Chances are, by now you’ve heard of Twitter, even if you haven’t the faintest idea of what it actually does. If you’re not familiar with Twitter, you may find that it benefits you—and your real estate business—to take the time to get to know the service.

Basic Tips to Get Started:

1. Choose a name with relevance to real estate.
This way you may gain followers you don’t even know, simply from people who are searching for new people in the industry to connect with. You might want to think about making a second account with your name or something similar, if you want to be on Twitter for personal use. (Although, knowing REALTORS®, you probably won’t be able to keep your real estate updates separate from your personal account!)
2. Make sure you upload a personal photo. Much like when listing a home, uploading a photo of yourself or an image of your company’s logo to your Twitter account makes your page more appealing.
3. Add location information and a bio. Write a short bio of yourself and make sure you fill out the “location” field, to let people know what you do and where you are.
3. Change your notification settings. To ensure you don’t go crazy from non-stop emails, make sure you go into the “Email notifications” tab of the settings page and modify your settings. If you’re active on Twitter, you should start receiving lots of new followers, and getting an email every time a new person decides to follow you will simply overflow your inbox. You may want to leave the “Direct Text Email” box checked, to ensure that when someone sends you a direct message, you’re made aware of it.
4. Follow people! Start following people! Find other REALTORS® or people in the industry, and begin to connect with them. They may follow you back as a courtesy, which will enable you to better converse with them.

What Should You Tweet About?

1. Open houses. This both serves to advertise your open houses to potential buyers who are following you, but also just lets people know that you’re active in the market, so they know they can come to you in the future if they need help.
2. Don’t be afraid to brag. Celebrate your sales! If people see you having success, they’ll feel more comfortable coming to you if they need someone to get things done for them in the future. Just don’t brag too much, of course.
3. Market updates. Link to interesting news reports and stories about what’s happening in the national and local markets! People love using Twitter as a news source, and posting information like this is a great way to gain followers. It also boosts your image as a trusted source who keeps up with current trends. (An important tool is Bit.ly, which is a free service that allows you to shorten links to fit into Twitter’s 140-character limit, as well as allowing you to track how many people are clicking on your links.) If you see someone you follow posting something interesting, don’t be afraid to retweet them – they may even return the favor in the future!
4. Converse! Ask people questions, answer questions asked of you, and interact with your virtual neighbors. Twitter is great for conversations, so don’t be afraid to get more personable with your tweets.
5. Local events. As a REALTOR®, you’ll probably have a majority of local followers. You don’t have to make everything about real estate: You can update them on fun events happening in the area, such as concerts, festivals, or farmers’ markets.
6. Use Foursquare. Foursquare is a service where people “check in” to different locations. The person with the most check-ins at a given location is the “mayor” of that location. Sometimes businesses offer bonuses to the mayor (example: discounted coffee to the mayor of a coffee shop), but even if there are no real-world perks, it’s a great tool for meeting people in the real world. It also has interesting real estate opportunities. One example: If you become the mayor of a location, visitors who check in will see your information listed as the mayor, as well as a tip from you. As a tip, you could provide links to some of your listings in the area, to possibly attract people in the area who are looking for homes and like the neighborhood!

As you’re hopefully beginning to see, Twitter offers a lot of exciting possibilities for REALTORS® to get more active in the social media community, and is a vital resource for connecting with other people in the industry, as well as potential clients. Twitter is easy to use, and as long as you schedule out a few set times a day to catch up on your tweets so it doesn’t distract you from all your work (the same way you may do with emails), it’s a very non-intrusive way to boost your personal brand and hopefully bring in some new business!

And don’t forget to follow us @RMLSweb!

There are many ways to use video in your business. This article, reprinted with permission from the REALTOR®Mag, has some pointers on getting started with video.

Let’s Get Reel  | By Stefanie Hahn

With millions of people watching online videos every month, it’s time for real estate professionals to consider how they’re adapting this resource in their marketing plans. Here are some tips for getting started.

