No Blogger Left Behind is a Webinar-based blog coaching program for real estate agents. This blog supports the coaching program and other real estate bloggers.
You can advertise HUD Homes even if you are not a listing broker. Learn how to create your own e-mail newsletters for HUD Homes using MailChimp. It's FUN, it's FAST, and it's FREE. (So is the Webinar!)
(Frances Flynn Thorsen teaches CE classes about HUD Homes. She wrote two books: "HUD Homes for Sale: A Complete Buyer's Guide" and "HUD Homes for Sale: Sales and Marketing Guide for Real Estate Agents." She is the owner/administrator of Frances Flynn Real Estate School in Tucson, AZ.)
Title: Create an e-Mail Newsletter Campaign for HUD Homes Using MailChimp
Online ratings are the rage! Consumers share reviews online about everything they purchase. This Webinar is a must for any business owner who wants to leverage the power of happy customers. The first, best step in reputation management is creating disciples for your message! Learn how to generate positive buzz about your brand!
Learn how to write and receive AMAZING reviews and testimonials on leading social media platforms, including • Amazon • LinkedIn • Yelp • Foursquare • Twitter • Facebook • and more!
Learn how to receive rich, laudatory testimonials, references and reviews for your business. Imagine your consumers singing your praises from every corner of the Web!
Accountants
Attorneys
Authors
Automobile Sales and Service
Builders
Consignment Shops
Consultants
Florists
Home Inspectors
Insurance Agents
Real Estate Agents and Brokers
Restaurant OwnersRetail Operators
Social media consultant and architect Frances Flynn Thorsen will share a specific plan any business owner or professional can use in 2010 to maximize the positive buzz around their business. She will share a handout prior to the Webinar.
Consider sharing this Webinar with your strategic business partners and your customers. Group pricing is affordable. The first registration is $27 ... Guests can attend the Webinar for $10 each. Make your testimonials, references, and reviews a team effort with your strategic, social partners!
Learn how to prepare and conduct a virtual "First-Time Home Buyer Seminar" step by step. This class is offered with two hours of On Demand class content available two weeks prior to the live event, a printable handout, and a "First-Time Homebuyer" template Powerpoint presentation you can customize with your company logo and information. Included with registration: Admission to "How to Host a Real Estate Webinar for Home Buyers."
Veteran Webinar presenter Frances Flynn Thorsen says, " It's time for real estate agents and brokers to put this new media technology to use in their real estate practice!"
Pre-Event Organization Selecting Presenter(s)
Select a Webinar Platform
Scheduling the Webinar
Webinar Setup
Marketing the Webinar Online and Offline
Registering Attendees Webinar
Presentation Best Practices
Conducting Polls of Attendees
Recording the Webinar - Feature the Replay on Your Website or Blog!
Attendance Tracking and Reporting
Create Follow-Up Survey
Registrants will also have an opportunity to attend any and all of a series of "Successful First-Time Home Buyer Strategies," a virtual event for consumers on five different platforms. Learn firsthand how an attendee feels, hears, and sees the same presentation on different platforms! Receive trial subscriptions to each. The same presentation will be presented LIVE several times in the same week for your convenience. You can attend as many sessions as you like.
Welcome to Cleveland! I am planning a virtual visit April 19 for ane-PRO® Workshop with very special Web 2.0 tips for attendees! In fact, I will share some great tips on that Webinar I have never ever talked about online! You don't even have to live in Cleveland to attend. Since this is a virtual event,you can registereven if you do not live here!
Graphics, photos, and illustrations are integral to blogging. Every blog post should have a graphic!
Real estate blogs lend themselves to locational graphics, including maps and illustrations created using maps. The photo at the right is a map graphic I created in about five minutes using two FREE resources - Trulia and Picnik.
Step One: Find City "Stats and Trends" Page on Trulia
The heat map for Cleveland is shown below. Heat map colors differentiate average price range for properties in the general area.
Step Three: Zoom In
Focus on the area you want to highlight and take a screen shot of that area. (You can use Picnik or any other tool for capturing a screen shot. I like Snagit also.
Save the photo to a file.
