A Blog for all Reasons

Want to gain website Muscle? Try a Hyper-Lo-Cal Diet!

Carl Minicucci, BBA CA — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 16:55:00 GMT

The world of on-line marketing is a dynamic and ever-changing medium which is always re-inventing itself. Just when you think you're starting to get a grip on the status quo, the status quo quickly fades into yesterday's news archive. From search engines, E-mail, and lead generation to rich media, sponsorship, and Ad-words, advertising formats are continually evolving in the hope of winning over the attention of the on-line consumer.

Within the last decade, the focus of attention seems to have been on the development and advancement of new and innovative Format for delivering the message. Recently there appears to be a paradigm shift that has started to gain a strong momentum in the on-line advertising arena.

The new focus is on the Substance of the message being delivered. The new focus is on Hyperlocal content.

So what is fueling this trend? Simple. First principles. Any introductory text on marketing will dedicate a chapter or two to the concept of ‘target marketing’, which simply speaks to concept of understanding who are the potential customers of your product. What was once thought of as the 'World Wide Web' with global outreach might soon become the 'Neighborhood Narrow Noose' with local insight. Introducing Hyperlocal content takes this approach further by focusing on your immediate surroundings and neighbourhoods.

A simple analogy would be to look at sports coverage, say Football.

"Football" = Global (although some of my Euro soccer friends may argue this point)
"NFL" = National
"AFC West"= Regional
"Denver Broncos"= Local
"JFK High Trojans"=Hyperlocal

If you want some evidence of this trend, you need only take note of the changes taking place before your very eyes. Take a look at a few new initiatives taking place on-line:

Point2 agent shifts away from broader "selling areas" and moves toward local neighbourhoods.
Point2 agen introduces Facebook Neighbourhood Application, aimed at connecting with your local community and their residents as the Neighbourhood Expert.
ActiveRain introduces Localism focusing on delivering insightful local real estate information provided by local Realtors
Yahoo launches Yahoo! Local, with an emphasis on having local readers provide local content.
Interactive Community Newspapers - On-line newspapers in which the local residents and businesses take an active part in providing relevant local community content. Take a look at a great example.

What’s the call to action?

A good first step is to start to embrace the concept of Hyperlocal real estate content within your on-line platforms, be they personal, community or corporate websites, blogs, lenses or the like.

Don't just write about "Why it's a good time to buy in America".
Don't just write about "Why it's a good time to buy in Las Vegas".
Don't just write about "Why it's a good time to buy in Tinytown".
Write about "Why it's a good time to buy a home on Happysuburb Avenue.

The fact of the matter is, you and I will likely have a major hill to climb before either of us will be considered an expert in the global real estate arena. We will however, stand a much better chance of becoming the resident real estate expert in Tinytown which offers excellent neighbourhoods and homes on streets such as Happysuburb Avenue.

Give it a try and before long, you will add some significant Muscle to that ’97 pound website weakling’. I know I plan to.

Jay Thompson gets called up from the Minors

Carl Minicucci, BBA CA — Sun, 12 Aug 2007 21:05:00 GMT

I'd like to congratulate Jay Thomson, (a familiar and valuable contributor here at REliberation and Point2 Agent) for recently being added to the select group of contributors of Zillow.com's newest addition to the blogging world, GeekEstateBlog.com.

GeekEstateBlog.com's aim is to be a "resource for real estate professionals who want to learn more about how they can grow their business through smart use of technology."

Jay is sure to be a valuable resource to the new initiative by providing his unique perspective as a practising Realtor (soon-to-become <yawn> Broker) and Technological Afficianado.

(Also included in the group of writers is Point2Agent's very own Chief Operating Officer, Brendan King.)

Please help me congratulate Jay on his foray into the Big Leagues.

If you post it, they will come.

Realtor without a Cause

Carl Minicucci, BBA CA — Sun, 12 Aug 2007 20:13:00 GMT

I've always done things a little differently in my life. To be sure, I'm a very curious and skeptical person by nature. I question things.

Do I do this for the pure joy of it or to rock the proverbial boat? Am I another Realtor without a Cause?

Absolutely not. I just believe in continuous improvement and self-realization and challenging others to do the same. My approach to the Real Estate agency industry is no different. By most generally accepted standards of the industry, I would surely make the Blacklist of Non-Conformists.

Allow me to showcase some of my bio:

Fact: I am still relatively new to the industry (I'm approaching 2 years)
Fact: At this stage, real estate agency is not my primary means of income
Fact: I am not associated with a larger national brokerage (I'm one of only 3 Realtors in our office)
Fact: I don't own a pager or have access to dedicated real estate office administrators
Fact: My photo is not on my business card, I don't subscribe to any regular mail outs or other similar traditional advertising campaigns

Pretty pathetic huh? Are you "Boo'ing" or "Hiss'ing"? Have I lost your respect as a fellow Realtor? I hope not because I seem to note that kind of reaction on occassion.

