Two Day Tech Bootcamp = first Monday and Tuesday after Career Launch from 9-11am
Website Wednesdays: last 2 Wednesdays of every month, 9:30 - 11am: Workshop website class
Tech Friday: Every Friday at 1pm in the Training Room. Topics change weekly.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Saturday, March 15, 2008
Fax to Email
Direct Inward Dialing (DID) numbers are fun. The funnest use is to have your very own fax number that scans to email. While www.efax.com provides this service for a fee, Keller Williams San Antonio IH-10 is happy to provide incoming fax to email service with no additional charge. To create your account. Send a request to Ryan Orsinger at techguy@kw.com with your name and your email address for your @kw.com account. For this system to work, you must have your @kw.com account created. If you need to create or forward this, go to www.kw.com then go to My Information/My Email/My Address or My Forwarding.
To ensure that all faxes get to your inbox and not bulk, go to to SPAM on your webmail andset your spam policy less aggressivly. Additionally, you can go into the Whitelist and whitelist the sender (unknownsender@twtelecom.net)
All the faxes will show up as .tiff extensions in order to show the fax as an image. For some webmail users, I have seen the extensions appear as a white box with a red "X" in it. The phone system is embedding this .tiff instead of properly attaching it. To fix this, click like you are going to forward this message. When the .tiff attaches to your forwarded message, the link goes live and then you can properly download this. Unfortunately I see this issue only with the KW webmail. Outlook opens them like a champ and other email clients including web based mail and even smartphone clients open the attachments easily.
Please note that I am looking for better solutions with our fax-to-email software in addition to staying in contact with developers at KWRI about this issue with KW webmail so we can get it resolved. My next step is to get with Toshiba and our telecom vendors to get the fax attachments to send as PDF and not TIFF for increased portability.
To ensure that all faxes get to your inbox and not bulk, go to to SPAM on your webmail andset your spam policy less aggressivly. Additionally, you can go into the Whitelist and whitelist the sender (unknownsender@twtelecom.net)
All the faxes will show up as .tiff extensions in order to show the fax as an image. For some webmail users, I have seen the extensions appear as a white box with a red "X" in it. The phone system is embedding this .tiff instead of properly attaching it. To fix this, click like you are going to forward this message. When the .tiff attaches to your forwarded message, the link goes live and then you can properly download this. Unfortunately I see this issue only with the KW webmail. Outlook opens them like a champ and other email clients including web based mail and even smartphone clients open the attachments easily.
Please note that I am looking for better solutions with our fax-to-email software in addition to staying in contact with developers at KWRI about this issue with KW webmail so we can get it resolved. My next step is to get with Toshiba and our telecom vendors to get the fax attachments to send as PDF and not TIFF for increased portability.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Internet Lead Capture and Cultivation
On a great Internet lead Capture and Cultivation panel, a lot of thoughtful opinions and systems were shared by Benny Kenny, John Prescott, Christie Newman, Greg Cooper, Bruce Hardy, and Dave Therrien. The following is a quick outline:
To register or not to register... that's the big question in lead capture
There are various approches to this
- Registration or not, you've got to have systems in place to handle every lead
- If you force registration, you'd better be ready to respond to all the leads
- Realtor.com says that 80% of lead inquiries from visitors never get a response from the agent... yikes!
- skinny bait vs. fat bait: free limited info vs. more detailed listings
- Your registration requirement may drive people away, but guess what, you never had them
- You can see my listings w/o registering, but you'll have to register for MLS
...
ok!There's more here, but I have to go to another session.
Real quick: here's something badass and it should be plain but it was new to me:
The more specific and unique and hyperlocal the search terms and keywords, the further along in the buying process your visitors tend to be...
"San Antonio Duplex" is one thing..
"San Antonio medical center condo" is better...
"san antonio Terrel hills Ft. Sam Houston officer relocation"..... you see where I'm going with this.
Also: in paid adwords, more unique and specific words are cheaper!!!
To register or not to register... that's the big question in lead capture
There are various approches to this
- Registration or not, you've got to have systems in place to handle every lead
- If you force registration, you'd better be ready to respond to all the leads
- Realtor.com says that 80% of lead inquiries from visitors never get a response from the agent... yikes!
- skinny bait vs. fat bait: free limited info vs. more detailed listings
- Your registration requirement may drive people away, but guess what, you never had them
- You can see my listings w/o registering, but you'll have to register for MLS
...
ok!There's more here, but I have to go to another session.
Real quick: here's something badass and it should be plain but it was new to me:
The more specific and unique and hyperlocal the search terms and keywords, the further along in the buying process your visitors tend to be...
