RealTown's RealTalk

I have been using it for quite a few months. I use it for two different purposes, first to send to my clients or prospective clients. When I am going on a listing presentation, I get their email and send them a Market Snapshot. It looks so professional and nobody else has been doing this.

The second thing I do is include the link to it on my website and in all my emails. Every week I get new requests for a Market Snapshot. If they put their phone number I follow-up with a phone call, if they just give an e-mail address I follow up that way and through snail mail.

In my follow-up calls I have never had anyone that had any difficulty reading it. Some only take the time to look at the listings and do not go through the graphs, while others read every portion of it.

I also use it as an educational tool. For example, the report tells me how many homes have sold in the past three months in a zip code, versus the total number that are on the market, versus the number of new listings. When sellers see that there are many more new listings coming on the market during the period than are being sold, they are much more likely to price the home correctly.

As soon as the clients or prospective clients receive this months Market Snapshot, I send another e-mail that goes through one of the tabs and go over the importance to them, or how they can use it to watch how the market is changing.

Regards,
Jeff Launiere, P.A., e-PRO
Keller Williams Realty
Tampa, FL
813-469-3163
MailTo:Info@SweetHomeTampa.com
http://www.SweetHomeTampa.com

Valerie Rosenblum,Realtor®,GRI, e-PRO

Top Producer has just released the new 8i package. Go to http://TopProducer.RealTown.com to check it out. Would be interested in hearing your comments.

Rich Hudson
Director of PR/Marketing
InternetCrusade
(619) 283-7302 Ext. 602
Rich@InternetCrusade.com

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I have been trying Top Producer 8i, and personally do not like it. Although the screens are nice, the screens are too busy for a tablet PC. On my large 21" monitor it is fine, but on the Tablet PC that I use 99% of the time, it is not good.

I spoke to tech support about it, and he said I understand what you are saying. I think that sometimes the software designers have nice large screens and forget that many of us are using small screens in the field.

My other complaints are that I constantly add contacts, then once in awhile clean them out. On 7i you click on a name in an address book and instantly see the basic information. On 8i you have to open the contact totally and sroll and scroll to get the same information.

I saw many people have said they love 8i. I'm never sure why some do and don't. I know I teach Top Producer in my office and some love what they have done to 8i. As a power user that uses all of the services in 8i, I do not.

I am also an old IT person, and always try virtually all the software out there. I went on www.GaryDavidHall.com and he has software called Advantage Xi on there. I have been using it for the free trial and love it. I am probably going to drop Top Producer in the next few days when my free trial is over. It took all the best features of Top Producer yet made it much simpler. It is also a desktop product so the speed is so much faster, but also syncs other PC's over the Ineternet. The only negative is you cannot use it from any computer in the world, as the program has to be loaded on your PC. Although I am not sure that Top Producer 8i can truly be used on every PC with an Internet connection either, as in Internet Explorer and Firefox you have to change settings in the browser to use it and download some components. Try doing that from some Internet Cafe or public library and you may not be able to use Top Producer.

Regards,
Jeff Launiere, P.A., e-PRO
Keller Williams Realty
Tampa, FL
813-469-3163
MailTo:Info@SweetHomeTampa.com
http://www.SweetHomeTampa.com