Certainly, much of the self-promoting marketing material I read in my neighbourhood speaks to many of the above issues.

"I've been practising real estate for xx years"
"I'm a full-time Realtor"
"I'm part of xyz real estate inc., the largest real estate organization in the world, indeed the universe"
"I'm part of team, which includes buyer agents, listing and marketing personnel etc."
"I will market your property on national newspapers and directmail campaigns etc."

It's interesting how some Realtors are very quick to inherently dismiss someone like myself by focussing their self-promotion on everything they are, or are not.

The fact of the matter is that there is a lot more to me and my professional background than meets the Realtor eye and I harness this background to my clients' advantage each and every opportunity I get.

I'm not sure where this ideology eminates from but it's probably not too distant from all the other rhethoric and myths that some Realtors maintain or feel compelled to follow from the get-go.

Isn't it ironic that on the one hand, there are so many people so willing, ready and anxious to follow along the same textbook path of Realtor righteousness. Yet, on the other hand, many of these very same Realtors are then desperately fledgling along in a desperate attempt to distinguish themselves from their own colleagues.

They want to be different, but not set the trend. They want to explore, but not leave the Mothership. They want to belt out a tune like Elvis, but not outside the confines of their showers.

The professional associations and career choices they make is their business and their business only. The environment you select, the goals you choose and how you set out to achieve them is entirely up to you. What may work for someone, may not work for someone else.

Only, the Realtor can and should decide.

A Beginner's Blogging guide to REliberation

Carl Minicucci, BBA CA — Tue, 07 Aug 2007 14:56:00 GMT

Congratulations on deciding to join the Point2 Nework. As an added bonus, you now have automatic access to a wealth of knowledge from other Point2 real estate professionals via the REliberation community blog.

So where to start? How to post? What to post? Don't worry, we've all been there.

The following are a few Tips to get you up and participating as part of the REliberation Community.
( Keep in mind that this is NOT an officially authorized guide )

1) HELP! - Like most new online platform endeavours, the first suggestion would be to read through the HELP guide (a link is located at the top right of this page). It is a step-by-step guide to all there is to know about the technical aspects of setting up your your own personal blog which captures all your blog post contributions. Please read it before starting. It's Mandatory!

2) A Few Rules - Once you start each new post you will come across the following disclaimer:

"DO NOT use REliberation to post: support or Point2 software related issues; or to discuss subject matter not related to the business of real estate. All Point2 NLS membership and software discussions should be posted on the Point2 Customer Service Message Board, and all other discussion not pertaining to the business of Real Estate should be posted at the Message Board"Coffee Shop".

Commercial solicitation of any form is also prohibited, and abusers will be prohibited from further participation on REliberation. The purpose of REliberation is clearly outlined in the Posting Guidelines. Read it. It's also Mandatory!

3) NEW-B is not a four-letter word - So you may be new to the Blogging world or the REliberation community. Fear not. We all must start somewhere and this is as good a Community to start with as any. There are many very knowledgeable staff and professionals here who will be very helpful with any questions you may have. Don't be shy about letting them know you're just getting started. You can be sure to receive a warm welcome. It won't be long before you're recognized as a familiar face.

4) The only Bad post is No post - As someone just starting out, you may be a little intimidated and reluctant to post a blog for fear of criticism. Don't let the fear take hold of your creative instincts. Criticism can often be the sign of an engaging post. Try not to take things too seriously. This is not your full-time job...yet.

4) WYCIWYG - What You Contribute Is What You Get from your experience here at REliberation. The more you can participate by reading, commenting, or posting, the more you will reap personally. Remember that REliberation is a community and a successful community requires co-operation. Your voice matters. Participate. Just don't blame us if you develop an addiction.

5) 2 parts Humility, 1 part Respect - That's one of the best recipes for earning yourself a good reputation and rapport with your fellow bloggers. Nobody's perfect, but I have yet to meet him/her.

6) Try not to read between the Lines - The written word is a very powerful tool. It can often move people in very emotional and impactful ways. When it comes to the opinionated world of blogging, messages can often be interpreted in very different ways. Anything from cultural differences to the lack of intonation can be contributing factors to this. Before you read between the lines and act too hastily, seek first to clarify and understand your fellow Blogger.

7) Dear Reader, will you Marry Me - Engaging the blog reader is one of the fundamental keys to successful blog writing.

8) Pay attention to the Pros - Once you begin participating you will soon start to become familiar with some of the more regular contributors to REliberation. Furthermore, you will note how several of those regular contributors are able to maintain a consistent following and interest level with their posts. Don't re-invent the wheel. Analyze their posts and you will be sure to pick up some valuable pointers and strategies.

