Tag Archives: assistants

20 Ways to Touch Your Database This Year!

  By Patty | May 1, 2018 - 10:40 am | ,
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Don’t lose another opportunity to touch your database this year. Trying figure out how to keep your database thriving? Use these great holidays as a chance to stay in front of your clients all year long!

Call AnotherMe Virtual Assistants today to find out how we can help you with marketing!

New Year’s Day – January 1st, 2018                    Independence Day – July 4th, 2018 

Valentine’s Day – February 14th, 2018               Halloween – October 31st, 2018 

Daylight Savings – March 11th, 2018                   Thanksgiving – November 22nd, 2018 

Memorial Day – May 28th, 2018                           Christmas – December 25th, 2018 

Tired of the traditional holiday postcards & emails? Here are a few interesting  and fun holidays that your clients will enjoy! Get specific- if you have a client who loves beer, send them something funny they will relate to and remember. Not creative? Let AnotherMe help you design a postcard/email!

National Margarita Day – Feb. 22nd, 2018          National Dog Day – August 26th, 2018

Pi Day – March 14th, 2018                                     Drink Beer Day – Sept. 28th, 2018 

Earth Day – April 22nd, 2018                                  Make a Difference Day – Oct. 27th, 2018

Cinco De Mayo – May 5th, 2018                            Veteran’s Day – November 11th, 2018

National Donut Day – June 1st, 2018                  Small Business Saturday – Nov. 24th, 2018

National Ice Cream Day – July 15th, 2018              Ugly Sweater Day – December 21st, 2018

Want more holiday ideas? Check out http://www.holidayscalendar.com/

What are you waiting for? Your clients want to hear from you!

Don’t have the time? Call today!

Realtors Beware – Sellers Are Watching and Listening! 

  By Patty | April 25, 2018 - 10:31 am | ,
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With today’s technology advancements, there are many ways to keep an eye on your home while your away. However, many sellers are using new technology to listen in on buyers while their home is being shown. If you search for hidden cameras on Amazon.com, I am sure you will be stunned at the variety of options there are. From phone chargers to picture frames, it’s safe to say you are possibly being watched during your next showing!

Here are a few ways to tell if there are cameras in the home you are showing to your clients:

1. Use a RF detector.

These detection devices are pretty neat! They can pick up on active recording devices in a home. AKA, if you are being watched or recorded in real time, this device will know! They run around $100 and you can easily purchase one on Amazon. Keep in mind, if there is a recording device that runs off of a SD card instead of Wi-Fi, it won’t pick that device up.

2. Use your eyes!

This is one of your easiest options. A lot of homeowners have devices that stand out in plain sight or they are very obvious. Keep this in mind when showing that perfect house to your buyer and remind them to take the negotiation conversation outside!

3. Use a flashlight

Most of us have flashlights on our phones and they are a great way to look for cameras as well. Turn your flashlight on and pan around the house with it. You’ll be looking for a reflection. If you find one, you may have just found a hidden camera lens.

So, your best bet to protect your buyers interest when showing homes is to keep quiet when you are inside! You never know if you are being watched. Remind your clients to keep their comments to themselves when they are looking around and once you’re outside, let the comments flow!

Top 5 Reasons Realtors® should recommend Simplisafe!

  By Patty | March 26, 2018 - 10:11 am |
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Here at AnotherME our clients and their customers are very important to us and that includes your safety!                                                      Recently, we’ve been hearing amazing reviews about the company SimpliSafe and their DIY Home Security System. With even more bells and whistles than the top security companies out there, SimpliSafe is a product we highly recommend to our clients and here are the top five reasons why!  

1. No Contracts

With SimpliSafe, you are not locked in to a contract. You have the option to cancel your $14.99 monthly subscription to their 24/7 Home Security Monitoring at any time! Plus, they are so confident you’ll love your new DIY Security System, they will give you a full refund including return shipping within the first 60 days if you don’t!

2. Easy Setup

Unlike the security system industry competitors, SimpliSafe comes in a box shipped directly to your home for you to set up in minutes! That’s right, no annoying appointments with pushy salesmen, no tools and no stress! All you have to do is open the box, plug in the base station, mount the sensors and you are ready to protect your home!