Step Four: Upload the Photo Into Picnik, Continue Editing
Step Five: Consider Edit Tab Options
Photo editing options include cropping, rotating the photo, sharpening, and more. If your file is large, you may consider resizing the photo here ... smaller photos optimize page loading times in your web visitor's browser.
Step Six: Open Create Tab
I like the "feel" of rounded edges. I can achieve this easily with the Frames selection.
Step Seven: Add Text to the Photo
Add Text in the box
Select a typeface
Use Text Properties box to select color, weight (bold, italic, etc.), and size.
Voila! You have a new graphic to insert in your blog post!
(Frances Flynn Thorsen is the creator of the No Blogger Left Behind Webinar-based coaching program. She is the co-author of "Real Estate Social Media Policies and Procedures," and an accomplished print and Web journalist. DISCLOSURE: The author receives affiliate compensation as an e-PRO® trainer and Point2 Agent web site reseller. She says, "I select only products I believe offer the best value for real estate agents and brokers.")
Google Maps Tips Parade - Mapping Exercises in Boston, MA
Welcome to Beantown! I am planning a virtual visit April 19 for ane-PRO® Workshop with very special Web 2.0 tips for attendees! In fact, I will share some great tips on that Webinar I have never ever talked about online! You don't even have to live in Boston to attend. Since this is a virtual event,you can registereven if you do not live here!
An overall look at metropolitan Boston from a default Google Map view (shown below) displays the familiar lines and markings of major roadways and splashes of green and blue for parks and waterways.
Click on the "More" button at the top right of the map and select the "Bicycling" option to display pathways for bicyclists in the metro area (shown below). The view of roadways is dimmed and green lines appear where bicyle-friendly routes exist.
Drill down and get more hyper-local (shown below). Examine the neighborhoods.
Take screen shots of local neighborhoods for your blog or web site.
Are there monuments or places of interest in a bicycle route not yet appearing in Wkipedia? Consider writing a Wikipedia article or adding your voice to an article on Wikipedia.
Do you ride a bicycle? Consider traversing the bicycle paths yourself and add video to the map! Imagine the possibilities! Become the neighborhood expert and rise above the crowd!
Ask yourself, "What can I add to this map that differentiates me in my market?"
Have some fun, play with it, and leave your mark on Google.
(Frances Flynn Thorsen is the creator of the No Blogger Left Behind Webinar-based coaching program. She is the co-author of "Real Estate Social Media Policies and Procedures," and an accomplished print and Web journalist. DISCLOSURE: The author receives affiliate compensation as an e-PRO® trainer and Point2 Agent web site reseller. She says, "I select only products I believe offer the best value for real estate agents and brokers.")
Consumers can now search millions of units in multi-family building, agent represented rentals, and landlord submitted properties.
Trulia is my favorite real estate search site. Consumers can search more than four million homes for sale … now they have access to millions of rentals across the United States.
“With the burst of the housing bubble, more consumers than ever are trying to decide if they should rent or buy so we’re giving them the tools to make the best decision for their lifestyle,” said Pete Flint, Trulia co-founder and CEO. “We saw the opportunity to take our world-class interface, advanced search, rich maps, and local neighborhood information and make Trulia available for renters, as well as home buyers. This is an exciting new market for us and we’ll continue to innovate to make it the best experience on the Web.”
Trulia offers several tools to facilitate rental search:
·Trulia Voices Guides address rental issues, a Rent vs. Buy calculator, and the popular question-and-answer format of Trulia Voices lets consumers have a dialogue with other consumers and real estate professionals.
·Local ratings on 12 different traits including parking, cleanliness, safety, public transportation, and weather. Additional information about schools, local amenities, and businesses is provided by Greatschools.net and Yelp.com.
·Advanced search by keywords (i.e. pool, waterfront, covered parking), multiple locations and custom ranges, location, map, and radius.
·Mobile search compatible with iPhone, Blackberry, Android, and other mobile devices. (See iPhone app in photo.)
·Personalize search, save listings, and receive e-mail alerts about rental properties that meet new search criteria.
