Looking to get a jump on the competition in 2010? If so, check out these new Web tools that can give your business a definite edge.
One of the best ways to take business away from your competitors is to provide your clients with the latest technology tools. Here are four tools that can help you build market dominance in 2010.
1. Boopsie.com
If you have ever tried to view a listing from a mobile phone, you know how long it takes to type in the URL on the "for sale" sign, log on to your local MLS, and then wait for the information to appear. Unlike Zillow or other applications that work only on one type of smartphone, a new application from Boopsie works on all smartphones. Boopsie is not browser-based like other applications.
With Boopsie, you don’t have to type in a URL, wait for your browser to load the URL, and then enter the address or click on a map and wait for those to load as well. Instead, Boopsie uses your phone’s GPS to pull the 10 nearest properties. For agents, it also provides MLS details, key box locations, as well as the listing broker’s contact information. Boopsie also provides one-click access to nearby closed and pending sales, backup offers and leases. At the NAR trade show, Boopsie loaded all this information in about two seconds.
Because most cell phone applications prominently display the listing agent’s name and contact information, many agents are reluctant to have their clients view listing data from their cell phone. Agents can provide the Boopsie application to their clients. Once a client enters the code into their cell phone, the agent’s name and contact information appears above all listing information. (The listing content displays based upon the IDX rules at the MLS to which the agent belongs.)
Whenever clients see a listing they would like to view, they can contact the agent who gave them the access code with a single click. Boopsie allows clients to bookmark properties they like and dislike. This information is sent immediately to the agent’s phone, resulting in quicker sales and more efficient communication.
2. MobileCardCast.com
An ever-increasing number of functions are moving to our mobile phones, yet less than 2 percent of all Web-based companies have a mobile presence. MobileCardCast.com allows you to market your services directly to your customer’s mobile phone. Unlike e-mail newsletters or e-mail drip campaigns that require the user to be logged in at their computer, you can now offer a wide variety of ways to reach your consumers with compelling data.
For example, the Mobile Card Cast system allows you to share video, pictures, songs and ringtones. It also formats Web data so it is compatible with any phone receiving it. They take your current Web site content and convert it so it will run on any Internet-enabled mobile phone. …CONTINUED
3. RealAgile.com
A new tool from RealAgile.com helps agents identify those buyers and sellers who are most likely to list or buy a house in the next few months. RealAgile, using up to 250 variables, predicts with 40 percent to 60 percent accuracy those buyers and sellers who are most likely to do business in the near future.
RealAgile’s program yields three categories of potential clients. The "red hot" leads are those people in your personal database you should "take to dinner once a month." The "yellow leads" are a "take to lunch," and the "blue leads" are "contact regularly face to face."
The fee for the program for your personal database is about $150 per month. If you want to get leads from the general public, that program runs about $500 per month. Not only does this program help you save valuable marketing dollars, it also helps you to spend your time where you will get the greatest return on your investment.
4. RepTechCenter.com
This is actually a suite of products. If you have ever tried to calculate your own supply and demand data, you know that it can be a time-consuming task. The "Excel Key Market Analysis" template from RepTechCenter.com allows you track up to four years of supply and demand data based upon local MLS data. Using data obtained nationally from remodeling contractors, they also offer a "Kitchen and Bath Remodel" template that details the costs associated with various types of remodeling.
The program I found to be the most interesting, however, was their "Curb Appeal" program. This program allows you to upload photos of your listing. You can then change both the interior and exterior of the property by importing different colors, types of floor covering, or even "planting" new landscaping on the photos. The effect was quite dramatic. This program retails for $119.95 and seems like a particularly good investment for properties that show poorly, especially for bank-owned properties (REOs).
The thing to keep in mind about any new technology is whether or not you will use it. If you try to implement too many changes at one time, it will overwhelm you. Consequently, the smart move is to choose one you like, try it out, and then move on to the next choice once you have comfortably integrated the first choice into your business.
Bernice Ross, CEO of RealEstateCoach.com, is a national speaker, trainer and author of "Real Estate Dough: Your Recipe for Real Estate Success" and other books. You can reach her at Bernice@RealEstateCoach.com and find her on Twitter: @bross.
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