I have also invested in my tech education. I successfully completed a course called e-Pro ($349, discounted through National Association of Realtors), which helps real estate professionals leverage technology to increase sales. The e-Pro designation says you know how to work with the new technologies in real estate.
Because I decided this would be the year I got more tech savvy, I also invested in a Kodak Zi8 HD video camera ($179 on sale), which takes still photographs and video. I take photos of all my listings, and then upload them to my Website and to about 35 to 40 real estate portals. I also upload photos and videos of my new listings to Facebook and Twitter and to my blog. I can add more real estate-specific information on YouTube and other social media sites.
I have added the following social media tools to my online marketing efforts: LinkedIn, ActiveRain (real estate specific), RealTown (real estate specific), Plaxo, and several others–and they’re all free. These took a little time to set up, but are well worth the effort in terms of the reach they afford me.
The core thing you need to understand is that today, according to the National Association of Realtors, 80% of buyers search online listings. So you must have your listing at every place that the buyers are looking. Video serves a great purpose in that it ties in the whole social media experience. Videos are the first go-to for homebuyers–and not necessarily just for videos of the properties. It could also be a message you want to give to prospective buyers. Having a video on YouTube takes you to another level, and here is what I’ve learned: If you want to maintain your level in real estate or any sales business, you definitely have to be involved in social media.
I can attribute an additional $50,000 in revenues to the tech tools I’ve implemented and expect 2010Â revenues of between $300,000 and $350,000.
Company: NuJak Cos.
Principals: Frank Kendrick, CEO (right) & Timothy B. Jackson, COO
Location: Lakeland, FL
Type of Business: Construction, property management, and real estate development
2009 Revenues: $10 million
Employees: 12
In our industry, time and money are synonymous. NuJak has invested in project management software to plan and manage construction projects efficiently, track our projects, mitigate delays, save time, and reduce costs. We have a fully integrated Project Management Control System (PMCS) that consists of Primavera P3 Project Planner, Primavera Expedition for document control, and Sage Timberline Office for cost control. The initial startup cost of the system we purchased (the P3 model) was $3,500.
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