Google Maps Tips Parade - Mapping with Wikipedia in Rochester, NY
Welcome to Rochester, NY! I am planning a virtual visit April 19 for ane-PRO® Workshop with very special Web 2.0 tips for attendees! In fact, I will share some great tips on that Webinar I have never ever talked about online! You don't even have to live in Rochester to attend. Since this is a virtual event,you can registereven if you do not live in Rochester!
Tip Five: Google Maps on Parade in Rochester, NY
Upscale Your Social Media Engagement; Become a Wikipedia Editor
Wikipedia has developed into a major resource for casual and professional research. The relationship between the data at Wikipedia and Google Map yields a treasure trove of information.
Consider the current foursquare craze. Real estate agents are swept away in the latest fad, a location-based social media platform where users "check-in" at businesses and places of interest, leaving a cookie crumb trail of content relative to their experiences at those places.
Is there a prospect for business utility at foursquare? Sure. The engagement is very shallow, however, and there is a great deal of energy directed at engagement there and discussion about the platform.
Food for Thought
Assess online content from a reader's appetite standpoint: foursquare is a MacDonald's burger and Wikipedia is world-class French cuisine. What kind of content are you dishing up for consumers? Wikipedia offers a classy alternative to junk-food social media engagement.
Wikiepedia engagement and article writing is an elegant way to differentiate yourself in a social media space where playful sandbox mentality drives so much behavior. Wikipedia content is user generated. YOU can become a Wikipedia writer for new articles, and you can be a Wikipedia editor when you share your thoughts on an existing article.
Wikipedia is a project to build free encyclopedias in all languages of the world. Virtually anyone with Internet access is free to contribute, by contributing neutral, cited information.
Click the "More" button at the top right of the map and select the "Wikipedia" box. The familiar "W" logo appears on the Google map (shown below) at locations where Wikipedia has reference points and articles.
When you click on a "W" a pop-up window will appear (see below) with the introduction to a Wikipedia article and a link to the full article.
Find places of interest where there are no articles and write them yourself! Link to those articles from your web site and blog. When your article is published in Wikipedia, the "W" will appear on the Google Map at the location noted in the article. Possible topics:
Churches
Parks
Airports
Shopping malls
Personalities and public figures - past and present
Sports facilities
Academic institutions
Recreational facilities
What additional topics are good Wikipedia subjects?
(Frances Flynn Thorsen is the creator of the No Blogger Left Behind Webinar-based coaching program. She is the co-author of "Real Estate Social Media Policies and Procedures," and an accomplished print and Web journalist. DISCLOSURE: The author receives affiliate compensation as an e-PRO® trainer and Point2 Agent web site reseller. She says, "I select only products I believe offer the best value for real estate agents and brokers.")
Google Maps Tips Parade - Mapping Neighborhoods in Albany, NY
Welcome to Albany, NY! I am planning a virtual visit April 19 for ane-PRO® Workshop with very special Web 2.0 tips for attendees! In fact, I will share some great tips on that Webinar I have never ever talked about before online! You don't even have to live in Albany to attend. Since this is a virtual event,you can registereven if you do not live in Albany!
Tip Four: Google Maps on Parade in Albany
Sometimes People Just Want to Know Neighborhood Boundaries
Creating Maps on Google does not have to be a long, time-consuming chore. People are drawn to neighborhoods. There is great value in neighborhood maps! Start with a map of Albany, NY.
There are user generated maps of Albany (NY) Neighborhoods on Google (see below). NOTE: These maps are not created by Google, they are created by Google users.
Each neighborhood is distinguished by a different color (see below).
Let's move in a little closer to a look at the Center Square Neighborhood (see below).
... and now for an even closer look (see below) where we can see all the streets.
Create Neighborhood Maps for your town, use the links in online marketing materials.
(Frances Flynn Thorsen is the creator of the No Blogger Left Behind Webinar-based coaching program. She is the co-author of "Real Estate Social Media Policies and Procedures," and an accomplished print and Web journalist. DISCLOSURE: The author receives affiliate compensation as an e-PRO® trainer and Point2 Agent web site reseller. She says, "I select only products I believe offer the best value for real estate agents and brokers.")