9) Keeping the Blog Topic Pipeline Primed - One of the more common problems Bloggers face is trying to develop and maintain a fresh and original list of blog topics. Add to that the time committment involved in completing a single original post and it can become a daunting task. A good tip to follow is to utilize your RElib interface to start and note new topics. By simply including such topics in new post titles, you will have saved the ideas for a rainy day. You can make the post topics a work-in-progress by completing each post whenever you find some down time in your day. Finally, you can "publish" each one whenever you prefer which allows you to maintain a consistent and regular contribution to the blog.

10) Having Blogging fun is Serious Business - Part of the REliberation motto is "..to promote the exchange of ideas and information..". There is no reason why you can't do this while having some fun and enjoying the experience. In fact, it's Mandatory!

These Tips are not meant to form an exhaustive list. Certainly, you will likely find many more along the way from your new found REliberation colleagues and friends...and that really underscores the true benefit and spirit of being part of this great Community.

Welcome to REliberation. Hope to see you on the other side.

Can I have my Blog cake and eat it too, please?

Carl Minicucci, BBA CA — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 21:02:00 GMT

Here's a question and I'm hoping some of the resident SEO experts can chime in with their viewpoints. (I've tried researching this and I'm getting mixed results).

Is there any way of posting a piece to one blog (Blog A) and posting the same content in another (Blog B) without any adverse SEO consequences.

One idea is to truncate a portion of the original blog and include a "read more" link (to the original post) and include this in Blog B. However, I don't know if that is still recognized as the same content. Secondly, I don't know if that would generally be considered poor blogging etiquette, especially if Blog B is a public blogging network platform, such as RElib.

Finding the time to post articles is always a challenge for all, and oftentimes the idea of posting original content in a third party public blog, where there is much opportunity for a visitor to become distracted with other links to other blogs or websites, becomes a difficult proposition.

If there was a way of achieving this objective and advertising that mechanism, I think there would clearly be much more participation and content on this platform, for example.

Any help or feedback would be appreciated.

Thank you kindly.

Jay Thomson...a Day in the Life of a RE Tech Guru

Carl Minicucci, BBA CA — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 18:22:00 GMT

In the spirit of the current Blogging for Dollars contest, I would like to personally request a piece by Jay on his typical day from the viewpoint of his tech-related activities.

I for one (I'm sure I'm not alone) am always baffled by how he is able to synthesize so much information, tools and resources into what is clearly a well-oiled machine. I'd love to get a glimpse into his Real Estate Technology regiment, which would include everything from his P2 sites, to Blogs, Social Networks and the like.

I also know enough about Jay that he's too modest a guy to author something with a title like that on his own.

So how about it Jay? Care to give us a glimpse into the routine? There's an almost certain 50 dollar bill with your name written all over it, should you take me up on the request.

p.s. Just so there is no misunderstanding, I'd like this post removed from any consideration for the Blogging contest. I'd hate to be thought of as using "Jay's name in vain" :-)

Table for 2 or a Burger to go?

Carl Minicucci, BBA CA — Thu, 02 Aug 2007 14:21:00 GMT

Option A - A candlelit 5 course gourmet dinner, each featuring a wine pairing and served in the private dinning area overlooking the moonlit Bay with good ol' Sam the pianist playing your favorite melodies, all evening long.

Option B - A Burger, cooked in yesterday's animal lard and accompanied with a crispy (some would call it burned) basket of home fries complete with a vintage 32 oz tub of the finest soda, this side of Atlanta ready in 2 min and 39 seconds.

If you're like me, I've been often lured by the self-serve convenience, economics and immediate gratification to my belly from Option B. If you're also like me, it's not too long after the grease session that you come to realize the longer term impact of "super-sizing".

No, I'm not taking dinner orders here. Nor have I confused this blog entry with one meant for the Food Network.

The analogy I'm drawing here is that of a Full Service versus Discount/On-line Service.

The challenge of being a successful full service Realtor will ultimately require you to thoughtfully develop a comprehensive set of value propositions that you plan to offer your prospective clients. Like the successful restauranteur, you will need to set out a detailed customer-service action plan...from the time they make reservations to the time their napkins are fluffed up, to the time they are escorted to the door at the end of the evening and to the time you send out a mail-out thanking them for their patronage. Every detail counts.

Don't be too concerned with those thrifty, impatient clients who are looking for their next quick grease fix who are opting for FSBO's Burget Pit. It's the valuable client base that you want. Rumours of delivering quality value-added service usually spreads quickly, brings valuable customers in the door and often back for seconds.

Welcome to Chez Realtor
Buon Appetite!

