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Real Estate Virtual Assistance

3 Web Marketing Tips for Real Estate Professionals

Here are a couple of things that go through our minds these days.

• 1. I have a website but is it being visited? The people who actually visit do they look at my other listings?
• 2. How important is all this web2.0 thing or in simpler terms;  can Facebook, twitter and blogging  really find some business for me?
• 3. Is my current marketing an overall success or is there room for improvement?  How much time or budget do I need to start something ?

Heres my Guess :

• 1. I have a website but is it being visited? The people who actually visit do they look at my other listings?

Your website is being visited but not at the frequency you want. Lets face it even if you get 1000s of hits a day it may still not be enough. ;O Those who do look at your site may shy away after a couple of clicks. There are many things you can do to make them stay.  If you are using a page to get their contact detail before they view the contents of a site, chances are many wont opt for it. We may have to re-think on that strategy.

From a customers point of view, I would probably stop right there at the squeeze page and look for things that I can view without giving my information.

• 2. Web2.0 is about going to where the customers are instead of waiting for someone to drop by at your site and all the while your competition is laughing his/her way to the bank. The  business motto has always been ” Go and fish at sea if you want to catch some fish! “, in other terms, if you want it – go where the customers are at. Its that easy to understand.

• 3. You probably implemented lots of  marketing strategies. Online you spent a month doing all sorts fo things and you are still wondering why? oh why? you havent gone anywhere.

Here are some things you can check on:

• i. Have your blogs/ads been very visual or is it all too much of text. Try and keep a good volume of related images to enhance your work.
• ii. Are your topics in-demand : Hmmmm???!!! “When in Doubt-Check it out.” Google and search for good topics to keep readers coming back for more.
• iii. Lets face it your competition started 2 years before you did anything regarding online marketing so thinking that you will reach that status in 2 months is unrealistic. In about 2 months you will only  get the basics right.

There is always room for improvement and if you do need help in these areas you need someones help. You can do them but it will take 4-5 hours daily – if you have that time then that would be neat, but if not – you will need someone by your side. I received tons of SEO, WEB2.0 ,Viral Marketing newsletters and was amazed to see the prices. WOW! a whopping $2000 or so monthly for all of the above.

I replied and I said, You know what ?!! I must be missing something here because  my company does the same  for only $4/hr !!

Monthly my clients only end up paying about $640.00 No hidden charge, No termination fees!

Well let me end by saying that no one replied back.

Virtual Assistant 101

- What is a Virtual Assistant?
Virtual Assistants (VAs) are independent entrepreneurs providing professional administrative, creative, managerial, technical, business office and/or personal support services. VAs use the most advanced means of communication, and the newest and most efficient and time saving office products and work delivery, regardless of geographic boundaries. Virtual Real Estate Assistants work from their own offices, on a contractual basis, and abide by an established Code of Ethics requiring integrity, honesty and due diligence.

- How can a Virtual Assistant help me and my Business?
Virtual Assistants may not be physically in your office but they are online doing the tasks given to them by you. They co-ordinate with you every step of the way. Regular Brick-and-Mortar employees are paid and judged on their work for being present in your office. Our VAs are paid and judged on their work produced in the end of the day. Each hour is tracked, making them proficient.

- I need a Real Estate Assistant, how can someone so far away know anything about my locality?
You would be surprised to know how many VAs are working with Real Estate Professionals in the U.S. (Maybe that has been their competitive edge). Our VAs learn basic things about your local area during orientation. They have a database of properties open in front of them while receiving or making calls. Quick Copying and Pasting can bring approximate distances and even driving directions in Googlemaps from Point A to Point B in seconds.

- I don’t have time to sit down and type every instruction for the VA. How do we communicate?
Our VAs will call you to get these instructions. You can also make PC-PC free calls and delegate tasks as well. If you are always on the road, just call the VA and ask her/him to call you in your cell phone, since the VAs have unlimited calls to anywhere in the U.S., they can call you for free.

- How can FilSupport Virtual Assistants help my Real Estate Business?

This one is a long list.