Google Maps Tips Parade - Custom Mapping in Savannah, GA
Welcome to Savannah, GA! I am planning a virtual visit April 19 for ane-PRO® Workshop with very special Web 2.0 tips for attendees! In fact, I will share some great tips on that Webinar I have never ever talked about before online! I am approaching the five-year anniversary of my e-PRO graduation and I intend to celebrate with special treats for Webinar attendees. More good news: You don't even have to live in Savannah to attend. Since this is a virtual event,you can register even if you do not live in Savannah!
Tip Three: Google Maps on Parade in Savannah
Make A Custom Google Map ... It's Easier Than You Think!
Savannah was founded in 1751 in the bricks-and-mortar world. In 2010 it remains a pioneering outpost in the uber important social media mapping world. There is enormous opportunity for real estate agents to stake a major claim here today!
Google is a master map creator. Let's a look at a plain vanilla map for sunny Savannah. Savannah is a wonderful city with historic charm and architecture.
Let's expand the view of the map to include the detail appearing at the left of the map graphic. Note that additional photos and links about Savannah are included as map links.
Let's take a closer look at that left column ... near the bottom of that column is a category called "User Created Maps." Anyone who has a Google account can create custom maps on Google for free.
When we click that link we see lots of markers about property for rent!
Click on any marker and a popup window will display information about the property.
The popup window will also offer a link to the provider's Google Profile page.
That's why it's a good idea to have a Google Profile! Prior to creating maps, complete your Google profile and include all contact information and web links. This user did not create a profile.
There is lots of opportunity for creating Google Maps in Charleston.
(Frances Flynn Thorsen is the creator of the No Blogger Left Behind Webinar-based coaching program. She is the co-author of "Real Estate Social Media Policies and Procedures," and an accomplished print and Web journalist. DISCLOSURE: The author receives affiliate compensation as an e-PRO® trainer and Point2 Agent web site reseller. She says, "I select only products I believe offer the best value for real estate agents and brokers.")
Google Maps Tips Parade - Real Estate Listings in Jackson, MS
Welcome to Jackson, Mississippi! I never visited Jackson in person, but I look forward to a virtual visit April 19 for an e-PRO Workshop with very special Web 2.0 tips for attendees! In fact, I will share some great tips on that Webinar I have never shared!
Tip Two: Google Maps on Parade in Jackson
Does Google Know Where Your Properties Are Located?
Google searches the Web for all kinds of information. It plots the Google map with data that includes property address and other location descriptors (town, neighborhood, street, etc.)
One of the richest searches across Google Maps is real estate information. The ""More" button (shown below) at the top right corner of the map has a box to select "Real Estate" information.
The map below illustrates the same Google Map for Jackson, MS, when the "Real Estate" box is selected. Note the red points ... each point represents a real estate listing.
You can also search by property in a regular Google search. When a property listing is available, the search results display a map and the property address. I searched 32 Avery Circle, Jackson, MS. (See below.)
Back to the Google Map ... consumers can zoom in and focus on a neighborhood ... Shown below is a hyper-local neighborhood display. Click on the button for 32 Avery Circle, a window pops up with address, photo, and more links for information about the property. Note under the property address there is a link to the data provider, point2.com. In this case, the listing agent of the property used her Point2 Agent web site to syndicate the listing to Google (and numerous other real estate listing sites).
Click on the link for "more info" and Google will deliver property description, photos, a map, and contact information for the listing agent.
Another click directs the consumer to more information about the property.
Are your listings easy to find on Google? Point2 Agent is my personal favorite listing syndication tool.
(Frances Flynn Thorsen is the creator of the No Blogger Left Behind Webinar-based coaching program. She is the co-author of "Real Estate Social Media Policies and Procedures," and an accomplished print and Web journalist. DISCLOSURE: The author receives affiliate compensation as an e-PRO® trainer and Point2 Agent web site reseller. She says, "I select only products I believe offer the best value for real estate agents and brokers.")
Google Maps on Parade - Videos in Port Charlotte, FL
Welcome to Port Charlotte, Florida! I was delighted to present "Don't Get Blogged Down" to Realtors here in 2008 and I visited recently via Webinar with a select brainstorming group. I'll make a virtual visit April 19 for an e-PRO Workshop with very special Web 2.0 tips for attendees!