3. 24/7 Alarm System Monitoring

With your monthly subscription, your home is protected around the clock! When a sensor detects a possible break-in, your system will sound off and alert SimpliSafe’s 24/7 Security Monitoring Center. Unless you cancel the alarm when the security specialist calls you, the police will be sent to your home right away!

4. Top Notch Technology

From water sensors that alert you of potential leaks to freeze sensors that tell you when your homes temperature has dropped below 41 degrees, you choose to protect your home in any way imaginable! You can also control your system from your phone, your computer, or a key fob! SimpliSafe products auto-update, work on wi-fi and the batteries hardly ever need to be replaced. The sensors are even pet-friendly; you seriously can’t go wrong with a system like this!

5. A la Carte Components

While you can choose from their pre-built packages ranging from basic ($229) to the all-inclusive “Haven” package ($489), you have the option to customize your own system! You’re required to have the base station and the wireless keypad and from there it’s up to you to add the features you want and need. Whether you have a tiny house or a mansion, SimpliSafe’s Build a System option is perfect for you! 

To learn more about the SimpliSafe DIY Home Security System, check out their website for reviews and more details at https://simplisafe.com/

4 Tips for Working with a Virtual Assistant

  By Patty | January 30, 2012 - 7:42 am |
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Working with a Virtual Assistant doesn’t mean you “dump it and forget it.”  Having a great virtual working relationship is really no different than having a great working relationship with an on-site team member. It takes time, communication, and a little bit of effort!

Here’s what we at AnotherME know to be true for our successful clients and how you can make sure your virtual working relationships will be successful too!

1)  Understanding your big WHY behind the what.  A virtual assistant is a trusted member of your team. (or they should be)  They are not little robots or time clock punchers. Typically they are the “get the job done” – results oriented types versus work my hours/week and go home.  It’s important for them to know the WHY of this new project or program you are asking them to complete or set up on their behalf.  Everyone likes to have meaning in what they are doing.  Understanding the WHY makes your VA feel a part of the team and gives them the framework to find and offer suggestions or improvements to what they are working on.

2)  A virtual working relationship must start with mindset of TRUST.  No one is perfect! Admit it, you’ve had your share of mistakes, typos, delays, etc.  It’s easy to point the finger when your virtual team member slips and doesn’t meet your expectation or when they miss a deadline. When that happens, it’s time to TALK with your virtual assistant – no emails that can be misunderstood.  Actually get on the phone and find out what happened…if your directions were clear and understood or if the task was not within their skills/abilities. Assume the best in your VA first; not the worst.  By doing so, you can develop a culture of trust and a sense of ownership and “team.”

3)  Virtual working relationships can be long lasting and productive – sometimes better than an on-site working relationship.  It’s a FACT.  More and more savvy realtors are opting for working with a Virtual Team where the strength of a relationship isn’t measured by proximity.  Do you really need someone sitting in your office and taking up space to work on programs and websites that are all internet based?

4)  Use technology to get face to face. Phone calls, texts and emails are great, but consider a monthly or quarterly chat with your virtual team members via Skype.  Include your buyer’s agents or other office staff so that everyone can be part of the experience.

The best virtual relationships take time and some effort.  By implementing the four ideas listed above and leading your virtual team like you would an on-site team, you will develop a results oriented, efficient and successful business!

 

Image Credit – traffikmarketing.com

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It works for Righties or Lefties – DocuSign

  By Patty | November 12, 2009 - 1:21 pm | ,
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You know the drill. Just sign here, here, here …and initial here, here, here and here… and when your fingers are cramping and numb, we’ll have ourselves a legal document.

The paperwork in a real estate transaction – from listing to closing – can be a real time-drain for all involved.  On some deals, all those signatures and initials just might necessitate a physical therapy appointment.

DocuSign offers a legal, secure electronic signature service guaranteed to reduce the wear-and-tear on schedules and fine motor skills.  Did you know that an electronic signature is enforceable and legal. (even in California!)