"San Antonio Duplex" is one thing..
"San Antonio medical center condo" is better...
"san antonio Terrel hills Ft. Sam Houston officer relocation"..... you see where I'm going with this.
Also: in paid adwords, more unique and specific words are cheaper!!!
Saturday, February 9, 2008
KW Family Reunion Tech Mastermind
KW Family Reunion 2008 is off to a fast start.
I attended the Tech Mastermind today and I'll give you a quick summary and will follow up with more details later.
Internet Lead Generation:
1) Diversification - Have different streams of leads coming to your site from many different sources.
2) Bait Properly - Give people something when they register- an agent from Virginia (I forgot her name, but I'll find her) mentioned that her team ran a $5 Starbucks card to people who registered. Bryon Ellington questioned if only thirsty people signed up or thirsty people who wanted property info.
3) Reach Upstream: Keep an eye
Internet Lead Cultivation:
1) Call back in 3 hours at most
2) Call back at the same time of the day that they registered on your site
3) Keep track of the "Wine Hour" after the kids are asleep, etc..
4) Keep calling back
Website SEO
Joel Burslem from Inman quoted Seth Godin, "Blow Up Your Homepage" because your listings page is the new landing page. Bryon Ellington suggests that for multiple neighborhoods, individual websites should be created because search engines are getting wise to 100 keywords of 100 different neighborhoods: they want specific content. Niche content is best.
Joel says there's 3 kinds of blogs:
1) Hyperlocal: neighborhood/farm/community
2) Industry: talking about home values, interest rates, real estate news, etc..
3) Nice: Blog by property type: condos are a popular example
--
There's good news coming for KWLS and syndication: dashboard listing tracking. Stay tuned.
If you want to do Video Blogs or need someone to write a blog for you, try posting a request for proposal onto www.elance.com. Individuals can bid for your job and you can write up a contract for it! Outsource your blogging!
I have more fascinating stuff coming up very soon, but I must now go mingle!
P.S. Gary Keller's speech was phenomenal!
I attended the Tech Mastermind today and I'll give you a quick summary and will follow up with more details later.
Internet Lead Generation:
1) Diversification - Have different streams of leads coming to your site from many different sources.
2) Bait Properly - Give people something when they register- an agent from Virginia (I forgot her name, but I'll find her) mentioned that her team ran a $5 Starbucks card to people who registered. Bryon Ellington questioned if only thirsty people signed up or thirsty people who wanted property info.
3) Reach Upstream: Keep an eye
Internet Lead Cultivation:
1) Call back in 3 hours at most
2) Call back at the same time of the day that they registered on your site
3) Keep track of the "Wine Hour" after the kids are asleep, etc..
4) Keep calling back
Website SEO
Joel Burslem from Inman quoted Seth Godin, "Blow Up Your Homepage" because your listings page is the new landing page. Bryon Ellington suggests that for multiple neighborhoods, individual websites should be created because search engines are getting wise to 100 keywords of 100 different neighborhoods: they want specific content. Niche content is best.
Joel says there's 3 kinds of blogs:
1) Hyperlocal: neighborhood/farm/community
2) Industry: talking about home values, interest rates, real estate news, etc..
3) Nice: Blog by property type: condos are a popular example
--
There's good news coming for KWLS and syndication: dashboard listing tracking. Stay tuned.
If you want to do Video Blogs or need someone to write a blog for you, try posting a request for proposal onto www.elance.com. Individuals can bid for your job and you can write up a contract for it! Outsource your blogging!
I have more fascinating stuff coming up very soon, but I must now go mingle!
P.S. Gary Keller's speech was phenomenal!
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Your Featured Listings
Your Featured Properties on your webpage come from your listings entered into KWLS. In addition to the marketing and syndication benefits from KWLS, this allows agents within our office to co-market other agent's listings through KWLS. Win-Win. The following show you how to Co-Market. Click here to download instructions on How To Create a Listing in KWLS. Also, you can Visit Here to view where KWLS Markets your listing.
Make sure you've signed up for Wolfnet as your IDX. Guess what? You're already paying for it.
Groovy. Now in Section 4.2, make very sure that you click KWLS and not MLS. Know why? Boards are stingy and crusty! KWLS is the only sure fire way to feature your listing on your webpage.
Search by First or Last name for agents whose listings you wish to co-market.
Now, accept other agent's requests and show them how to accept yours now that you have a picture diagriam!
Make sure you've signed up for Wolfnet as your IDX. Guess what? You're already paying for it.