Tip One: Google Maps on Parade in Port Charlotte
We Know Where Your Properties Are Located. Where Are Your Videos?
Google's digital products work together. YouTube videos tagged for location appear on Google Maps. At the top right of the map, click the "More" button and select "Videos."
All of the videos tagged with "Port Charlotte" will appear on the map. See the map changes below as video links appear.
Click on a video icon and the video will open right on the map!
I clicked on all the links in Port Charlotte. There are NO real estate videos on YouTube appearing here. This spells O-P-P-O-R-T-U-N-I-T-Y for Web savvy real estate agents in the area.
Real estate agents and brokers who have videos in this locale: Go to your videos "Info and Settings" and insert a MAP LOCATION . The YouTube video map location will create a location pin on Google Maps.
There's a lot of vacant video real estate in Port Charlotte. Who is going to be the first to tag video for real estate consumers?
(Frances Flynn Thorsen is the creator of the No Blogger Left Behind Webinar-based coaching program. She is the co-author of "Real Estate Social Media Policies and Procedures," and an accomplished print and Web journalist.)
I will cover 9,789 miles that day, starting at home in Tucson, AZ. I will focus on 10 cities that day:
Port Charlotte, FL
Jackson, MS
Savannah, GA
Albany, NY
Rochester, NY
Boston, MA
Portland, ME
Cleveland, OH
Indianapolis, IN
Spokane, WA
e-PRO®, the National Assn. of Realtor Internet Certification program, now features a new course: "NAR Web 2.0 and Social Media."
Attend an online e-PRO® Workshop with Certified e-PRO® Trainer Frances Flynn Thorsen and learn about course offerings:
* Web 2.0 Concepts, Principles, and Core Characteristics
* Technology Building Blocks
* Social Media Applications and Uses
* Integrating Web 2.0 Concepts into your Real Estate Business
Starting tomorrow, I will post daily tips about Google Maps. The Google Maps Tips Parade will start in Port Charlotte, FL. If you have questions about Google Maps, post them in the comments section and I will be sure to cover them when the Parade gets underway.
FREE e-PRO® and NAR Web 2.0 and Social Media Webinar
e-PRO®, the National Assn. of Realtor Internet Certification program, now features a new course: "NAR Web 2.0 and Social Media."
Thursday, March 4, 2010
4 pm EST
3 pm CST
2 pm MST
1 pm PST
Attend an online e-PRO® Workshop with Certified e-PRO® Trainer Frances Flynn Thorsen and learn about course offerings:
* Web 2.0 Concepts, Principles, and Core Characteristics
* Technology Building Blocks
* Social Media Applications and Uses
* Integrating Web 2.0 Concepts into your Real Estate Business
Real estate agents can build a social media presence with a business plan that blocks an hour a day for consumer connection and engagement. Here's an easy plan to follow after you set up a profile page at Facebook and Trulia.
Real Estate Social Media FSBO and EXPIRED Training
Leverage new social media tools to capture saleable listings and build relationships with new age consumers! Learn about dollar-productive ways to use social media in your real estate practice from one of the nation's leading journalists and social media mavens, Frances Flynn Thorsen.
"What you hear, you forget; what you see, you remember; what you do, you understand." - T. Harv Eker, Secrets of the Millionaire Mind.
Capture the FSBO and EXPIRED market with new social media tools in a first-time ever online listing extravaganza!
Real Estate Social Media Summer Blowout!