Better yet, DocuSign Lite is a free service anyone can use right from DocuSign’s homepage! There’s no paper, no account to set up, no cost or credit card number to provide. Simply upload the document that requires a signature and enter the email address of the recipient. Your recipient gets an email message from DocuSign notifying them of a document to be signed and you receive an emailed receipt confirming that the process is complete.

For more information, here is a link to the DocuSign blog.  If you’re a Mortgage professional, an REO Professional or a Real Estate Professional, take a moment to read through the section dedicated to the real estate industry.

Learn how DocuSign can speed up the process for everyone on both sides of a transaction.  And if you’re headed to NAR – you can check out their booth.  Tell them AnotherME sent you!

Pen

So when you hear, “where do I sign?”… now you can tell your clients, just click here, here, here and here…

Playing the Voicemail Game?

  By Patty | October 6, 2009 - 8:46 am |
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Do you feel like a pawn in the voice mail chess game? Call – Call Back? Message – Return Message? Check – Check Mate? Well, technology has come to our rescue!

SlyDial (www.slydial.com) is a free service for your land or mobile calls that allows you to connect immediately to your recipient’s mobile voice mail without waiting for four to six rings, their outgoing message, inevitblue phonesable prompts, blah, blah, blah.  SlyDial lets you go directly to voice mail.  Check Mate!

SlyDial is a real time-saver when when you need to share a bit of information and just don’t have time for a full conversation. It’s also a tool for discretion and consideration – ever disturb or distract someone when all you wanted to do was leave a quick voicemail? Like the times you remember that you need to return someone’s call… at midnight!  I hate it when that happens.

So here’s how it works: to use Slydial from a land line or a cellular phone, dial 267-Sly-Dial (267-759-3425) to leave a message for your intended recipient. The service is free to users who don’t mind listening to a little advertising, or you can pay a very modest subscription fee to avoid ads (look for the words “MYslydial Premium”.)

2 cell phones

You don’t have to join the premium service to use SlyDial – just enter the 267-759-3425 number on your phone and you’re in business. But if you want to use SlyDial apps for your iPhone (www.apple.com/iphone), BlackBerry (www.BlackBerry.com) and Windows Mobile Smartphones, you need to be a MYslydial Premium subscriber.

There’s lots of great information (check out the FAQs) at the SlyDial website that clearly explains the value of this very simple, very convenient communication solution.

I’m always looking for ways to save time here or there and to become more efficient in my business.  Slydial is a winning deal!

Is your Laptop Hot?

  By Patty | September 6, 2009 - 9:33 pm | ,
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Over the summer months, I’ve been using my laptop in the evenings to update my Facebook and Twitter accounts. And let me tell you, a laptop is hot!targus - lapton

Did you know heat is the probable a cause of some those annoying performance issues, like ‘lockups’.  And it might even be the cause of permanent damage. Yikes! What I’ve learned is that with a laptop, heat issues can be even more of a concern. (now they tell us!) All those heat producing components are tightly arranged inside a small space…so there’s not much room for a cooling system. (think tiny exhaust fan)

Use your laptop for an extended period of time and feel the bottom of it. Or feel your legs!

Well, I found a “COOL” solution for the “HOT” laptop! It’s a laptop cooling pad! I had no clue there was a product like this.

One day browsing for a thumb drive at Office Depot, I ran across this little gem. It’s a lightweight, thin “platform” that houses 2 cooling fans. (It’s the same footprint as a laptop) It plugs into your laptop and doesn’t create a big drain on the battery life either! Bottom line – less heat makes for a more efficient computer.

In case you’re wondering, I purchased the Targus brand Chill Pad, but there are others on the market as well. After using this “Cool Tool” for the past few months – I am singing its praises. I’d recommend this $30 investment (average cost) for any real estate professional who uses a laptop.

It will improve your overall computer experience and extend the life of your laptop.  While keeping you from heating up!