As a society, we are consuming video like mad. A look at the current YouTube statistics shows that as of September 2012, more than 800 million people come to YouTube each month and watch more than 4 billion hours of video. Last year, traffic from mobile devices tripled. Now wrap your head around this: 500 years worth of YouTube videos are watched on Facebook every day and more than 700 videos are shared on Twitter every minute.

More importantly, people are interacting with video content — YouTube reports that 100 million people take a social action on YouTube (likes, shares, comments, etc.) every week.

Don’t think your clients have caught on to the profound impact of video? In April 2011, Mashable released an infographic by Postling stating that, “73 percent of home owners are more likely to list with a REALTOR® offering to do video.”

Based on these statistics, there’s never been a more compelling time to add video to your marketing plan. Here are a few tips to get you started.

Equipment

You probably have multiple devices that can shoot decent video these days — smartphone, digital camera, and tablets, for example. Try your digital camera with a tripod first, as it helps avoid the “shaking” effect of the picture and give you a smoother plane upon which to move your shots. Tripods are cheap, but they can make a big difference in the quality of your video. Always carry extra batteries and/or a battery charger just in case you run out of juice.

Shooting

Here are a few quick tips for capturing video:

1.      Turn on every available light if you are shooting inside. Also, avoid shooting for a length of time toward a window or anything that will reflect.

2.      Write a script, even if you think you don’t need one. Scripts will keep you on track and give a bit of confidence. For added security, create a full-blown storyboard with each video shot and the words that should be spoken over top.

3.      Speak louder and slower than normal. Don’t emphasize your words to the point of silliness, but enough so you are easily understood.

4.      Keep it short. If you don’t capture the viewer in the first 10 seconds, you will lose them. Limit your video to less than two minutes whenever possible.

5.      Practice. When you make a mistake, laugh at yourself. Then, try it again.

Content

Sure, you could parrot your listing description and film the house room-by-room, but I would encourage you to be bolder than that. Try something different. Instead, ask your sellers two questions:

1. What attracted you to this neighborhood?

2. What will you miss most when you move?

Really, any variations of those two questions will work. If your sellers do not wish to be on video but are willing answer the questions, you might be able to record their answers in a voiceover while filming their favorite part of the house or what they love about the neighborhood. Your goal should always be to make the buyer feel something and (hopefully) get attached to the property.

If you don’t have a listing to shoot video in, don’t use that as an excuse. Start building a video channel with a variety of content that can help you market your services to potential clients.

Here are more content ideas to consider:

1.      Vendor tips: Get your favorite loan officer in front of the camera to explain mortgage terms, the application process, and what’s happening in the market. Do this with your insurance rep, title people, and home warranty reps. Keep the videos consumer-focused, helpful, and short.

2.      Market statistics: Answer that famous question, “How is the market?” Get local and you can attack one area within your market each week with statistics and analysis from your MLS reports.

3.      Community information: Show off the communities where you work (or wish you worked). Ask shop owners to wave hello and maybe even grab a “man on the street” interview with a local.

4.      Testimonials: A video testimonial is a powerful public endorsement of your work — these videos are your best self-marketing pieces.

5.      Profile: If you have somehow managed to keep your face out of all the other videos so far, this is the one to showcase you and how you work. Try to keep your video focused on what you will do for the consumer.

Editing

There are many options when it comes to editing your video. Consider trying the editing tools on YouTube.com if you are planning to upload there already. For beginner video editing, I would go with iMovie (Apple) or Windows Movie Maker (Windows).

SEO

You can use the same search-engine optimization (SEO) principles that you employ on your Web site to your videos. Know your keywords beforehand and use them in your video title, description, and tags.

The title of your video should be descriptive yet short. And don’t jam it up with keywords — use the video description to tell the world what they are about to watch. Each video should be “tagged” with your name, the word “video,” and relevant keywords. Don’t over-tag your videos and always use your name (or team name) as the first tag. This will help with your “related video results” down the line.

Marketing

Once you have a video or two ready, you will need to set up a channel. Think of your video channel as your own little station packed with the content you upload. You can share videos from here and/or get embed code for your Web site or blog. YouTube is the giant in this space, but don’t rule out other viable options like Vimeo or Flickr. Do some research and determine which option is best for you. Here are a few more promotional tips:

1.      Set up your video channel with all of your real estate and contact information. Remember to link the channel back to your Web site and use your keywords wherever they make sense.