When Blog $$$ talks, this Blogger procrastinates

Carl Minicucci, BBA CA — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 15:05:00 GMT

..so here's the chain reaction of thoughts when I read about RElib's Blogging for Dollars blog post contest:

1. $50 bucks?...for a winning post? That's not bad, not bad at all. Gotta luv P2.

2. Hmmm..50 bucks X 31. Where's my calculator?...That's $1,550 if I win each day.

3. Enough dough for about 3 years of fees for a Professional P2 site, or a Premium site, or some P2 Home Neighbourhoods, Spot-Lite Ads....wait-a-minute.. that'll also pay for a spanking brand new set of golf clubs ...just in time for the Wife's birthday!

4. Ok, gotta come up with a quick list of topics to write about. What are they looking for again? (click "<--back", to re-read the announcement post.

5. Alright, lemme think....(don't hurt yourself Carl)

6. "Why it's good to Blog"...hmm, unoriginal and I'd have to include a 'gag bag' as an attachment and neither Google nor Mr. Gates has invented a solution for that..yet. I need to lay down and think...I do my best thinking on the sofa.

7. Here's a few:

Realtor technology...adapt, adopt or adios
Blogging...it's a local thang
Realtors surpass Rhinos on the Endangered Species list
FSBO..threat or opportunity
Revamping the Multiple Offer rules
Real Estate Teams
Technology tools and Real Estate...connecting the dots
Part-time Realtors vs Full-time Procrastinators...ok let's start.

8. Hold on, I've not seen this Seinfeld episode...for the 10th time yet. I'll start writing later on tonight. <Note to self...add "Kramer, Jerry, George or Elaine...which type of Realtor are you" to the list of topics>

9. I think I've got writer's cramp...Nothing stirs up creative juices more than a short nap...

10. <Dreamscape>..."and here comes Carl along the 18th fairway of Augusta waving to his fans, as he approaches the green with a 3 shot lead over Tiger..looks like those new RElib Drivers really paid big dividends Bob"

Enjoy the contest folks
Just Post It

Networking: Increasing the Diameter of your Sphere of Influence

Carl Minicucci, BBA CA — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 21:51:00 GMT

Family, friends and past clients are all great sources of prospects and/or referrals.

But what about the less obvious? In the past, I've noted some personal success with the following sources:

Health Club and Athletic Teams
A Volunteer Organization (Board of Directors)
Local Chamber of Commerce
Professional Associations (other than Real Estate)
School and Former Employer Alumni

The common thread with each of these was my regular participation with each of these groups allowing me to indirectly cultivate my personality and skill sets without sounding like an over-bearing salesman, which is something I am not good at (probably because I HATE doing it).

Do you have any alternate Networking sources that have proven successful to your business? Please share.

How do you Distinguish yourself?

Carl Minicucci, BBA CA — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 01:20:00 GMT

"Preparing free market evaluations, offering free buyer services, instant access to MLS listings, use of technology, including my own website..." It's a common list. All beneficial and worthwhile services, but how many other Realtors provide (or claim to) provide these very same offerings.

Is it enough to generate a lead? Is it enough to win over the listing? Probably not.

So, let's play devil's advocate.

Give me one or two unique reasons why I should hire you as the Realtor of choice in your local market.

It's a simple but challenging question...one that ought to generate a confident and well-rehearsed response when asked.

Welch's before and after shot...A quick Phixr-upper.

Carl Minicucci, BBA CA — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 20:59:00 GMT

Further to my original post on phixr on-line photo editing software, I took the liberty of touching up another photo of one of our other great contributors...all on-line..no software. Handy tool to bookmark.

The Before The After

Here's a simple on-line Photo-Editing gem...

Carl Minicucci, BBA CA — Mon, 26 Mar 2007 06:38:00 GMT

Have a look at www.phixr.com

The benefits?

No membership required. It's optional.

No software downloads (which limits spyware possibilities and file corruption)

Web-based allowing you to edit any picture file on any computer with an internet connection.

Most importantly, simplicity. You will have a command of this software in 10 minutes or less. Simply upload your file, edit till your heart's content, and download back to your storage media.

Using one of our beloved and MVP contributors' photo (it's not as though we haven't all seen this pic before), I jigged some VERY QUICK editions with the results below (left=original, right=edited). The picture was very good to begin with so I only applied a few options which were exaggerated to show the various possibilities such as noise reduction (i.e. pixel softening) and borders. There are many other fun options.

Enjoy

Carl

www.humbervalleyrealty.ca

Which comes first: The Chicken Purchase or The Egg Sale?

Carl Minicucci, BBA CA — Mon, 19 Mar 2007 17:23:00 GMT

In the wake of changing real estate business climates, I thought it would be interesting to note the approach your clients are taking in respect of the buying and selling order along with the advice you may be providing in that regard.

What are the trends in your markets?