5 Personal Tasks You Can Delegate to your Virtual Assistant

  By Patty | August 25, 2009 - 9:29 am |
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A Virtual Assistant is a valuable resource in your Real Estate business for help with listings, contracts, marketing and general admin tasks. But, have you considered asking your VA to help out with some of your personal tasks as well.  When you have a relationship and a trust with your VA, handling personal tasks is just one more way you can leverage your time and resources.

Being that your Assistant is “Virtual”, she’s not available to pick up the kids, drop off the dry cleaning or deliver cupcakes to the brownie troop.  But she might be able to help you with any or all of the following!

Birthday Cards/Presents: With so many on-line programs that keep up with birthdays, a Virtual Assistant can easily log into your Plaxo, Facebook or SendOutCards accounts and send an E-Card or even a paper  Birthday card to a contact in your database.  Take a few minutes to create a custom/personal message for each of your groups: acquaintance friends, church friends, networking groups, neighbors, etc. and let your VA send the cards on your behalf.  You can vary the message every few months or once a year.  Ordering gifts, flowers or gift cards on-line is one of the easiest ways to delegate.  “Please call X store and order X for my nephew.  Address in my Top Producer database. Thanks!”  That was Easy!

Research pricing and ordering: Are you the one who always volunteers to order or get pricing for a party, meeting or event?  Flowers, invitations, decorations, awards, promotional items, catering, signs, flyers, printing… the list goes on and on.  Of course you can call and get 3 quotes for a catering company along with their menus for your Rotary Club meeting the next day… but don’t you have to meet clients, attend an inspection or negotiate a contract?  Try handing it over to your VA.  She can research, organize the info and quotes and then put all the information in a nice presentation format!  You’ll be the hero in your group.

Virtual Assistant
Confirm/Reschedule appointments: If you’re on the go with a car full of people or an out of town client, it’s not easy to confirm or reschedule your personal appointments.  Text your VA and have her call your Dentist, Nail Salon, Accountant or next client to let them know you’re running late or need to reschedule.

Community, church or civic groups:

DataBase – Do you manage the database for your “group”?  This is an ideal task to delegate to a Virtual Assistant.  She can update the info, create a mailing list or labels, set up your database in an email program or do a search to find addresses for members.

Mailing – Just because your Assistant is “Virtual” doesn’t mean she can’t help with a mailing.  It takes a little coordination – which is easy for a good VA – and she can handle it all.  Printing, labels, stuffing, stamping and mailing!

So next time you are stressed out, wondering how you’re going to get it all done – ask your VA for a little extra help.

Under Contract… Are your Clients Out of Sight and Out of Mind?

  By Patty | August 4, 2009 - 10:22 am |
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Transaction Coordination, Contract to Close, Closing Coordination, Transaction Management… Whatever you call it, this is the one service you should consider adding to your business.

Business Man

One of the challenges facing many agents today is keeping the paperwork and communications flowing during the closing process. When you’re out with new clients and can’t respond to calls or emails until the evening or the next day, the closing process for your Under Contract clients has been slowed down or sometimes derailed.

A Transaction Coordinator is on the job and working for you. She will be responding to those emails and phone calls during the day and making sure that everyone is “doing their job!” Then you can focus on new clients while still providing excellent service to your clients who are under contract.

Coaches and brokers recommend adding a Transaction Coordinator to your team when you are handling at least 20-24 sides per year.  A Virtual Closing Coordinator just makes sense.  Most Virtual Transaction Coordinators charge a flat fee per contract, paid at the closing.  No overhead, no additional phones or computers to buy and no salary.  Just pay as you produce!

Your Transaction Coordinator/Closing Coordinator is responsible for managing the process and deadlines, monitoring the progress, following up, communicating with all the parties in the transaction, and assisting your clients through the closing process.  When you stop and think about it, there can be up to 12 parties involved in just one deal: buyers and sellers, co-op agents, escrow companies, title companies, closing attorneys, appraisers, inspectors and don’t forget the loan officers and processors.  And with today’s market, deals are taking longer and are a bit more complicated!

Closing table conversation

The bottom line…  when you get to the closing table and everything has fallen into place, then you look good and your clients are happy!  Happy clients equal more referrals!