SOCIAL MEDIA SKILL BUILDER
BRONZE
SILVER
GOLD
Webinar: Tips for Trulia Success (Jul 23 11 am EST)
FREE
FREE
FREE
Webinar: Social Media Culture Shock (July 30, 11 am EST)
X
X
Webinar: Create A Social Media
Business Plan (Aug 12, 11 am EST)
X
X
Webinar: LinkedIn Fundamentals (Aug 21, 11 am EST)
X
X
Webinar: Why You Want to Heart Zillow (Aug 27, 11 am EST)
FREE
FREE
Weekly Engagement Exercises
X
X
Webinar: Business Plan Check-In (Sep 3, 11 am EST)
X
X
Webinar: Facebook Soup to Nuts
and Strategy for Success (Sep 9, 11 am EST)
X
X
Webinar: Taking Facebook to the Next Level-
Fan Pages, Events, Ads (Sep 16, 11 am EST)
X
X
Webinar: Develop a Blog Business Plan (Sep 24, 11 am EST)
X
X
Webinar: Law of Attraction Blogging (Oct 1, 11 am EST)
X
X
Twitter for Dollars and Sense (Oct 8, 11 am EST)
X
X
Webinar: Socializing Your Listings (Oct, 14, 11 am EST)
X
X
EXPIRED & FSBO LISTING SECRETS
Webinar: Automating Expired
and FSBO Prospecting (Jul 31, Aug 10. and Aug 14 11am EST)
FREE
FREE
FREE
Webinar: Goal Setting - Expired
and FSBO Listings (Aug 17, 11 am EST)
X
X
4 Weekly Webinars: Social Media Tips
to Attract FSBOs and Expireds (Aug 29, Sep 4, 11, 18)
X
X
Daily, 20-minute Webinars each weekday morning for SIX WEEKS! (Video available next day for members only) (Aug 18 - Sept 25, 10 am EST)
X
X
Add choice of 3 Social Media Webinars above
X
X
Unlimited e-mail support
X
X
Weekly blocks of time for telephone support
X
COST
$200
$200
$280
You will receive Webinar information one week prior to the program. There will be a single link and choice between listening at the computer or via telephone connection. All Webinars and handouts will be posted online for members only and downloadable to member's own computer. There is a new web site to serve this program that will have a members-only corner ... web site will be launched by July 8, 2009.
You Will Receive Support!
A day-by-day plan with new tools and ways to use those tools for dollar-productive results!
You will be part of an interactive group with a personal Succeess Partner!
GOLD members will have unlimited e-mail support from your coach.
Create Your Own Public Service Announcement - Help Homeowners at Risk of Foreclosure KEEP Their Homes
Are you using your blog as means to reach homeowners at risk of foreclosure? Here is a step-by-step plan to create a Public Service Announcement (PSA) to reach your market and help those homeowners:
Get a list of non-profit agencies who can help. The key word here is nonprofit. Nonprofit government agencies and private agencies have trained, HUD-certified counselors who can help homeowners facing foreclosure. Example: Arizona has a very active Foreclosure Coalition with members who support distressed homeowners. Don't Borrow Trouble is a Web site and group founded by Freddie Mac to support distressed homeowners.
Create a video and keep it simple! Use your webcam or Flip camera to create a very simple, one-minute long message. Don't worry if you don't know how to use fancy editing software. Use simple sheets of paper and print Web sites and telephone numbers and hold them up to the camera to illustrate your point as shown below.
Insert the PSA on your web site(s) and blog(s). Let help some people save their homes!
"Frances Flynn Thorsen, in an articled entitled, "Short Sales are Not the Route to Financial Redemption for Homeowners," (Realtown, March 3, 2008) raised an issue that almost no one in the real estate industry has addressed. In our rush to become foreclosure experts and to close more short sales, we have neglected the most important role that we could play in resolving the heartbreaking tragedy of this situation -- assisting homeowners in restoring their hope and providing them with a path to staying in their homes ... she makes an impassioned plea to put our energy first in helping people stay in their homes rather than helping to boot them out. "
INSPIRATION: Brad Inman
Brad Inman, industry visionary and founder of Inman News, HomeGain, and TurnHere video, posed the following challenge to the real estate industry last year at an Inman Connect Conference in New York City: " How can you use Web 2.0 to help our neighbors who need us more than ever?"
RSS Blog Feed
There are 44,000 HUD Homes. Are you capturing your share of the market in government owned homes?
This program includes everything you need to plan, present, and follow-up a successful online event for first-time home buyers!
Welcome to Cleveland! I am planning a virtual visit April 19 for an
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That's why it's a good idea to have a Google Profile! Prior to creating maps, complete your Google profile and include all contact information and web links. This user did not create a profile.
In her excellent book,