2.      Add a title, description, and tags to uploaded videos. If your video is listing-specific, upload it with your listing anywhere you are able to add a video.

3.      Share your video with the listing, use the built-in social shares, and embed the video on your Web site or blog.

Conclusion

Remember: You can do this! Video is easier than ever to record, edit, and upload. The investment on your part is mostly time. Like anything else, you have to be consistent to see real results, but video will give you a marketing piece that lives online and works in your favor long after you’ve uploaded. It’s time to get reel.

Stefanie Hahn is the education director for Coldwell Banker Hearthside, REALTORS® in Collegeville, Pa. Visit her Web site: www.StefanieHahn.com.

Reprinted from REALTOR® Magazine Online (http://realtormag.realtor.org), September 2012, with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. Copyright 2012. All rights reserved.

We’ve put together a list of the questions that our subscribers may have about the Listing Load enhancements that will be out in mid-September.  This article is updated as we receive additional questions and comments from our subscribers.

**New Question**

 Is there a character counter in this release? Will there be an increase to the character count in Public Remarks?

There is a character counter for the remarks sections included with the new release. A request for additional characters in Public Remarks will be submitted to our Forms Committee, brokers who gather each year to assess the data we collect on our listing forms. Don’t forget that there is additional room for remarks on the Supplement Forms, if any of those are appropriate for your listing.

**New Question**

Will Listing Load now work in the Chrome browser?

Listing load will still not work with Chrome at this time. We are maintaining the IE and Firefox whitelisting currently in place. Our goal is to include Chrome in that group, but testing with that browser is not complete.

How will the changes to Listing Load affect me?

Although some of the pages may look different, the basic work flow has not changed dramatically. The enhancements we’ve added should make your ultimate experience more streamlined and productive.

If I have problems using the new Listing Load, what can I do?

RMLS™ trainers and Help Desk are here to answer any questions you have. You can reach us by phone at 877-256-2169 or email helpdesk@rmls.com. In case you need to get started when our offices and Help Desk are closed, we have also prepared an on-line tutorial available 24/7.

Why are you changing Listing Load? I know how to use it and it works.

We compiled many subscriber comments and requests about listing load over the last few years, and the upcoming changes reflect those requests. The result is a new detail view of the listing load search results with quick access to listing reports (agent full, tax full, history, photos and map) directly from the listing load screen. However, if you prefer, there is still a list view that looks very much like the old results screen. You can choose your experience.

What feature am I going to love the most?

We don’t really know, but it could be the Auto-save function, if you have ever lost work.

Where can I go to get information about the changes?

We’ve put together a summary about the changes that you can read here. You can also plan ahead and sign-up for a class in late September or find out how to set-up a training in your own office for Listing Load Enhancements by contacting training@rmls.com or 503-236-7657.

Is a full tank of gas a Realtors® best friend? Maybe not, but with all the driving they do getting a good deal on gas prices probably does make life a little easier. And you guessed it—there’s an app for that. Find gas stations close to wherever you happen to be with the best prices by trying one of these free apps for either iPhone or Android.

GasBuddy
Perhaps the most popular of gas apps, GasBuddy helps you locate gas stations near you and see their current gas prices with one click. The app creates a community of real time gas price “reporters” by awarding points toward prize giveaways to users. The app breaks gas prices down by gas types—regular, mid-grade, premium and diesel. You can search for gas stations based on either price or distance from where you’re located. It also provides a link to get directions to the station you choose.

GasGuru
Developed by Yellowpages.com GasGuru is only a month old so the jury is still out about the accuracy of its gas prices. However, in addition to gas prices this app also lets you search for nearby restaurants, coffee, auto repair, ATMs and roadside assistance—all of which can come in handy. This app rates gas prices  as either “Best” meaning it’s in the top 20 percent of the cheapest gas available, or “Good” meaning it’s in the top 50 percent, or other, which is any price not falling in the first two categories.

