A key to agent success is to develop a real estate marketing-based business that generates a steady flow of new leads. Most real estate agents operate deal to deal, working to get a deal, servicing that deal and then starting over looking for the next deal. When they do start over looking for the next deal, they often start looking for a quick fix. Here are 10 good signs you’ve fallen into the deal...

I recently came across this article in the LA Times — it was part of their small business makeover series — this time focusing on insurance agent and business-owner Tony Freeman. I think it’s valuable for those in real estate to see pay attention to what other professional service providers are doing to build their businesses. This article is interesting, because as Tony’s business...

Everyone loves a good bargain, right? Imagine holding your smartphone in front of you with it’s camera turned on as you shop. As your smartphone recognizes different products (via barcode or label recognition), the price is displayed on the screen, along with price comparisons at competing stores, and a list of recent product reviews. Ah ha! You find the same product at the store across the mall...

Every real estate agent knows a website is critical to a lead-generation strategy. Learn how to determine if your real estate website is doing more harm than good with our handy checklist. Web sites aren’t like cartons of milk with a clear-cut expiration date stamped prominently on them. But that doesn’t mean that your web site will never spoil. With new trends and technologies constantly...

So you have followed my advice in Part 1 of my article on social marketing and you have decided to put your toe into the Social Media water. You want to take it slow, so you decide to start by signing up on the basic three: FaceBook, Twitter and LinkedIn. For those of you who are techno-phobic, there are lots of companies, Hobbs/Herder included, that will set up your social media sites and get you...

As the President of Hobbs/Herder, the leaders in developing the highest quality and most productive real estate marketing materials for agents, I get asked this question all the time. New agents or agents who are struggling with a marketing budget will ask this question and I always preface it by answering: Marketing is a holistic endeavor and, unfortunately, real estate agents being salespeople are...

Last week, Google announced a set of home search improvements that are being integrated into their Google Maps service. While Google has offered home search capabilities in Google Maps for some time now, it hasn’t exactly been easy to find. Here is a short list of features: Typing in a query like “Homes for Sale in San Francisco” into Google Maps will plot available properties on...

The landscape of real estate marketing is changing fast. And, if you want to be ready to take advantage of the market as it starts its recovery process, you have to tap into the power of social marketing. Unfortunately, so many experienced and established agents keep telling me they don’t understand the value of Facebook, MySpace and Twitter, so they don’t bother setting up a free account....

Effective today, all California Realtors are required to put their DRE License number on all first contact materials that they distribute. This will include all business cards, stationary, advertising flyer, websites, and other material designed to solicit the creation of professional relationship between a licensee and consumer. However, there are specific exemptions. For instance, ‘For Sale’...