Groovy. Now in Section 4.2, make very sure that you click KWLS and not MLS. Know why? Boards are stingy and crusty! KWLS is the only sure fire way to feature your listing on your webpage.
Search by First or Last name for agents whose listings you wish to co-market.
Now, accept other agent's requests and show them how to accept yours now that you have a picture diagriam!
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Mouse Commands; Commandeering the mouse
Yo,
I've been getting some questions about how to execute certain mouse commands like dragging and dropping, highlighting, and the use of the right click. If a few people have asked about this, I have the hunch that a others may have similar questions that they have not asked. The following links share some great exercises in mouse commands http://www.lawrencegoetz.com/programs/mousepractice/ and also http://www.instruction.greenriver.edu/Avery/activities/mouse/MouseSkills.htm. If you're up to speed with mouse commands and feel like a laugh,
I've been getting some questions about how to execute certain mouse commands like dragging and dropping, highlighting, and the use of the right click. If a few people have asked about this, I have the hunch that a others may have similar questions that they have not asked. The following links share some great exercises in mouse commands http://www.lawrencegoetz.com/programs/mousepractice/ and also http://www.instruction.greenriver.edu/Avery/activities/mouse/MouseSkills.htm. If you're up to speed with mouse commands and feel like a laugh,
Sunday, January 6, 2008
Best Practices for Listings
From the feedback agents share with me about marketing their listings.
Enter listing into Paragon MLS with multiple pictures.
Create a Virtual Tour of the property. Be sure to link it to your MLS listing.
Enter listing information into the Keller Williams KWLS system. (KW.com/My Info/My KWLS)
Ensure that your listing shows up as a featured property on your website.
Request co-marketing with other agents so that your listing shows up on their website as well.
Enter listing information into the KW Showcase for the Magazine. http://www.kw-showcase.com/
Enter listing into Paragon MLS with multiple pictures.
Create a Virtual Tour of the property. Be sure to link it to your MLS listing.
Enter listing information into the Keller Williams KWLS system. (KW.com/My Info/My KWLS)
Ensure that your listing shows up as a featured property on your website.
Request co-marketing with other agents so that your listing shows up on their website as well.
Enter listing information into the KW Showcase for the Magazine. http://www.kw-showcase.com/
Cutting and Pasting! Time Saving, Ryan's Way!
Ever had to type the same thing over and over again?
Have you ever had to get a piece of paper, write down something verbatim off your computer screen, and then go to another program on your computer and re-type the whole big long thing? Then how about trying the Windows functions of Cutting and Pasting!
Save time with cutting and pasting! It's easy!
There are a number of ways to cut or copy text, pictures, or files.
There are also a few ways to paste that information once it's on your Clipboard.
1) Highlight the text, files, or pictures you're interested in by clicking and dragging. Then you right click them with your mouse. This will bring up a right click menu, select Copy or Cut and click with your left mouse button to execute the command.
Once you've copied/cut your material, get your cursor where you want it, then right click select paste and left click it to execute the command.
2) Instead of using mouse right click commands, youc an do everything by the keyboard. Use CTRL + C to copy, CTRL+X to cut, and CTRL + V to Paste. This works especially well when applications or websites for some reason or another disable mouse commands.
3) To highlight everything on a page or in a window, use CTRL + A. This is especially useful if you want to copy all the text of an email.
4) Finally, you can also go up to the EDIT on the toolbar in most Windows applications and select to copy, cut, or paste.
Happy Time Savings!
Have you ever had to get a piece of paper, write down something verbatim off your computer screen, and then go to another program on your computer and re-type the whole big long thing? Then how about trying the Windows functions of Cutting and Pasting!
Save time with cutting and pasting! It's easy!
There are a number of ways to cut or copy text, pictures, or files.
There are also a few ways to paste that information once it's on your Clipboard.
1) Highlight the text, files, or pictures you're interested in by clicking and dragging. Then you right click them with your mouse. This will bring up a right click menu, select Copy or Cut and click with your left mouse button to execute the command.
Once you've copied/cut your material, get your cursor where you want it, then right click select paste and left click it to execute the command.
2) Instead of using mouse right click commands, youc an do everything by the keyboard. Use CTRL + C to copy, CTRL+X to cut, and CTRL + V to Paste. This works especially well when applications or websites for some reason or another disable mouse commands.
3) To highlight everything on a page or in a window, use CTRL + A. This is especially useful if you want to copy all the text of an email.
4) Finally, you can also go up to the EDIT on the toolbar in most Windows applications and select to copy, cut, or paste.
Happy Time Savings!
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