Do you have a favorite gas app, please comment and let us know what works for you!

When it comes to promoting your business you’ve probably heard a lot about creating a Facebook profile, tweeting or posting photos to Pinterest. It can be easy to jump on to one of these social networks and hope it will help market your work to potential clients. Any one of these platforms can be a great tool if you have a marketing plan in place and understand your brand.

It’s important to think about your image or brand because it’s actually the first step in figuring out how to effectively promote yourself. If you haven’t already, or if it’s been a while, set aside some time to define your brand.

What is a brand?

Seth Godin defines it as:

The set of expectations, memories, stories and relationships that, taken together, account for a consumer’s decision to choose one product or service over another. If the consumer (whether it’s a business, a buyer, a voter or a donor) doesn’t pay a premium, make a selection or spread the word, then no brand value exists for that consumer. 

Defining your brand can feel a little overwhelming so here are a couple of steps to help you get started.

What do you offer?

Think about the services you offer and what makes you unique. Do you focus on a particular area or community? Do you target a certain demographic? Are you an expert in a particular area of your field? What do you offer a client that’s different than your competitors? What kind of positive comments do you get from your clients? Take some time to write down a list of your services and think about what makes you different or unique.

Your 30-second Bio

Develop a 15-30 second “elevator pitch.” You’re in an elevator with someone and they ask you what you do for a living. You have 30 seconds to answer and pique their interest. So, it would be great if you had an answer beyond, “I’m a realtor” or “I’m in real estate.” Use the list you’ve put together about your services and what makes you different to come up with a concise, interesting pitch.

Here are a couple of sample elevator pitches:

“You know how stressful buying a home can be? I manage that stress for my clients by being at their side every step of the way. I love to make the process as easy as possible. My goal is to create a fantastic experience for every one of my clients.”

“I love the Northeast area. I’m really involved with the neighborhood associations and I’m a market expert in five different neighborhoods. Anything you want to know about real estate in a Northeast neighborhood I can tell you.”

Once you’ve honed in on your strengths and expertise you will be in a much better position to figure out who your potential clients are and how to reach them.

Next up: How defining your brand helps you develop a marketing plan.

Photo Credit

Yes, it’s that time again. . . billing for quarterly fees will be sent out on July 1. Here are some insider tips to help you keep your account current.

#1 Credit Card Auto-pay
Make paying your quarterly subscriber fees easy by using our debit/credit card auto-pay service. Your fees will be paid on time, every time, automatically. You can specify if you want the funds transferred on the 1^st, 15^th, or 25^th of the month they are due. Use this form  to start auto-pay.

#2 eBilling
Email notification will be sent within two business days of your account being billed each quarter. The email will include the due date, total amount due and a link to log-on and pay your bill.  For more information read our eBilling Q & A document.

#3 Free Reminders
We know you’re busy and have a lot of information to track—let us help you. You can opt-in to our free reminder service. We will send you a reminder email two weeks before your quarterly fees are due and call you if your account becomes past due. Call our Accounting Department at 503-872-8003 to sign-up for this free service.

#4 Keep Your Contact Information Current
It’s important that RMLS™ be able to contact you if an issue arises around your billing activity. If your email, phone number or address changes please go to RMLSweb–>Toolkit–>User Preferences–>Edit RMLS Subscriber Account contact e-mail to update your contact information.

Reminder—Not paying your bill doesn’t cancel your account. If you need to cancel because you’re leaving your current office or turning in your license please fill out the Subscriber Change Form. If your license is still active but you qualify for a waiver (see our Rules and Regulations) please complete the Waiver Form. Both documents may be sent to the Accounting Department.

For more information or if you have any questions please email accounting@rmls.com.

Photo Credit

The use of photos and photo captions on listings is something we hear a lot about at RMLS™. Our subscribers ask us to remind listing agents to put multiple photos on their properties and to use photo captions.  Subscribers have told us that photos and captions help clarify what a property has to offer and saves time.

Here are some quick tips for using our photo manager and captions.

• In Listing Load you’ll find a column titled “P” for photo. The buttons in this column indicate the number of photos currently uploaded for a listing.

