Tag Archives: closing gifts

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!

Giving and Appreciation – The Pop By!

  By Patty | December 4, 2008 - 10:10 am | ,
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The holidays are almost here! What a great time to “Pop By” your A-list clients and prospects in your database with some holiday cheer and good tidings!  According to Brian Buffini, a small token of appreciation or “item of value” can go a long way in building strong relationships and generating referrals.  Just remember – appreciation wins out over self promotion every time!

Here are some simple, cost effective gift ideas:

  1. Holiday Ornaments: you can purchase plain glass balls in bulk at CostCo or Sam’s Club, tie it up with some lovely ribbon add a simple card and you have a great gift!
  2. Something that will last all year long – A household tool or measuring tape is useful and most people keep them in the “catch all drawer” in the kitchen where it’s handy.
  3. Small magnetic calendars that you can personalize with your business card.  These are very inexpensive and everyone can use a 2009 calendar!
  4. What about a set of holiday return address labels for your client.  A sheet of printed labels costs about 50 cents.  (And we can help you format, design and print them!  Yes, it’s a shameless plug for our services)
  5. Coupons. Negotiate with a neighborhood store or restaurant for a free appetizer or dessert or a 10% discount on certain items.  Most businesses are agreeable to offering joint coupons, because you are giving them free advertising!
  6. Candles are always a great idea – as a decoration or when/if the power goes out! Check out the deals at the Dollar Store and stock up.
  7. If you are somewhat capable in the kitchen, there are some great recipes for homemade Spiced Tea, Hot Chocolate and easy Candy recipes!  Just wrap them up in some green or red plastic wrap or a small mason jar with a pretty bow!  (I have all of those recipes if you need them!)

And don’t forget to include a simple note with your name and number.

No matter what “item of value” you choose for your “Pop By” this season, remember the purpose – to build and cultivate client relationships that will last throughout the year!

present