1. 80% of all home searches start with the Internet. Imagine how much exposure your properties get from spending 2-3 hours every day just dedicated to posting classifieds. We recommend you assign a different phone number to these ads being posted by your VA. After a month check your database and see how many customers inquired about your properties using the number posted by the VA. It may astound you as to what you may be missing out on so far.
2. The VA can also be like your very own Call-Center Rep. , they can make outbound calls both Warm and Cold. They can receive Incoming calls and give information to potential customers. In comparison with big call centers where Call Center Reps work with too many accounts, they cannot give you the same attention and detail as your own person can do for you.
3. Some of Our VAs assist in making Broker Price Opinions and understand how to use the MLS, update your website of recent listings and Download-edit- Upload pictures of properties onto your website.
4. They can call landowners from sites like Craigslist and get them to list with you.
5. You’re a busy person; can you really prioritize your social network sites like Twitter, LinkedIn, Plaxo, MySpace and Facebook? With consistency and continued updates on these sites, they can penetrate a whole new market for you.

6. At FilSupport, we make sure that every VA is Up-To-Date with their knowledge of the internet and how to use tools to make work accurate and fast. We have been working with Real Estate Professionals for 4 years now and we know the where, how, what, when and who to find on the internet.

Virtual Assistants cut monthly costs by more than 50%

In this blog I`d like to  talk on how expenses can be drastically reduced by using a FilSupport Virtual Assistant.

In any form of business, the goal is to generate revenue. Now, after months and years of hard work, you may want to calculate how much of that revenue actually went towards expansion and how much of it went for manpower?

I cannot refute the fact that we do need manpower present physically in front of you and I must say that I am so glad not everything is virtual. It would be crazy not to meet and make new companions and somewhat sad if the only ones you knew were half way around the world, in a place you have never been. tsk!tsk!

Thankfully when you need help, when you need to expand your business and when your resources are low, you can always use the services of a virtual assistant.

In a few of my previous blogs, I have discussed how a virtual assistant can help with administration, marketing and customer care. Yep! a multi-tasker, kind of like a trinity of a “3 in 1″. I think that should suffice the point on how you can reduce your monthly costs but am just getting starting.

How can FilSupport VAs Cut my Costs?

1. Use Own Resources – Our VAs use our Resources so you will not be paying for their desk, computer or electrical energy.
2. No Work ,No Pay Policy – You will Not be paying for their Sick-Time, Vacations or Absences.
3. Contractors Vs Employees – Our VA`s are Contractors and so you will not be paying for benefits and you can Avoid legal obligations such as retirement, health and other insurance.
4. Affordability – FilSupport Virtual Outsourcing only charges $4.00 per hour as compared to $12-$25 in the US.
5. Time is Money – Our Assistants are mentored and scheduled on an hour to hour basis. We reach our hourly, daily, weekly and monthly goals. No time given to work means no pay given for time when work was not done.

Comparatively you can save $20,000 upwards using our services. Saving with Filsupport.

20 Reasons for Hiring a Virtual Assistant

Why hire a virtual assistant?

There are 101 answers to that question but let’s focus on the top 20:

1. Call and Email – They can Call and Email potential clients, sellers, buyers or customers. They have the skills necessary to do these tasks. They are very communicative and follow instructions well.
2. Database Management – Enter your business contacts into a Database like MS OUTLOOK or Zoho.com.  All leads called or emails sent will be filed for future reference. You will not have to waste any leads. Organize your database better.
3. Voice Transcription – Type businesses processes, contracts, emails or Transcribe your voice recordings and have them ready to be sent as an email. Screen and Monitor your emails regularly and send replies fast.
4. Ad posting – Post ads all over the internet on classifieds sites and increase business exposure.
5. Set appointments, schedule or confirm events for you.
6. Event and Travel Planning – Co-ordinate your travel plans. Look for the best rates available for flight and hotel accommodation.
7. Word Processing – Convert those lengthy PDF documents into Word.
8. Data Research – Research for a topic online that is time consuming.
9. Get Best Deals Available – Scan the internet for best deals on purchasing equipment, software and other items.
10. Presentations – You need Brochures or PowerPoint Presentations done.
11. Last Minute Assistance – You have access to the VAs Instant Messenger at all business hours, so quickly send last minute tasks to be completed.
12. Answering Service and Voicemail – You are away and need to know the voicemails that came in. Simple, Just have the VA send you the contact details and the Transcript of urgent calls which came in.
13. Data Entry – You need to Update your website. The VA can do this by accessing the back-end and making the necessary changes. Enter Data into a database or website.
14. Search Engine Optimization – Your website needs promotion so the VA can Submit keywords, URLs to various search Engines.
15. Appointments – You forget important dates but the VA will Remind you of them.
16. Email Campaigns – Email promos, survey for your customers’ satisfaction, prepare welcome packages to new clients.
17. Edit – Proof-read and Edit typos in your documents.
18. Telemarketing – Do Outbound Cold and Warm Sales Calls using your custom script.
19. Customer Care – Have your customers talk to a person in charge of handling your customers as opposed to just another available agent in a call center.
20. Competitive Edge – Very useful but often overlooked. Keep an eye on the internet marketing tactics used by your competitors.

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Filsupport 360° Assistance

Hi,

Lets assume you are a real esate agent at “EstateVille”.  If I am a potential home buyer, chances are that I would read the online classifieds and look for a home and to be sure I would also google a couple of pages ( the 1st and 2nd pages ) for tags like “Homes for sale estateville”.

Do you think I would be able to see your listings in google or in the classifieds? Are you doing these on a daily basis? Do you have time to do this?

Assuming you have 20 or more listings currently, do you have someone to help you take incoming calls , track your leads, schedule open house for you?

In these cases you would probably need some assistance. You can get that for $4/hr. For less than $700 / mo , You can have your own customer service and 100% marketing solution.

Why Business Owners Need A FilSupport Virtual Assistant

Why Business Owners Need A FilSupportVirtual Assistant

VA (virtual assistants) play an important function these days, especially if you are a business owner. The business owner often has no time to organize his leads or to talk to each and every potential customer not at least if the business owner needs to communicate with 30 or more clients in a day. Nor does he / she have time to keep updating themselves with trends in the internet or updating their websites each and every time.

Business owners should do one thing most above all – In my opinion, they should be involved daily in each aspect of their business and yet one step ahead all the time i.e. thinking and implementing ways to 1.Cut Costs 2. Start penetrating different markets 3. Business Development and Expansion

If the business owner is not doing all or some of the above on a daily basis, lo and behold, he or she will hit the doldrums and wonder why the business isn’t going anywhere.There`s just enough to pay expenses – not enough to get better equipment, better people,better location, solid advertising etc

Hiring a Virtual Assistant on the other-hand gives the business owner the most sought after thing, valued above all, even beyond wealth and riches : Time!

After setting up the business, the owner has come a long way, he or she has already achieved a goal and a dream. Now the owner is faced with more challenges. The correct way to handle these challenges is to take them on and turn them ” for you ” not ” against you “. What I mean , for instance is say a broker had difficulty finding a new market of people but later on the broker did her/his best to overcome it and now broke on through to a whole new potential. Overcoming the barrier gave way to bigger horizons.

The assistant on the other hand is making sure your day to day tasks are being dealt with professionalism, making sure that not a single lead is wasted. The VA can be creating a good rapport with new and existing clients with just a few calls a day and some emails.The owner suddenly becomes very organized, has more time to think and plan for the future.

I have learned a valuable lesson when I tried to do a lot of things by myself – I ended up calling a person a day too late due to my hectic schedule (I totally forgot) only to later call the person to find out that he went straight to my competition for business. I could have easily got that business with a 1 minute phone call. If I had an assistant then, I would have had that customer.

With FilSupport your business is supported 100%. All your customer service, web marketing, online advertising, administrative , clerical work and marketing is covered. That simple really and the $4/hr – well nothing beats that!

If you are a business owner especially realted to the real estate industry,I would like to hear from you. Please give me a call or email me. My number is 516.874.4777 / Fax me 516.277.0014 or email me at rsinha (at) filsupport.com.

Virtual Assistance for $4/hr

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