• To use Photo Manager you need to download Microsoft’s FREE Silverlight product. It only takes 30 seconds to install.

Rule Alert — RMLS™ requires that at least one photo must be attached to a new listing within 72 hours and it must be an exterior building view.  You cannot add a caption to this first photo. If the property is land then a photo of the bare land is required.

• You can upload a total of 16 photos to a listing.

• Silverlight will resize your photo prior to upload to 640×480.

• If you upload a photo smaller than 640×480 Silverlight will add a white border around it rather than stretch it to fit.

• The caption link allows you to choose a caption and sub-caption for each photo.

Rule Alert – The reason subscribers can’t type in free form captions is that they have to be checked for HUD violations. The staff time required to check listings individually would be prohibitive. RMLS™ believes the best solution to this issue is offering a broad and extendable set of standardized choices for photo captions.

• Click on the photo in the Agent Full report to display a pop-up photo viewer.

• Captions are displayed in the photo viewer.

• Did you know if there’s a caption you want to use that isn’t part of our pre-approved list the Rules and Regulations Department can add it? Send them an email and they can add it our list for all subscribers to use.

That’s all there is to it! If you have any questions about using photo manager and captions please call our Help Desk at 503-872-8002 or send them an email. We’re here to help.

Guest post by Vallerie Bush, RMLS Rules Administrator

Compliance notification is not something our subscribers are excited to receive, and often they aren’t sure how they have broken the rules. However, in most cases the solution to their compliance issue is a simple fix! Below you will find 10 tips for avoiding RMLS™ compliance issues. Follow these rules and you’ll be on your way to a happy listing!

1. Picture Perfect – Add a Photo!
Without photos, potential buyers may pass up your client’s listing. In order to prevent this, make sure to add a photo to your listing as soon as possible. The rule is that you must add a photo of the exterior building view within 72 hours of adding a listing to RMLSweb. Subscribers also have the ability to upload photos to In-Progress listings. If the seller does not want a photo, you can have the seller sign a Photograph Omission Form, which is Document #1263 on RMLSweb.

2. Update Your Status
It’s important to update your listing’s status. If your listing has sold, make sure to change the status to SLD in RMLSweb. If your listing has an accepted offer, make sure to change the status appropriately. Remember, changes need to be made within 72 hours.

3. Double Trouble – Don’t Duplicate Listings
A listing may only be entered into RMLSweb twice if the property is able to be listed under two different categories. If you’ve got it listed twice as a Residential listing, we’ve got a problem.

4. Keep Your Password to Yourself
RMLS™ Rules and Regulations strictly prohibit sharing your RMLSweb password with anyone else. We do audit your login information to see if there are any duplicate logins that are suspicious, so please keep your password confidential.

5. Property Type Perfection
Not sure which property type to use? A definition of the property types can be obtained in Listing Load by clicking on the field. There is a separate Document #1270 for Residential listings.

6. Your Contact Information = Private Remarks Only!
The Public Remarks field is not meant to be an area for your phone number, contact information, showing information or broker/agent branding, so make sure to enter this information into the Private Remarks field instead (viewable only to other RMLS™ subscribers).

7. Play the Name Game
Owner Name is a required field that sometimes gets forgotten. If the owner does not want their name to appear on the listing, have them sign the Owner Name Omission Form, which is Document #1261 on RMLSweb.

8. The More (Showings), the Merrier!
The listings in RMLSweb must be available for showing when entered in RMLSweb.

9. Select the School Name
“Other” as the school name is only meant to be used temporarily until you can enter the correct school name. By entering the correct school name, potential buyers interested in that area will be able to find your listing!

10. Correctly Enter Tax ID Number
Sometimes, tax numbers aren’t entered exactly as they appear on the tax records. It’s important to make sure it’s entered exactly the same. You can be sure to get the correct number by using the Tax Autofill function when you start your listing. Also, remember not to use any extra wording in the address field and lot number should be added to the Unit/Lot Field.

Questions? Contact the RMLS™ Rules department at rules@rmls.com

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