to your site. It allows for a lot of customization including thousands of themes and hundreds of plugins. You can check out this tool at http://wordpress.org.

How to be a good neighbour

2007-05-15T09:59:00.000-07:00

VideoJug: How To Be A Good Neighbour

Early flight out of LAX? This might help.

2007-05-10T10:10:00.000-07:00

This tip is something that was taught to us by Marlene Bridges. Whenever we fly out of LAX on an early flight we stay at the Hacienda Hotel. They provide a service called "Park & Fly". For $149.00 you get a room, 7 days of parking and a 24 hour shuttle to LAX. This makes it easy to come the night before and rise early in the morning refreshed. They will shuttle you right to your departure gate.

Website: http://www.haciendahotel.com/spa.htm

List of 103 websites that Realtor.com posts to

2007-05-09T20:08:00.000-07:00

This list was provided by Sherman Smith. Please thank him for assembling this for us. Add this to your listing presentation and give your Sellers a wow!

Realtor.com website list

Sherman sent this $100 off a la mode Coupon

2007-05-09T19:58:00.000-07:00

Save $100 on anything in the Spring catalogIf you've thought about adding some extra tools to your XSite so you're more profitable than ever, now's a great time to do it. Turn up your power now and land more clients and listings, without draining your bank account.

Meeting Summary - 5/8/2007

2007-05-08T19:57:00.000-07:00

Todays meeting was about "Template" websites. Three were discussed:

Laura Weber spoke about her site (www.lauraweber.com) as a tool. Where she sends clients who do not wish to come into the office.

Pricing for Agent X is $399.00/yr, Advance Access $399.0/yr, #1 Expert is $60 a week and you own a zipcode. Marlene has Laguna hills. But also gets leads for Laguna Hills.

You can get a discount with Agent X if you are referred.

Marlene also said that when she went to a Howard Britton presentaion the panel all used #1 Expert.

Other miscilanious things that were mentioned :

Linktiger - a utility to check for broken links on your website.
Garmin Nuvi - GPS unit that I got for my birthday and love

Next meeting topic: Text messaging, beaming, Jott.com

A Dictionary for Text Messaging

2007-05-08T15:46:00.000-07:00

As per our Mastermind meeting this afternoon I am providing the website for a good text messaging dictionary. I am not sure if it was the one that was shared during the meeting so if it is a duplicate, ok, and if not it is an extra resource. The address is as follows:

http://www.webopedia.com/quick_ref/textmessageabbreviations.asp

This is the preferred way of communication for the 30 year old and under generation. From what has been said more and more people are preferring the instant text message over voicemail and phone calls. It is easy and you can read them without disturbing any one and during a meeting. You can't do that with the cell phone calls.

Is the agent you are referring your client to, the right agent?

2007-05-08T06:57:00.000-07:00

What type of questions would you ask of the agent before placing your client with them? Would you interview more than one?

You have a listing lead (Seller) in their city:

Tell me about your Real Estate experience
Do you have references
What do you expect from an agent you refer a client to?
How is the market?
Do you have any designations?How long have you specialized in this area?How do you intend to market the home
How many listings did you take vs what you sold?
What is your average days on market?
What is your list price vs sales price ratio?
Do you have a website?

You have a buyer relocation to their city:

How many buyer offers did you put together last year?
How many RELO buyers?
How much time are you willing to devote?
Do you have refrences?
Do you have a team or will you be helping them?
Do you have a good lender for the buyer?
What will you do to make the client feel comfortable in their new city?
Do you have a relocation package?
They want ___ area, do you know that area well?

Remember your future income depends on getting the "right agent"!

Hear C.A.R. Chief Economist Leslie Appleton-Young on the March houseing numbers

2007-05-05T09:28:00.000-07:00

This was broadcast on April 25, 2007 on KNX 1070 AM.

Need A Passport Photo? Quick & Easy

2007-05-05T09:04:00.000-07:00

Go to ePassportPhoto and simply upload a photo captured on a white background, then simply edit and crop the photo for a valid 4"x6" photo sheet. Be sure to share this with your fiends and family as the rules for where a passport is needed is changing. This tool makes it easy and free.

SoCal Mastermind: Fixya

2007-05-02T19:11:00.000-07:00

SoCal Mastermind: Fixya

Fixya

2007-05-01T06:28:00.000-07:00

Do you have a consumer product that is giving you problems? Not sure where to go to get help, well there is a new website called Fixya. FixYa is a huge knowledgebase that is constantly updated by a live community of users who share their experiences of technical problems and solutions. ou can search by manufacture, model name or even find a repair man near you. Next time you are having trouble with a device give Fixya a try.

Can't I just speak to someone without going through voicemail hell

2007-04-29T15:55:00.000-07:00

BRINGO cuts through all of that so you don't have to. That's right, BRINGO has conquered phone trees.

Here's how it works:

Find the company you'd like to call by category (credit cards, mortgages, loans, health care)

Enter your phone # (we will never disclose your phone number to anyone, not even your mother!).

Wait a few seconds while we navigate the phone tree.
When we call you back, pick up your phone and you're done. No more phone trees.

They currently have 10 catagories:

Auto (28 companies)
Communication (43)
Computer (24)
Financial Services (162)
Health Care (86)
Media (5)
Other (9)
Retail (58)
Travel (59)
Utility (9)